The BIOS is the program that starts a computer up, and the CMOS is where the BIOS stores the date, time, and system configuration details it needs to start the computer. … CMOS is a type of memory technology, but most people use the term to refer to the chip that stores variable data for startup.

Is CMOS chip and ROM BIOS chip the same device?

The BIOS and CMOS are often thought to be the same thing, but they are not. They are two different components of a computer, but they do work together to make the computer function properly. The BIOS, or “Basic Input/Output System”, is special firmware stored in a chip on your computer’s motherboard.

Is CMOS setup utility BIOS?

Some computer manufacturers refer to this setup menu as the BIOS setup, while others refer to it as the CMOS setup. … CMOS is the component that remembers your system settings when you power the computer down, while BIOS contains the settings for the boot-up process.