ASUS EFI (GUI) BIOS for P5Q Deluxe Mobo

[warlockza]

Check out this introduction video to ASUS's new GUI BIOS concept, based on Intel's EFI software technology.

ASUS EFI Video

Computer Operating Systems changed to GUI ages ago, so why did the BIOS take so long to catch up?

Leave comments and info will be relayed to the development team.

[warlockza]

The video was released only yesterday

[mAJORD]

Award, or maybe Phoenix had a GUI BIOS a LONG time ago.. Pentium II/ III era.
So, no offence to ASUS, as it's an OK idea, but it's not new or impressive :p

I actually find expressgate reasonably innovative, but like a GUI BIOS, not much practical use at all. Anyone who's into BIOS tweaking can keyboard around it faster than a mouse anyway

[warlockza]

Agree completely.

Most users from Xtremesystems would not find it useful since they are used to the way things are, however you guys are most likely to give valid input about how to improve the EFI shell as well as what features to include or add/delete.

Another point is how to make it useful to an experienced BIOS user?

Just because you are used to something doesn't make it good. It requires a learning curve to navigate a BIOS easily and quickly. Here is the chance to introduce more people to BIOS settings more easily with less of a learning curve. Hopefully this encourages more Xtremesystems members in the future. - God help us if they were afraid of the BIOS before :-p but at least there might be more women taking their first steps into the unknown.

[mAJORD]

yeah, I guess it's easy to be pesimistic about it in current form.. but using the framework for something usefull in future is probably the key..

off the top of my head..

Memory+CPU Stability testing
Realtime temperature+voltage feedback in conjunction with above

to go further.. Even some sort of basic benchmarking - universally accepted that can measure memory bandwidth, latency, etc to see what effect settings have had.

No idea if executing code like that, is possible in EFI, just throwing random ideas out there.

[saaya]

drop down menus are a bad idea... completely useless to configure something imo...
im pretty sure that even an EFI bios that looks the same as a normal award of ami bios but with high res color background and some flashy animated background or buttons would make more sense and be more welcomed than this drop down based bios they showed you

isnt it odd that we can create such a complex bios that takes 1s to boot, but even phoenix hyperspace and googles chrome os take 7-10 seconds to boot?

PS: i noticed that computerbase.de posted news about your video, but they didnt name you at all...
they said the video appeared "on the internet" even though it clearly shows firstzoom tv in the intro

[Manicdan]

my work laptop which is a Dell E6500 has full mouse support in the bios. and its getting close to 2 years old.

[saaya]

my work laptop which is a Dell E6500 has full mouse support in the bios. and its getting close to 2 years old.

yeah but does it have drop down menus that make it much slower to configure everything?

oh and apple has been using EFI for years by now...
they have no real bios menu though...

[zalbard]

So instead of one click for all the stuff you need at least two now. Fail!

[kiwi]

keyboard >> (faster) mouse in this video

They should make 1 click one by one item(s) (or select groups) so you don't have to move your mouse all over the screen

[dejanh]

keyboard >> (faster) mouse in this video

They should make 1 click one by one item(s) (or select groups) so you don't have to move your mouse all over the screen

As long as I can still key in my values I won't object to this eventual transition...however if I can't...well then I won't be very happy. I'm quite used to navigating the BIOS with a keyboard having been doing it for 13+ years.

[warlockza]

my work laptop which is a Dell E6500 has full mouse support in the bios. and its getting close to 2 years old.

Mouse support is not the new feature, its one of the conveniences of the shell. The windows and navigation aspects are relatively new as well as the tab and submenu options.

Features which are needed are open for your suggestions.

[Manicdan]

Features which are needed are open for your suggestions.

in that case:

more profile options, better descriptions of menu options, logs for all changes (basically a backup reference) more diagnostic tools for monitoring and built in tests.

in a sense i think we can easily have the power for a bios to integrate all the third party tools needed for OCing.

[Marios]

EFI? No thanks.

[Smartidiot89]

yeah but does it have drop down menus that make it much slower to configure everything?

oh and apple has been using EFI for years by now...
they have no real bios menu though...

By real BIOS menus do you meen overclocking?

Apple won't give the users that pleasure, they have to buy a new overpriced computer instead

[lizard_hd]

download here:
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?...Language=en-us

[Hornet331]

EFI? No thanks.

Yeah lets stick to 16bit lagacy crap....

[Helmore]

EFI? No thanks.

I don't want to sound like a , but that makes it sound like you are still using MS-DOS or something.

[Oc-Ghost]

EFI? Yes, please. BUT No thank you, to all the crappy GUI´s manufacturers have released.

Haven´t seen ones that usefully replaces current BIOS and BIOS menus, it is just crappy 'look at this pretty thing of ours'.

Work with Microsoft & Linux&co to get that 5 second boot into OS thing, that WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR... jeeez

edit: after actually putting in the effort to watch it. I have to say it looks better, but still not there.

[Helmore]

I agree with you there, I want my motherboard to start loading my OS within 3 seconds of me pushing the power button. There might be a slight problem with that, as it will make entering the BIOS menu a bit tougher.

[lowfat]

AFAIK this still isn't EFI. Just a GUI for a BIOS.

[ownage]

Bios versus EFI is like a businessman versus a hippie. Simple but formal look versus 20 different colors and tools that we don't need.

[Manicdan]

I agree with you there, I want my motherboard to start loading my OS within 3 seconds of me pushing the power button. There might be a slight problem with that, as it will make entering the BIOS menu a bit tougher.

theres a simple solution, a second power button that would go right into bios, or a restart mode that goes to bios when it restarts. or just overclock your fingers and keyboard and get to pressing that delete key

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Why not set something where each term is defined? This would really provide most people with at least some insight into what they are changing.

Even guidelines for CPUs, like max safe voltage/temps with info provided by Intel/AMD. That's simply helpful.

These are the type of things that will simply help people out.

Maybe a better organization of settings, but just to color in the bios, provide some drop down tabs, etc.... I don't see this as a real improvement. Just flashy marketing.

[Manicdan]

ooo, oooooo *raises hand excitedly*, i know a new feature, how about the ability to export and import settings, so we can all share our bios configurations?