These latter are displayed when the Insert key is pressed during power-on self-test. There are 3 ID string formats, the first for older AMIBIOS, and the second and third for the newer AMI Hi-Flex ("high flexibility") BIOS.
This ID string comprises various pieces of information about the firmware, including when it was compiled, what configuration options were selected, the OEM license code, and the targeted chipset and motherboard. ĭuring powerup, the BIOS firmware displays an ID string in the lower-left-hand corner of the screen. However, the company published two books on its BIOS in 19, written by its engineers. AMI does not sell to end users, and itself produces no end-user documentation or technical support for its BIOS firmware, leaving that to licensees.
Ī chip containing an old version AMIBIOS image, pulled from an ECS motherboardĪmerican Megatrends has a strict OEM business model for AMIBIOS: it sells source code to motherboard manufacturers or customizes AMIBIOS for each OEM individually, whichever business model they require. It is used on motherboards made by AMI and by other companies.
In 1994, the company claimed that 75% of PC clones used AMIBIOS. Read/write error for the CMOS NVRAM shutdown registerĪMIBIOS (also written as AMI BIOS) is the IBM PC-compatible BIOS developed and sold by American Megatrends since 1986. Mismatch between the calculated checksum of the ROM firmware and the expected value hardcoded into the firmware. Read/write error when accessing system video RAM Generation of a CPU virtual mode exception signifying an error Same as 3, but also including a non-functional timer 1Įrror in the A20 line on the 8042 keyboard controller chip Products AMIBIOS Ī chip containing AMI ROM BIOS firmware on a Gigabyte GA-486TA Baby AT motherboard from 1992 Table of diagnostic beep codes compiled by AMI BIOS during power-on self test Number of beeps This partnership continued until 2001, when LSI Logic purchased the RAID Division of American Megatrends American Megatrends then purchased all shares of the company owned by Sarma, making Shankar the majority owner. Shankar became the president and Sarma the executive vice-president of this company. the renamed company then purchased AMIBIOS from Access Methods. The partners renamed QCI as American Megatrends Inc., with the same initials as Access Methods Inc. īy this time the AMIBIOS had become established and there was a need to keep the initials AMI. (QCI), and later set up an equal partnership with Shankar. Sarma had already started a company called Quintessential Consultants Inc. Access Methods still owned the rights to the AMIBIOS. After Access Methods successfully launched the AMIBIOS, there were legal issues among the owners of the company, resulting in Sarma buying out his partners.
Access Methods was a company run by Pat Sarma and his partner. (AMI) was founded in 1985 by Subramonian Shankar and Pat Sarma with funds from a previous consulting venture, Access Methods Inc. Old American Megatrends logo (1985–2020) Īmerican Megatrends Inc.
The company produced BIOS software for motherboards (1986), server motherboards (1992), storage controllers (1995) and remote-management cards (1998). Īs hardware activity moved progressively to Taiwan-based original design manufacturers, AMI continued to develop BIOS firmware for major motherboard manufacturers. Its first customer was PCs Limited, later known as Dell Computer.
The company started as a manufacturer of complete motherboards, positioning itself in the high-end segment. It is headquartered in Building 800 at 3095 Satellite Boulevard in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States, near the city of Duluth, and in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The company was founded in 1985 by Pat Sarma and Subramonian Shankar. Firmware attacks are much more dangerous than OS-based attacks because firmware is invisible to OS-based security solutions.ĪMI’s Zero Trust firmware security solutions can help maintain firmware integrity and strengthen organizations’ Zero trust strategy.AMI ( American Megatrends International LLC, formerly American Megatrends Inc.) is an international hardware and software company, specializing in PC hardware and firmware. But without secure firmware running on the infrastructure, Zero Trust strategy weakens significantly.įrom your car to airport kiosks and power grids, nearly all technology is powered by firmware and for that reason, firmware attacks are on the rise. Zero Trust security is essential for protecting an organization’s infrastructure and business critical data in today’s digital transformation.