AMIBIOS 6: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:39, 28 January 2023

AMIBIOS 6 is a version of AMIBIOS made by American Megatrends and often known with the subcore date 071595 (July 15, 1995), although some few newer subcore dates such as 071599 (July 15, 1999) do exist. It was used for a very long time, from 1995 to around 2001 when it was replaced by AMIBIOS 07.00.10 (which then quickly got replaced by AMIBIOS 8).

Early versions (cores) of AMIBIOS 6 could still only detect up to 32 GB hard drives, however in around 1999 this limit was bumped up to 64 GB. AMIBIOS 6 was also the first version of AMIBIOS to include built-in PnP (Plug and Play) support, an easy hardware detection technology used by Microsoft Windows 95 and newer versions.

POST screen

As AMIBIOS 6 was in use for a very long time, some changes to the POST screen (and the setup utilities and overall some features as well) have occurred. The EPA (Energy Star compliance logo, short for Environmental Protection Agency, used by AwardBIOS and enthusiasts) can also change depending on OEM/motherboard manufacturer and core version.

POST screen with small EPA, same EPA also used by AMI WinBIOS, often used by ones that have WinBIOS Setup Utility
POST screen with EPA on right corner
POST screen with EPA on top right corner
POST screen in VGA resolution (640x480), also often used on Chinese and Japanese BIOSes
POST screen in VGA resolution and with different EPA, used by some Gigabyte motherboards

Setup Utility

Unlike AMI WinBIOS and AMIBIOS 5, AMIBIOS 6 included a variety of setup utilities for use by OEMs/manufacturers. Early versions only had AMI WinBIOS Setup Utility or Hi-Flex Setup Utility, while later Easy Setup Utility (resembling the Intel AMI Hi-Flex fork setup) and Simple Setup Utility (resembling the newer AwardBIOS setup) were also introduced.

Early Hi-Flex Setup Utility (1995), does not mention Hi-Flex
Later Hi-Flex Setup Utility (1996-2001), does mention Hi-Flex
Hi-Flex Setup Utility in VGA resolution, often was used on versions with Chinese or Japanese language support.
WinBIOS Setup Utility
Easy Setup Utility
Early Simple Setup Utility
Late Simple Setup Utility
Setup Utility used by some Gateway 2000/Advanced Logic Research (ALR) computers/motherboards, believed to be made by Intel for a beta of their AMIBIOS 6 fork

Bugs and quirks

People have reported Plug and Play related issues on early AMIBIOS versions with Plug and Play support (assumed to be AMIBIOS 6). The issues were said to be fixed in around 1997, however.

AMIBIOS 6 also has a bug with it's CD-ROM boot option where it often can't boot into Windows XP installation disks. When attempted to, an NTLDR is missing error appears, regardless of used disk.

Thomas Pabst of Tom's Hardware has also reported issues regarding IRQ routing with AMIBIOS 6 with WinBIOS Setup Utility, calling it "a big disappointment".

Intel fork

Main page: List of BIOS and UEFI firmwares used by Intel motherboards

Intel forked AMIBIOS 6 subcore date 071595 in around 1998 and began using it on their motherboards. This fork also used an unusual 063200 core number (last for regular AMIBIOS 6 was 063100). It was also later replaced with their AMIBIOS 8 fork in early-2000s.

