WORKSHOP 3

1. What do you know about CMOS?

_____ The only thing I know about CMOS is that it is a small amount of memory on
a computer motherboard that stores the basic input and output
settings_______________

2. What Is CMOS?

Complete the text with the nouns, and use them more than once.

motherboard - motherboards - BIOS - hardware - memory - RAM

What is CMOS and What Is It For?

Definition of CMOS & CMOS Batteries

by Tim Fisher
Updated February 08, 2017

CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) is the term usually used to

describe the small amount of _memory_ on a computer _motherboard_ that stores
the _BIOS_ settings. Some of these _BIOS_ settings include the system time and
date as well as _hardware_ settings.

Most talk of CMOS involves clearing CMOS, which means to reset the _BIOS_
settings to their default levels. This is a really easy task that's a great
troubleshooting step for many types of computer problems.

See How to Clear CMOS for several ways to do this on your computer.

Note: A CMOS sensor is different - it's used by digital cameras to convert images
into digital data.

Other Names For CMOS

CMOS is sometimes referred to as Real-Time Clock (RTC), CMOS _RAM__, Non-

Volatile _RAM__ (NV__RAM___), Non-Volatile __BIOS memory_, or
complementary-symmetry metal-oxide-semiconductor (COS-MOS).
How BIOS and CMOS Work Together

The BIOS is a computer chip on the _motherboards_ like CMOS except that it's
purpose is to communicate between the processor and other _hardware__
components like the hard drive, USB ports, sound card, video card, and more. A
computer without a _BIOS_ wouldn't understand how these pieces of the computer
work together.

See my What is the BIOS? piece for more information on the BIOS.

CMOS is also a computer chip on the _ motherboard_, or more specifically a

_RAM_ chip, which means it would normally lose the settings it's storing when the
computer is shut down.

However, the CMOS battery is used to provide constant power to the chip.

When the computer first boots up, _BIOS_ pulls information from the CMOS chip to
understand the _hardware_ settings, time, and anything else that's stored in it.

What is a CMOS Battery?

The CMOS is usually powered by a CR2032 cell battery, referred to as the CMOS
battery.

Most CMOS batteries will last the lifetime of a _ motherboard_, up to 10 years in

most cases, but will sometimes need to be replaced.

Incorrect or slow system date and time and loss of _BIOS_ settings are major
signs of a dead or dying CMOS battery. Replacing them is as easy as swapping
out the dead one for a new one.

More About CMOS & CMOS Batteries

While most _ motherboards__ have a spot for a CMOS battery, some smaller
computers, like many tablets and laptops, have a small external compartment for
the CMOS battery that connects to the __ motherboard__ via two small wires.
Some devices that use CMOS include microprocessors, microcontrollers, and
static _RAM_ (S_RAM_).

It's important to understand that CMOS and __BIOS__ are not interchangeable
terms for the same thing. While they work together for a specific function within the
computer, they are two entirely different components.

When the computer is first starting up, there's an option to boot into _BIOS_ or
CMOS. Opening the CMOS setup is how you can change the settings it's storing,
like the date and time and how the different computer components are first started
up. You can also use CMOS setup to disable/enable some _harware_ devices.

CMOS chips are desirable for battery-powered devices like laptops because they
use less power than other types of chips.

Although they use both negative polarity circuits and positive polarity circuits
(NMOS and PMOS), only one circuit type is powered on at a time.

The Mac equivalent to CMOS is PRAM, which stands for Parameter _RAM_.
3. Crossword

Solve the crossword.

Across: Down

1. Motherboard Memory

2. Eyelit Time

3. Oxide Processer

4. Random Acces
 Data

4.motherboard

7.

C. Meaning

Look up the meaning of five new words about CMOS, that you tend to forget.

1.Integrated_circuits: Known as a chip, it is a semiconductor wafer in which many

small resistances, also capacitors and transistors, are manufactured. An IC can be
used as an amplifier, as an oscillator, as a timer, as a counter, as a computer
memory, or as a microprocessor.__

2.Microprocessors: It is an electronic circuit that acts as the Central Processing Unit

(CPU) of a computer. Called by many as the "brain". It is a microscopic circuit
constituted by millions of transistors integrated in a single flat piece of little
thickness_.

3. Sensors: A sensor in the industry is an object capable of varying a property before

physical or chemical magnitudes, called instrumentation variables, and transforming
them with a transducer into electrical variables.__.

4. Transistor: The transistor. Electronic device in solid state, whose principle of

operation is based on the physics of semiconductors. This fulfills functions of
amplifier, oscillator, commutator or rectifier. _.

5. Microcontrollers: A microcontroller is an integrated circuit that contains a central

processing unit (CPU), memory units (RAM and ROM), input and output ports and
peripherals. These parts are interconnected within the microcontroller, and together
they form what is known as a microcomputer. It can be said with all property that a
microcontroller is a complete microcomputer encapsulated in an integrated circuit.

3.4 Actividades de transferencia de conocimiento

D. Creating

Write a short conversation using the new vocabulary

-Hello Maria

-Hello Sara, how are you?

-Very well thanks! and you?

-Well, what's your call?

-I wanted to thank you for yesterday's class, and I was able to get new knowledge
about CMOS

-I'm very happy Sara, what did you learn?

-I learned that CMOS is a technology for the construction of integrated circuits and
is used with microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM and other logic circuits.

-And digital do not forget it!

-Of course not, thank you Maria, you are the best!

-You're welcome Sara, remember to continue studying, bye.

4. Assessment

What is the difference between BIOS and CMOS?

The BIOS is a computer chip on the motherboard that looks like the one in the
image above. This chip contains a special program that helps the computer's
processor to interact and control the other components of the same. These other
components include disk drives, video cards, sound cards, network cards, floppy
disk drives, USB ports, disk drives, and others. Without the BIOS, the processor
would not know how to interact or connect with other components of the computer,
and it would not be able to function.

The CMOS is also a computer chip present in the motherboard, but more
specifically, it is a RAM chip. This is a type of memory chip that stores information
about the components of the computer, as well as the settings for them. However,
typical RAM chips lose the information stored in them when they are no longer
supplied with power. ______