[Ham-Computers] True or False?

[jeff]

> 4. Does anybody custom make and sell a computer without any operating system? In
> other words, buy the computer and install whatever OS you desire. 		

This is called the Microsoft tax.  Bill and company has it rigged that
most vendors are required to put one of their OS'es on each computer. 
Their license states that you can get a refund but they have been
denying this for years now.  Once a year or so, a bunch of linux geeks
celebrate Microsoft Refund Day and descend on Redmond to demand their
refunds.  Each time they fail to get more than a little press.

That said, check with local vendors or ask a friend.  I buy parts at
computer shows and assemble them myself.  Getting a prebuilt one with no
OS is just a little more expensive, obviously.


> 5. Does the BIOS play a role in the type of OS used, that is, BIOS XYZ is needed
> to run Windows 98SE and BIOS ABC is needed to run Windows XP HE. You can not run
> either/or with the same BIOS?	

at times, yes, you will need to upgrade the BIOS.  It's best to keep it
updated anyway, unless the update will cripple an important function.


> 6. What is the technical difference between BIOS and CMOS? During boot up, which
> is active and when, and what do both do? 	

CMOS = Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.
BIOS = Basic Input Output System

CMOS is the material the chips are made of.  BIOS is the instruction set
that resides in the chip.


> computer 8-12 hours per day, every day. I have never had a hard drive failure on
> any computer, ever. Yet I hear about people who seem to have failures quite
> often. Am I just lucky? 

it is said that a lot of electronic failures happen at shutdown.  I
don't have direct proof of this, but I tend to run my home and work
boxes 24 hours, 7 days without a lot of failures.

That aside, you are very lucky.