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 AMIBIOS 6 is a version of [[AMIBIOS]] made by [[American Megatrends]] and often known with the subcore date <code>071595</code> (July 15, 1995), although some few newer subcore dates such as <code>071599</code> (July 15, 1999) do exist. It was used for a very long time, from 1995 to around 2001 when it was replaced by [[AMIBIOS 07.00.10]] (which then quickly got replaced by [[AMIBIOS 8]]).
-Early versions (cores) of AMIBIOS 6 could still only detect up to 32 GB hard drives, however in around 1999 this limit was bumped up to 64 GB. It was also the first version of AMIBIOS to include built-in PnP (Plug and Play) support, an easy hardware detection technology used by [[Microsoft Windows 95]] and newer versions.
+Early versions (cores) of AMIBIOS 6 could still only detect up to 32 GB hard drives, however in around 1999 this limit was bumped up to 64 GB. AMIBIOS 6 was also the first version of AMIBIOS to include built-in PnP (Plug and Play) support, an easy hardware detection technology used by [[Microsoft Windows 95]] and newer versions.
 == POST screen ==
@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 == Setup Utility ==
-Unlike AMI WinBIOS and AMIBIOS 5, AMIBIOS 6 included a variety of setup utilities for use by OEMs/manufacturers. Early versions only had AMI WinBIOS Setup Utility or Hi-Flex Setup Utility, while later Easy Setup Utility (resembling the [[AMI Hi-Flex BIOS#Intel fork|Intel AMI Hi-Flex fork setup]]) and Simple Setup Utility (resembling the newer AwardBIOS setup) were also added.
+Unlike AMI WinBIOS and AMIBIOS 5, AMIBIOS 6 included a variety of setup utilities for use by OEMs/manufacturers. Early versions only had AMI WinBIOS Setup Utility or Hi-Flex Setup Utility, while later Easy Setup Utility (resembling the [[AMI Hi-Flex BIOS#Intel fork|Intel AMI Hi-Flex fork setup]]) and Simple Setup Utility (resembling the newer AwardBIOS setup) were also introduced.
 <gallery mode="packed" widths=180px heights=100px>
 File:AMIBIOS 6 Hi-Flex Setup Utility (Early).png|Early Hi-Flex Setup Utility (1995), does not mention Hi-Flex
 File:AMIBIOS 6 Hi-Flex Setup Utility (Late).png|Later Hi-Flex Setup Utility (1996-2001), does mention Hi-Flex
-File:AMIBIOS 6 Hi-Flex Setup Utility (VGA).png|Hi-Flex Setup Utility in VGA resolution, also often used on Chinese and Japanese BIOSes
+File:AMIBIOS 6 Hi-Flex Setup Utility (VGA).png|Hi-Flex Setup Utility in VGA resolution, often was used on versions with Chinese or Japanese language support.
 File:AMIBIOS 6 WinBIOS Setup Utility.png|WinBIOS Setup Utility
 File:AMIBIOS 6 Easy Setup Utility.png|Easy Setup Utility
 File:AMIBIOS 6 Simple Setup Utility (Early).png|Early Simple Setup Utility
-File:AMIBIOS 6 Simple Setup Utility (Late).png|Later Simple Setup Utility
+File:AMIBIOS 6 Simple Setup Utility (Late).png|Late Simple Setup Utility
 File:AMIBIOS 6 Gateway Setup Utility.png|Setup Utility used by some Gateway 2000/Advanced Logic Research (ALR) computers/motherboards, believed to be made by Intel for a beta of [[AMIBIOS 6#Intel fork|their AMIBIOS 6 fork]]
 </gallery>
 == Bugs and quirks ==
-[https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/ami-or-award-any-preferences.345180/post-95507 People have reported Plug and Play related issues] on early AMIBIOS versions with it (assumed to be AMIBIOS 6). The issues are said to be fixed in around 1997, however.
+[https://forums.anandtech.com/threads/ami-or-award-any-preferences.345180/post-95507 People have reported Plug and Play related issues] on early AMIBIOS versions with Plug and Play support (assumed to be AMIBIOS 6). The issues were said to be fixed in around 1997, however.
-AMIBIOS 6 also has a bug with it's CD-ROM boot option where it often can't boot into Windows XP ISOs. When attempted to, an NTLDR is missing error appears, regardless of used ISO.
+AMIBIOS 6 also has a bug with it's CD-ROM boot option where it often can't boot into Windows XP installation disks. When attempted to, an NTLDR is missing error appears, regardless of used disk.
 Thomas Pabst of Tom's Hardware [https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/review-slot-1-motherboards-intel-440bx-chipset,67.html has also reported issues regarding IRQ routing with AMIBIOS 6 with WinBIOS Setup Utility], calling it "a big disappointment".
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ''Main page: [[List of BIOS and UEFI firmwares used by Intel motherboards]]''
-Intel forked AMIBIOS 6 subcore <code>071595</code> in around 1998 and began using it on their motherboards. This fork also used an unusual <code>063200</code> core number (last for regular AMIBIOS 6 was <code>063100</code>). It was also later replaced with [[AMIBIOS 8#Intel fork|their AMIBIOS 8 fork]] in early-2000s.
+Intel forked AMIBIOS 6 subcore date <code>071595</code> in around 1998 and began using it on their motherboards. This fork also used an unusual <code>063200</code> core number (last for regular AMIBIOS 6 was <code>063100</code>). It was also later replaced with [[AMIBIOS 8#Intel fork|their AMIBIOS 8 fork]] in early-2000s.