Ask Leo!: Firmware

Does a BIOS password protect the contents of my laptop?

leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:46:51 -08:00

As far as safeguarding access to your PC or laptop, won't entering a username or password in the boot menu protect others from getting into your PC at all?

]]> By "boot menu" I'm going to assume you mean the menu that may be presented by your BIOS immediately after it performs its self-test, and before the operating system is loaded.

In short: with one exception, no.

To be fair, it makes things more difficult - sometimes quite difficult - but ultimately we have to return to something I've been saying for a long time:

If it's not physically secure, it's not secure.

Should I password protect my BIOS?

leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:56:19 -08:00

Does a boot up BIOS password add any real security to my computer? I know that if a system isn't physically secure, it isn't ultimately secure at all. But since it's so easy to overcome the Windows password using a boot disk, I'm wondering if the addition of a boot up BIOS password, which must be entered before the CD drives boot, adds any real security.

]]> In my opinion, it does. It's an additional barrier to entry.

However, we need to make sure we understand just what the limitations, and risks, of using a BIOS password really are.

How often should I replace my CMOS battery, and what does it do, anyway?

leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:41:34 -08:00

In all desktop PCs there is a battery - what is the purpose of this battery and how long does it last before it has to be replaced? Does the replacement of this battery affect the BIOS of the computer? I've had a PC for 6 years now and never replaced the battery.

]]> Actually all PCs, desktop and laptop alike, have a battery like this, typically referred to as the "CMOS" battery. It serves an important function, even though it's actually possible on most machines to run without one ... which quickly becomes annoying.

The good news is that, as you've seen, they typically last for years.

Do I need to regularly update my BIOS?

leo@pugetsoundsoftware (Leo A. Notenboom) — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:00:23 -08:00

I just updated/upgraded my computer this past February. New motherboard, cpu, ram, etc. There are a couple items from my older computer also. I like to keep my software, utilities, anti-virus, and so on, up-to-date; generally when a new update/version is issued. My question is this. Since my computer is fairly new and appears to be operating normally, is it necessary to update the BIOS, motherboard chip-sets, and so forth? My BIOS is at or less than 6 months old. I mean, I know that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"! But I just want to be alright with either keeping what I've got or update it.

]]> It's an interesting question that I hadn't really thought about before. We certainly go to great lengths to stress how important it is to keep your system software up to date with the latest patches and the like. Even applications these days frequently self-check and notify you automatically when updates are available.

But what about your BIOS?