BASIC INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEM (BIOS) PROGRAM STORAGE ON A MOTHERBOARD FOR A VARIETY OF COMPUTER CPU TYPES

摘要

A microcomputer system, according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a motherboard with sockets for EISA add-on boards and a processor board. The BIOS program for the processor board is stored on the motherboard, in a flash memory. A permanent BIOS program, also on the motherboard, has program code for a routine to check if the BIOS in flash memory is appropriate for the particular type of processor board then installed. Each processor board has a code wired into its edge connector, and this code will hardwise select a portion of the permanent BIOS that is machine code correct for the CPU on the processor board. BIOS programms in flash memory can be updated or changed by downloading from a floppy disk under control of the permanent BIOS.