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Technosaurus
CNET.co.uk's guide to all the must-know terms and evolving technologies
BIOS (basic input/output system)
The BIOS is coded into a PC's ROM to provide the basic instructions for controlling system hardware. The operating system and application programs both directly access BIOS routines to provide better compatibility for such functions as screen display. Some makers of add-in boards, such as graphics cards, provide their own BIOS modules that work in conjunction with (or replace) the BIOS on the system's motherboard.
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