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PC Hacks
book

PC Hacks

by Jim Aspinwall
October 2004
Intermediate to advanced content levelIntermediate to advanced
304 pages
7h 44m
English
O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Content preview from PC Hacks

Hack #9. Hack an Unhackable BIOS

You may be able to find a BIOS upgrade to work around that unhackable, squeaky-clean OEM BIOS.

By this point you may have discovered which feature hacks your BIOS supports, if any. Your PC may contain a "dummied-down" BIOS that provides very few setup options to choose from, while a truly hackable BIOS will give you parameters aplenty.

Most "no name," "white box," do-it-yourself PC system boards come littered with hackable bits through switches, jumpers, or the BIOS. These boards are the subject of the majority of hacks, overclocking, modifications, BIOS upgrades, and just plain "geeking out" on what a PC can be made to do. You'll get hours of enjoyment fiddling with every bit and parameter you can find and perhaps encounter hours or days of frustration if one of your hacks causes you to lose data or massive quantities of that soft, furry stuff atop your head.

If you've got an " OEM system"—one with a recognizable and sustained brand name such as Compaq, Dell, Gateway, HP, IBM, NEC, Sony, or Toshiba—chances are you will not find any parameters worth hacking on—you've got a "dummied down" BIOS.

The unhackable BIOS exists for one very simple reason: the manufacturer wants this PC to work for the broadest, simplest set of PC users. In other words, it does not want to have to bear the cost of support calls related to hacked BIOS settings. Completely understandable if this is a family PC but very frustrating if you're a real techie and wish to experiment. ...

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Publisher Resources

ISBN: 0596007485Errata Page