A BIOS editor is a piece of software that helps users to modify the BIOS system in their computer. The BIOS (Basic Input, Basic Output System) in a computer determines its boot settings, and how that computer is internally configured to operate. A BIOS editor is an advanced software tool that is not meant to be used by beginners or those without some specialized knowledge of IT.
One of the options in a computer’s BIOS setup is boot settings. A computer can boot from installed Windows software, or from other software on a disc or CD. In older computers, a “BIOS floppy” disc allowed for booting from a 2.5 or 3.25 floppy disc. Newer computers may boot from a CD including BIOS software. BIOS editors can be part of creating different boot options for a computer.
Every computer has a BIOS menu that users can access while the computer is starting up. A BIOS editor can help computer owners or others to build command functionality into BIOS changes. A BIOS editor can help navigate a BIOS menu and make necessary changes.
BIOS editors and similar tools might also help with BIOS password issues. New computers often have a proprietary password that the owner must use to completely boot the computer or enter the desktop. If that password gets lost, it can cause some major problems for users. Experts can provide details on how to get around BIOS password issues, and a BIOS editor can sometimes be helpful.
It’s important that beginners understand that a BIOS editing tool can make extreme changes to the way that a computer operates and functions. Poor changes in BIOS can ruin some aspects of computer operation. That’s why doing BIOS editing usually voids manufacturer warranties.
Makers of this kind of software can write a BIOS editing program for any kind of operating system. Some computers use the standard Windows or Apple operating systems, where others use open source programs like Linux. Programmers can make changes to either setup using a BIOS editor that is compatible with the operating system being used on the machine.
Find out more about specific kinds of BIOS editors from the companies or other parties who provide them. A BIOS editor may be offered as freeware, or sold on the software market. Read details on a BIOS editor carefully before using it, however, and make sure that your changes don’t negatively affect your computer’s performance. Always be sure to keep an unaltered copy of the original BIOS, just in case you run into problems and need to start over.