You are almost certainly more informed than i on this subject, my only point about BIOS upgrades though is that it is possible to rewrite the CMOS. That means that it is accessible through software. Remembering that all one really wants to do is read and write those few dynamic bytes available it seems to me that there has to be other ways besides those offered through the set-up before software is loaded.
Some of the functions are available through other methods like the methods for setting date and time. Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype DaleLeavens Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Trouble" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 8:49 AM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Possible Project: Navigating Bios with Jaws > Well Dale you can up grade the bios, but that is what is called a > flash up grade. its almost like a blind faith kind of up grade, > because you put the floppy in and the box reboots using that floppy. > Wile putting the bios in a dead mode. everything is on the floppy now > and bios chip is being rewrote. Bad thing is if bios flash stops or > is not right upgrade for bios. You are really screwed. Because the > board will not either boot and you can't undo what you did. Have to > put a new CMOS chip in the board and start over. Like using a tech > shop for that, because if they mess up they bought the board and replace. > There are two things that would make working in the bios a snap. A > talking bios like some assues boards have, but they only do stats for > now, and something to capture video output. So things can be reviewed > and changed as needed. > One guy came out with a capture card, but the price was way over my > head for it to be any use to me, and only worked on 486 and under. > Another thing that would be nice is if they take out all the old crap > in there. On todays box you still got settings in bios for a 286 box. > The one area in software that has not came up like the boxes. > > > > At 11:21 PM 8/13/2006, you wrote: >>Hi Victor, >> >>I don't remember if I got a message through to you on this or not, I >>remember trying while on vacation but for some reason my ISP wouldn't >>forward messages from remote locations although I was able to read >>everything. >> >>One thing I have never understood about this problem which has come up on >>various lists I belong to from time-to-time is why it is necessary to read >>the BIOS at boot-up at all. >> >>Because all of the values of the BIOS are stored in CMOS in very >>particular >>locations and because there are only limited numbers of BIOS producers >>most >>should be able to be queried from a standard Windows application. >> >>It would be necessary to know what the significance of various bytes are, >>and many need to be set as bit values. In deed some are even flipped when >>examined so one would need some knowledge of this but that is all >>available. >> >>BIOS upgrades are occasionally available over the Web which must mean that >>the manufacturers are able to modify BIOS on a machine, therefore so can >>anyone. >> >>I have fiddled with doing some BIOS reading and writing way back in the >>distant past under DOS, silly things like poking values into the time >>registers and on an old Sharp 7000 portable, changing the back light of >>the >>display but so far as I can tell the principle remains the same. >> >>One would have to gather specifications on the various BIOS >>implementations >>but I don't believe there are very many these days. >> >>Anyway, I hope this gives you some more ideas of paths to pursue. If I >>have >>already written on this subject, sorry to have done so again. >> >> >> >>Dale Leavens, Cochrane Ontario Canada >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Skype DaleLeavens >>Come and meet Aurora, Nakita and Nanook at our polar bear habitat. >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Victor Gouveia" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: <jaws-users@yahoogroups.com> >>Sent: Friday, July 14, 2006 12:46 PM >>Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Possible Project: Navigating Bios with Jaws >> >> >> > Hi all, >> > >> > I am sending this post to multiple lists because some of you belong to >> > some lists that others don't, so in order to maximise this message's >> > potential, I am doing so. >> > >> > A friend of mine posed a question to another list about the possibility >> > of >> > navigating the bios screen and the CMOS settings using Jaws, and while >> > some people said that it couldn't be done, there was one response that >> > sort of intrigued me. >> > >> > The response is as follows: >> > >> > *** >> > >> > I know someone that has made a card that if you have two computers you >> > can >> > read your bios on one of those computers. You must have an external >> > synthesizer. >> > >> > *** >> > >> > This sounds intriguing because of two things. One, I had thought about >> > this kind of set-up using an external synthesizer, albeit without the >> > second computer. I don't see why it couldn't be done to have the >> > external >> > synth getting output directly from the screen, in a way that allows the >> > external synth to capture the video before the actual monitor does. >> > >> > The second reason is that if someone could develop this, it would help >> > a >> > great many people become more independent, not to mention computer >> > professionals who can't get fully into the business without sighted >> > help >> > because of simple things like setting the BIOS and CMOS settings. >> > >> > I have decided to take on this task, but I find I have some problems >> > with >> > this sort of endeavour. For one, I am not an engineer, by any stretch >> > of >> > the imagination, so the