Gizmodo: bios

Phoenix's New Laptop BIOS Boots Windows 7 in 10 Seconds

Danny Allen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:20:00 EDT

That's Windows 7, not a mini-Linux OS like Splashtop. It's also from a powered-off state, not sleep mode. Pretty impressive. And much of that speed comes from turning on a laptop's devices (hard disk, ports, etc) in just 1 second.

Phoenix's Instant Boot BIOS is UEFI based, which means it can turn on those devices simultaneously to hit that roughly 1 second mark. Regular BIOS types—used by most current notebooks—turn on devices one at a time. That's why it takes up to 10 seconds before the operating system even gets the chance to load.

In this demo from the Intel Developer's Forum, a Lenovo T400s boots a usable Windows 7 desktop in about 10 seconds. It's also helped by a solid-state hard disk, a clean install without any crap-ware, and by not running fancy Aero graphics. Bottom line: Nice, but I'd like to see more of a real world scenario.

Phoenix says it can improve that time further with tweaks specific to individual laptops. It didn't say if any big names had signed the tech up, but I'm thinking some will. Waiting for your laptop to load is an inconvenience we've learned to live with, but I'd pay a little extra to make it a thing of the past. What about you? [LAPTOP Magazine and GottaBeMobile]

Lenovo Lets You Disable Your Stolen Laptop With a Stern Text Message

John Herrman — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 05:40:47 EST

In the next couple months Lenovo will be rolling out a BIOS update for its Montevina laptop users which enables remote shutdown and subsequent encryption via text message. The tech relies on the laptop having a WWAN connection and activates when a custom string, defined by the user and sent from a single, paired phone, is received. In other words, you can choose whatever you want as the shutdown signal, from a cool "Kill" or "Self-Destruct" to a long, patronizing multi-part message about the thieving youth of today.

Constant Secure Remote Disable, as it's called, isn't being touted as a first line of defense. In fact, quite the opposite: "This is kind of like a morning-after pill, I guess" said Stacy Cannady, Lenovo's product manager for security and apparently the only person at Lenovo to miss the company-wide memo about not using awkward reproductive metaphors in PR. The update will be available as a free download for compatible laptops in the next few months. [Crave]

MSI Wind Scores 30% Performance Boost in Free Update

Mark Wilson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:01:00 EDT

Overclocking is nothing new, but rarely is it promoted by a PC manufacturer, let alone in a netbook. But MSI has released the v1.09 BIOS update for their Wind mini-notebook that allows users to function key toggle an 8%, 15% or 24% automatic overclock that can translate to a 30% performance boost (as independently tested). You'll notice the extra power in apps like Photoshop especially, but keep in mind that it probably won't do wonders for the battery life. All in all, however, it sounds like an absolute must-have update. [Electric Vagabond]

Dell Issues BIOS Update to Keep Nvidia GeForce Cards From Frying

John Mahoney — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:29:38 EDT

Even after Nvidia downplayed their original report that GeForce 8400-8700 cards were failing in large numbers due to overheating, Dell has issued a BIOS update for all of its machines running the affected GPUs anyway. The update tweaks the fan settings to "regulate temperature fluctuations" to keep the maybe-faulty-maybe-not chips cooler. So who do we believe here?

Granted, it's not hard for Dell to roll out a BIOS update that bumps cooling fan RPMs, so it makes sense that they would cover their ass in this way. Although more fan means more noise and less battery life, so the update is not without its costs. Either way, Dell is taking the issue seriously, which makes it seem like the the problem is a little more serious than what Nvidia is saying.

The update is for the following systems: Inspiron 1420, Latitude D630, Latitude D630c, Vostro Notebook 1310, Vostro Notebook 1400, Vostro Notebook 1510, Vostro Notebook 1710, XPS M1330, and XPS M1530

[Direct2Dell via Laptoping]

Launch Apps Without Booting Windows Using Phoenix HyperSpace Mini OS

Wilson Rothman — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 08:56:15 EST

The Windows boot-time backlash is in full effect. BIOS-builder Phoenix Technologies is introducing a mini operating system called HyperSpace that can boot up in seconds in place of Windows, to run e-mail managers, web browsers and other apps. Such a system could prolong battery life by 50%, and would give laptop makers a chance to show off their own personalities, rather than act as mere vessels to the Microsoft experience. There are some catches:

Though the Wired story didn't specifically say it, the applications probably wouldn't be the exact same ones you'd run in Windows. There might be a word processor, but it probably wouldn't be Word.

Lenovos, Dells and Acers of the world can start tailoring computers with HyperSpace functionality to very specific demographics. A student-aimed laptop, for instance, could come with apps like word processing, e-mail and IM preloaded into HyperSpace.

Also, not only is it probably Linux-based, but as one Wired commenter pointed out, it's likely similar to code that experienced software ninjas have been messing around with for years. Some PC makers such as HP and Gateway have offered Windows-free quick-start media players already, though nothing to this degree.

A widespread implementation of HyperSpace across consumer laptops would still be a coup and a half.

Microsoft regards HyperSpace as "outside their sphere of influence," and is not too happy with Phoenix's offering, which adds yet another voice to the already loud chorus of voices complaining about operating-system bloat.

Look out for HyperSpace in laptops starting in mid to late 2008. [Wired Tech Biz]

UPDATE: Here's a link to the press release.

MacIntels Not To Boot Vista?

Gizloco — Mon, 13 Mar 2006 08:31:05 EST

Microsoft has just announced some potentially devastating news. Well, devastating to those folks who wanted to be able to boot Windows on their Intel-based Macs. Contrary to earlier assumptions, Microsoft Vista, the company s next major operating system, will not support EFI, the method used by MacIntels during boot up. EFI, which Intel hopes is to replace BIOS, will not be supported by Microsoft until Longhorn Server, due out next year. In short, this means that MacIntel users won t simply be able to put in a Vista install disc and have it just work. Expect hackers to have this problem licked in no time.

Sorry, MacTel owners: Windows Vista won't support EFI [Engadget]

My Rootkit Brings All the Boys to the BIOS

johnb — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 15:41:10 EST

It seems that sexperts at this year's Black Hat Conference see rootkits infecting BIOSii this year, a very real and present danger in this era of locked-down warez. While Windows is currently rock solid, these rootkits can change the way a PC boots and handles hardware, allowing nefarious Linux users to take control of your computer. That this hasn't been done earlier proves that Microsoft, in all her glorious majesty, has finally reached that 99.99% secure metric, leaving Open Source Zealots no choice but to attack the very fabric of freedom.

Rootkits Head for Your BIOS [Slashdot]