Re: [gentoo-user] Curiosity...

Volker Armin Hemmann <volkerarmin@××××××××××.com> [11-01-29 16:56]:
> On Saturday 29 January 2011 07:33:34 Mark Knecht wrote:
> > On Sat, Jan 29, 2011 at 7:09 AM, Volker Armin Hemmann
> >
> > <volkerarmin@××××××××××.com> wrote:
> > > On Saturday 29 January 2011 06:33:39 Mark Knecht wrote:
> > >> On Sat, Jan 29, 2011 at 6:18 AM,  <meino.cramer@×××.de> wrote:
> > >> > Hi,
> > >> >
> > >> > when listing my hardware with lshw I find some stuff build
> > >> > into my ASUS Crosshair IV Formula, which I seem not to use
> > >> > and I like to know, for what it is good for:
> > >>
> > >> > These are excerpts from the output of lshw:
> > >> <SNIP>
> > >>
> > >> > but...for what reason there is an audio device in my graphics
> > >> > card?
> > >> > Sounds to me like a bicycle with onboard toaster... ;)
> > >>
> > >> I love the picture, however it is more likely for things like audio
> > >> over
> > >> HDMI..
> > >>
> > >> > for the smbus thingy as for the ISA-bridge there no additional
> > >> > info. For what reason there is an ISA bridge on a board which
> > >> > skipped floppy controller and IDE???
> > >>
> > >> The ISA stuff is likely for historical conformance to the PC
> > >> architecture. Not sure if modern motherboards use it anymore, but
> > >> maybe they do.
> > >
> > > they do.
> > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Pin_Count
> > >
> > >> IIRC the smbus is involved in power switch stuff. It's not unlike I2C
> > >> but more simple.
> > >
> > > also the spd-eeprom on your memory modules can be accessed via smbus.
> > > And some kinds of sensors chips. And a lot more.
> >
> > Yeah, makes sense that boot ROM/BIOS stuff is going to get accessed
> > through there.
>
> bios is accessed via 'isa' lpc ;)
>

I ever thought the bios is a piece of software (keyword "bios flash"
and "firmware") rather some hardware... ?!