bios virus

[gazzagazza]

Ive just built a new PC.The new motherboard (Abit NF7-S) cmos setting had a virus protection setting.It was set to disabled by default.I wasnt sure wether to enable it or not as I have Norton anti virus software installed on pc. Is the cmos virus protection setting there only to protect the cmos itself? How does it function exactly?
thanks

[Neř]

i never knew that ther are BIOS virii.....

-Neř

[wju425]

You should turn it on. It prevents changes being made to the bios. Turn it off only when you flash the bios and that's the only reason to make changes to the bios.

\o/ Billy

EDIT: I should add that after you set up your devices and configs that you turn on the protection.

To Neo, yes there is such a virii and they'll ruin the bios rendering the mobo useless.

[Rand Dusing]

Cant you get a new BIOS chip if that happens?

[Xtreeme]

YES. Thats the reason of the socketed bios chips. That and more recently-cause of bad flashes. I wont own a mobo without a socketed bios chip anymore. What good is a mobo that a single 10-$15 chip can ruin a $130 or so mobo. IMHO anyways.

[gazzagazza]

There are also Mobo's with dual bios chips on them available .One is flashable the other isnt. So if the virus trashes the flashable one you have always got the non flashable factory default bios to fall back on.

[Xtreeme]

Yep-only a few with that though. As long as its A} two bios's or B} 1-socketed bios I use the other features to blalnce the purchase. But everyone should totally avoid the soldered bios mobo's. Its just laziness on their part that costs us big time. So till they shape up-I stay away! Last I had soldered was Asus P4T-E mobo and that was just laim. $150 board without a socketed bios. Last One ever I swear!

[eagle1]

Gigabyte Mobos (most of them if not all) come with the Dual BiOs feature. I love these.! :P

And yes, I usually turn the BIOS antivirus on after configuring everything in there and after installing the OS.