io.sys vs BIOS

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Hi
I want to know what is the use of "io.sys" and "config.sys" files?? So
I went to

http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid1_gci214057,00.html

to find what is "io.sys" file. What I do not understand in the
defination of io.sys is this part:
<quote>
....when the operating system is booted (started), processes
instructions that tell the operating system how the computer is set
up.
</quote>

I thought this what the BIOS suppose to do?? is there any conflict
between io.sys or config.sys and the BIOS


===================================
From whatis.com
IO.SYS
In the Windows 95 operating system, IO.SYS is an executable binary
file (in other words, a program) that, when the operating system is
booted (started), processes instructions that tell the operating
system how the computer is set up. In Windows 95, IO.SYS replaced the
older MS-DOS system files, IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS. The newer IO.SYS
contains all the information needed to start your computer and
eliminates the need for the CONFIG.SYS and autoexec.bat files because
the values in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are in IO.SYS instead. Both
of these files still come with Windows for older applications and
drivers that need them.
In computers using DOS or Windows 3.x, the IO.SYS is loaded with the
MSDOS.SYS file when the computer is booted. MSDOS.SYS is a text file
that determines whether DOS or Windows is loaded. Because IO.SYS is a
sequence of executable code rather than readable text, it is not
editable like MSDOS.SYS, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT.

To change default values that come with IO.SYS, you must change the
CONFIG.SYS file. In loading IO.SYS, the system picks up any changed
values that are present in the CONFIG.SYS file.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

esara <esara123@hotmail.com> wrote:
| Hi
| I want to know what is the use of "io.sys" and "config.sys" files?? So
| I went to
|
| http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid1_gci214057,00.html
|
| to find what is "io.sys" file. What I do not understand in the
| defination of io.sys is this part:
| <quote>
| ...when the operating system is booted (started), processes
| instructions that tell the operating system how the computer is set
| up.
| </quote>
|
| I thought this what the BIOS suppose to do?? is there any conflict
| between io.sys or config.sys and the BIOS

No, there isn't a 'conflict' between io.sys and the BIOS - they work
together.
In computers which aren't PCs the BIOS is considered to be part of the
operating system, but PCs are weird because the BIOS is run before any
attempt is made to access the boot media. Basically is defines a model of
how the hardware can be seen by the operating system itself. With a PC BIOS
it is possible to enter a 'BIOS setup' menu and adjust various parameters of
how the hardware is presented and responds, so you can enable or disable
various hardware features, assign interrupts and I/O addresses and suchlike.
Some plug-in devices, SCSI host cards for example, have thier own built-in
BIOS extension and setup menu. So, the BIOS could be visualised as the
'soft' side of the heardware - it determines how the hardware is set up
ready for the software to make use of it.
IO.SYS could be thought of as the reverse of that - it is sort of the 'hard'
end of the software. It is responsible for making sure that parts of the
hardware-software interface - buffers, IO maps, interrupt vectors, etc are
correctly assigned so that the operating system, Windows in this case, has a
way to access the hardware.
What is important is that the configuration held in IO.SYS matches the
interfaces presented by the BIOS.
Of course, once the op system kernel has been loaded then device drivers can
come into play, which is a whole different ballgame (well, fairly
different).
Kevin.

| ===================================
| From whatis.com
| IO.SYS
| In the Windows 95 operating system, IO.SYS is an executable binary
| file (in other words, a program) that, when the operating system is
| booted (started), processes instructions that tell the operating
| system how the computer is set up. In Windows 95, IO.SYS replaced the
| older MS-DOS system files, IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS. The newer IO.SYS
| contains all the information needed to start your computer and
| eliminates the need for the CONFIG.SYS and autoexec.bat files because
| the values in CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT are in IO.SYS instead. Both
| of these files still come with Windows for older applications and
| drivers that need them.
| In computers using DOS or Windows 3.x, the IO.SYS is loaded with the
| MSDOS.SYS file when the computer is booted. MSDOS.SYS is a text file
| that determines whether DOS or Windows is loaded. Because IO.SYS is a
| sequence of executable code rather than readable text, it is not
| editable like MSDOS.SYS, CONFIG.SYS, and AUTOEXEC.BAT.
|
| To change default values that come with IO.SYS, you must change the
| CONFIG.SYS file. In loading IO.SYS, the system picks up any changed
| values that are present in the CONFIG.SYS file.