This article describes AMI/AWARD BIOS with 64Mb SPI Flash ROM.

An AMI/AWARD BIOS with 64Mb SPI Flash ROM refers to a specific type of BIOS chip and configuration used for system firmware in computers. Here’s what each component means:

1. AMI/AWARD BIOS

• AMI (American Megatrends Inc.) and AWARD are two popular manufacturers of BIOS firmware, which provides the fundamental instructions for initializing and managing hardware during the computer’s boot-up process.
• BIOS (Basic Input/Output System): This is the firmware that initializes hardware and manages boot-up before handing control over to the operating system. The BIOS also provides configuration options for hardware, such as processor settings, memory timing, and boot order.

2. 64Mb SPI Flash ROM

• 64Mb (Megabits): This indicates the storage capacity of the BIOS chip, which is 64 Megabits (Mb), equivalent to 8 Megabytes (MB). This capacity is sufficient to store firmware instructions, configuration settings, and various system features, such as Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), Plug and Play, and other BIOS settings.
• SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface): This refers to the type of interface used to connect the BIOS chip to the motherboard. SPI is a commonly used, high-speed communication protocol that enables efficient data transfer between the BIOS chip and the motherboard.
• Flash ROM (Read-Only Memory): This is a non-volatile memory type that stores the BIOS firmware, ensuring that the data remains even when the computer is powered off. Flash ROM can be reprogrammed, allowing for BIOS updates to add new features or fix bugs.

Summary

An AMI/AWARD BIOS with 64Mb SPI Flash ROM describes a BIOS system from either AMI or AWARD, stored on an 8MB SPI Flash ROM chip. This setup allows for efficient communication with the motherboard, supports reprogrammable firmware, and stores all necessary startup and configuration data for booting the system.