IV. Q Who Needs DualBIOS technology? Answer

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III.Q: How does DualBIOS™ technology work? Answer:

This new technology will eliminate valuable system down time and costly repair bills cause by BIOS failures.

1.DualBIOS™ technology provides a wide range of protection during the boot up procedure. It protects your BIOS during system POST, ESCD update, and even all the way to PNP detection/assignment.

2.DualBIOS™ provides automatic recovery for the BIOS. When the first BIOS used during boot up does not complete or if a BIOS checksum error occurs, boot-up is still possible. In the DualBIOS™ utility, the "Auto Recovery" option will guarantee that if either the main BIOS or backup BIOS is corrupted, the DualBIOS™ technology will use the good BIOS and correct the wrong BIOS automatically.

3.DualBIOS™ provides manual recovery for the BIOS. DualBIOS™ technology contains a built-in flash utility, which can flash your system BIOS from backup to main and/or visa versa. There is no need for an OS-dependent flash utility program.

4.DualBIOS™ contains a one-way flash utility. The built-in one-way flash utility will ensure that the corrupt BIOS is not mistaken as the good BIOS during recovery and that the correct BIOS (main vs. backup) will be flashed. This will prevent the good BIOS from being flashed.

IV. Q: Who Needs DualBIOS™ technology?

Answer:

This new technology will eliminate valuable system down time and costly repair bills cause by BIOS failures. 1. Every user should have DualBIOS™ technology due to the advancement of computer viruses. Everyday, there are new BIOS-type viruses discovered that will destroy your system BIOS. Most commercial products on the market do not have solutions to guard against this type of virus intrusion. The DualBIOS™

technology will provide a state-of-the-art solution to protect your PC:

Case I.)	Vicious computer viruses may wipe out your entire system BIOS. With a conventional single
	system BIOS PC, the PC will not be functional until it is sent for repairs.
Case II.)	If the "Auto Recovery" option is enabled in the DualBIOS™ utility, and if a virus corrupts your
	system BIOS, the backup BIOS will automatically reboot the system and correct the main BIOS.
Case III.)	A user may override booting from the main system BIOS. The DualBIOS™ utility may be en-
	tered to manually change the boot sequence to boot from the backup BIOS.

2.During or after a BIOS upgrade, if DualBIOS™ detects that the main BIOS is corrupt, the backup BIOS will take over the boot-up process automatically. Moreover, it will verify the main and backup BIOS checksums when booting-up. DualBIOS™ technology examines the checksum of the main and backup BIOS while the system is powered on to guarantee your BIOS operates properly.

3.Power Users will have the advantage of having two BIOS versions on their mainboard. The benefit is being able to select either version BIOS to suit the performance system needs.

4.Flexibility for high-end desktop PCs and workstation/servers. In the DualBIOS™ utility, the option can be set, "Halt On When BIOS Defects" to be enabled to halt your system with awarning message that the main BIOS has been corrupted. Most workstation/servers require constant operation

to guarantee services have not been interrupted. In this situation, the "Halt On When BIOS Defects" m e s s a g e m a y b e d i s a b l e d t o a v o i d s y s t e m p a u s e s d u r i n g n o r m a l b o o t i n g . Another advantage you gain from Giga-Byte's DualBIOS™ technology is the ability to upgrade from dual 2 Mbit BIOS to dual 4 Mbit BIOS in the future if extra BIOS storage is need.

GA-K8NS Pro Motherboard

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GA-K8NS Pro specifications

The Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro is a reliable and feature-rich motherboard designed for users seeking high performance, particularly for AMD Athlon 64 processors. Launched in the early 2000s, this ATX form factor motherboard is still noted for its robust features and expandability options, making it a solid choice for both gamers and general users.

One of the key features of the GA-K8NS Pro is its support for the AMD K8 architecture, allowing it to handle AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, and Sempron processors. This compatibility ensures that users can experience significant processing power, particularly beneficial for multi-threaded applications and gaming.

The motherboard boasts a versatile memory architecture with support for up to 4GB of DDR RAM running at 400 MHz. This capacity allows for smooth multitasking and improved overall system performance. The presence of four DIMM slots provides users with the option to upgrade their memory easily, accommodating varying needs from gaming to heavy-duty graphical tasks.

In terms of connectivity, the GA-K8NS Pro features an impressive array of options. It includes three PCI slots, one AGP 8x slot for graphics cards, and various onboard connectors. This ensures flexibility and expandability, allowing users to install additional components, such as sound cards or network adapters, to fit their specific requirements.

The motherboard comes equipped with a total of four SATA II ports, facilitating high-speed data transfer rates, and it also includes two IDE ports for connecting legacy drives. Gigabyte has incorporated RAID support, enabling users to configure their storage in RAID 0, 1, or 0+1 setups, enhancing data performance and reliability.

Additionally, the GA-K8NS Pro features Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, ensuring fast networking capabilities suitable for online gaming and large file transfers. Audio support is provided through an integrated Realtek ALC655 codec, delivering decent sound quality suitable for gaming, multimedia playback, and general use.

For reliability and longevity, the motherboard is designed with Gigabyte’s renowned durability characteristics, including high-quality capacitors and efficient thermal management solutions. The inclusion of Dual BIOS technology enhances system stability by providing a backup BIOS, preventing any potential failures from affecting the system boot process.

In conclusion, the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro remains a commendable motherboard, delivering a solid foundation for users seeking performance, expandability, and reliability in their computing experience. With its support for a variety of processors, ample memory capacity, and numerous connectivity options, it continues to be an appealing choice for those looking to build or upgrade their systems.