development of the hardware would have to come >> > via >> > some other method. Secondly, I don't do programming, in any language. >> > Yes, I have done up some web pages in my time, using Front Page, but >> > that >> > was relatively easy since I had used templates already available >> > through >> > the program. In essence, if there is a modification that would have to >> > be >> > done to Jaws scripts or anything like that, that, too, would have to >> > come >> > from somewhere else. >> > >> > While I am quite knowledgeable about computers and their functioning, >> > there are a few things I am at a loss to do, and my brother, while a >> > genius with hardware set-up, deciphering the intricacies of various >> > programs and other computer related things, he would have to be a >> > genius >> > considering he and I sell the damn things, the two of us are not >> > anywhere >> > near smart enough to put something like this together, so my proposal >> > is >> > this... >> > >> > I am asking for help, any kind of help, whether it be on the hardware >> > side >> > of it, the programming side of it, idea side of it, or even, the >> > testing >> > side of it, I will accept all comers. >> > >> > I would need to know your qualifications, in other words, how you think >> > you can contribute, how far you are willing to go with this help and if >> > it >> > would be possible to contact you over the telephone. >> > >> > I should note, that there is no money involved. My brother are >> > investing >> > our own time and money into this endeavour, and when completed, we do >> > not >> > intend to sell it to anyone. In fact, if we can manage it, we intend >> > to >> > provide people with the ability to install any equipment or software >> > required themselves, with a bit of assistance. >> > >> > I know, it sounds too good to be true, but the fact is, that with this >> > device, it would enable people to make a living without sighted >> > assistance >> > when it comes to computers. No longer would we be slaves to the >> > capitalistic society that does not allow the blind and visually >> > impaired >> > to succeed on their own. Having this technology would enable us far >> > more >> > than any money we could ever hope to make, hence why the low price tag. >> > >> > Another thing my brother and I have promised ourselves is that if the >> > world is going to screw us out of our money, why should we do it to >> > ourselves? >> > >> > Well, it ain't going to happen... >> > >> > Mind you, if you think that by helping us by giving us your telephone >> > number, and then don't make yourselves available or don't contribute in >> > the slightest, there will be credit granted to you, Don't even go >> > there. >> > The fact is, there must be some contribution, no matter how small, but >> > at >> > least some contribution. >> > >> > If you wish to participate, I ask that you e-mail me off-list so as not >> > to >> > clutter any lists with unnecessary traffic, to: >> > >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > >> > If you have a question about this project, than I would suggest you ask >> > it >> > on-list, and I ask the moderators to forgive me for this, however, it >> > would save me a great deal of time answering these questions on-list as >> > others may have the same question, and I wouldn't have to answer the >> > question multiple times. >> > >> > I look forward to the independence this project will open up for us, >> > and >> > wish us all, Godspeed. >> > >> > Victor >> > >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > To listen to the show archives go to link >> > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html >> > or >> > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ >> > >> > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. >> > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday >> > >> > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. >> > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml >> > >> > Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From >> > Various List Members At The Following Address: >> > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman >> > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man >> > list just send a blank message to: >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > Yahoo! Groups Links >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > No virus found in this incoming message. >> > Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.1/389 - Release Date: >> > 14/07/2006 >> > >> > >> >> >> >>To listen to the show archives go to link >> http://acbradio.org/handyman.html >>or >>ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ >> >>The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. >>http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday >> >>The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. >>http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml >> >>Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions >> From Various List Members At The Following Address: >>http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ >>Visit the new archives page at the following address >>http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ >>For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy >>Man list just send a blank message to: >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>Yahoo! Groups Links >> >> >> >> > > Tim > trouble > Blindeudora list owner. > To subscribe or info: http://www.freelists.org/webpage/blindeudora > > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > Various List Members At The Following Address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.10.9/417 - Release Date: 11/08/2006 > > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
