1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.16

                                                                         No. W-9


THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT
AND HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR ANY STATE
SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE
OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM UNDER SAID ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE
STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

                        WARRANT TO PURCHASE A MAXIMUM OF
                        10,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
                       AWARD SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                         (Void after September 30, 2000)

         This certifies that WALDEN TECHNOLOGY VENTURES II, L.P. (the "Holder"),
or assigns, for payment of one cent ($0.01), is entitled to purchase from AWARD
SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC., a California corporation (the "Company"), having a
place of business at 777 East Middlefield Road, Mountain View, CA 94043-4023, a
maximum of Ten Thousand (10,000) fully paid and nonassessable shares of the
Company's Common Stock ("Common Stock") for cash at a price of fifty cents
($0.50) per share (the "Stock Purchase Price") at any time or from time to time
up to and including the earlier of (i) the closing of the Company's initial
public offering of its Common Stock, of which the aggregate offering price and
per share price to the public are at least $10,000,000 and $6.80, respectively,
pursuant to a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or (ii) 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time) on September 30, 2000, such earlier
day being referred to herein as the "Expiration Date", upon surrender to the
Company at its principal office (or at such other location as the Company may
advise the Holder in writing) of this Warrant properly endorsed with the Form of
Subscription attached hereto duly filled in and signed and, if applicable, upon
payment in cash or by check of the aggregate Stock Purchase Price for the number
of shares for which this Warrant is being exercised determined in accordance
with the provisions hereof. The Stock Purchase Price and the number of shares
purchasable hereunder are subject to adjustment as provided in Section 3 of this
Warrant.

         This Warrant is subject to the following terms and conditions:

         1.     Exercise; Issuance of Certificates; Payment for Shares.

                1.1    General. This Warrant is exercisable at the option of the
holder of record hereof, at any time or from time to time, up to the Expiration
Date for all or any part of the shares of Common Stock (but not for a fraction
of a share) which may be purchased hereunder. The Company agrees that the shares
of Common Stock purchased under this Warrant shall be and are deemed to be
issued to the Holder hereof as the record owner of such shares as of the close
of business on the date on which this Warrant shall have been surrendered,
properly

                                       1.
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endorsed, the completed, executed Form of Subscription delivered and payment
made for such shares. Certificates for the shares of Common Stock so purchased,
together with any other securities or property to which the Holder hereof is
entitled upon such exercise, shall be delivered to the Holder hereof by the
Company at the Company's expense within a reasonable time after the rights
represented by this Warrant have been so exercised. In case of a purchase of
less than all the shares which may be purchased under this Warrant, the Company
shall cancel this Warrant and execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants of
like tenor for the balance of the shares purchasable under the Warrant
surrendered upon such purchase to the Holder hereof within a reasonable time.
Each stock certificate so delivered shall be in such denominations of Common
Stock as may be requested by the Holder hereof and shall be registered in the
name of such Holder.

                1.2    Net Issue Exercise. Notwithstanding any provisions herein
to the contrary, in lieu of exercising this Warrant for cash, the Holder may
elect to receive shares equal to the value (as determined below) of this Warrant
(or the portion thereof being canceled) by surrender of this Warrant at the
principal office of the Company together with the properly endorsed Form of
Subscription and notice of such election in which event the Company shall issue
to the Holder a number of shares of Common Stock computed using the following
formula:

                  X = Y (A-B)
                      -------
                         A

         Where    X = the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued to the 
                      Holder

                  Y = the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable under the
                      Warrant or, if only a portion of the Warrant is being
                      exercised, the portion of the Warrant being canceled (at 
                      the date of such calculation)

                  A = the fair market value of one share of the Company's Common
                      Stock (at the date of such calculation)

                  B = Stock Purchase Price (as adjusted to the date of such 
                      calculation)

For purposes of the above calculation, fair market value of one share of Common
Stock shall be determined by the Company's Board of Directors in good faith;
provided, however, that in the event the Company makes an initial public
offering of its Common Stock the fair market value per share shall be the
average of the closing prices of such security's sales on all domestic
securities exchanges on which such security may at the time be listed, or, if
there have been no sales on any such exchange on any day, the average of the
highest bid and lowest asked prices on all such exchanges at the end of such
day, or, if on any day such security is not so listed, the average of the
representative bid and asked prices quoted in the NASDAQ System as of 4:00 P.M.,
New York time, on such day, or, if on any day such security is not quoted in the
NASDAQ system, the average of the highest bid and lowest asked prices on such
day in the domestic over-the-counter market as reported by the National
Quotation Bureau, Incorporation, or any similar successor organization, in each
such case averaged over a period of 21 days


                                       2.
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consisting of the day as of which "fair market value" is being determined and
the 20 consecutive business days prior to such day; provided that if such
security is listed on any domestic securities exchange the term "business days"
as used in this sentence means business days on which such exchange is open for
trading.

         2.    Shares to be Fully Paid; Reservation of Shares. The Company
covenants and agrees that all shares of Common Stock which may be issued upon
the exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant will, upon issuance, be
duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all
preemptive rights of any shareholder and free of all taxes, liens and charges
with respect to the issue thereof. The Company further covenants and agrees that
during the period within which the rights represented by this Warrant may be
exercised, the Company will at all times have authorized and reserved, for the
purpose of issue or transfer upon exercise of the subscription rights evidenced
by this Warrant, a sufficient number of shares of authorized but unissued Common
Stock, or other securities and property, when and as required to provide for the
exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant. The Company will take all
such action as may be necessary to assure that such shares of Common Stock may
be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or
regulation, or of any requirements of any domestic securities exchange upon
which the Common Stock may be listed; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be required to effect a registration under Federal or State securities laws
with respect to such exercise. The Company will not take any action which would
result in any adjustment of the Stock Purchase Price (as defined in Section 3
hereof) (i) if the total number of shares of Common Stock issuable after such
action upon exercise of all outstanding warrants, together with all shares of
Common Stock then outstanding and all shares of Common Stock then issuable upon
exercise of all options and upon the conversion of all convertible securities
then outstanding, would exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock then
authorized by the Company's Articles of Incorporation, or (ii) if the total
number of shares of Common Stock issuable after such action upon the conversion
of all such shares of Common Stock, together with all shares of Common Stock
then issuable upon exercise of all options and upon the conversion of all such
shares of Common Stock, together with all shares of Common Stock then
outstanding and all shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of all
options and upon the conversion of all convertible securities then outstanding
would exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock then authorized by the
Company's Articles of Incorporation.

         3.    Adjustment of Stock Purchase Price and Number of Shares. The 
Stock Purchase Price and the number of shares purchasable upon the exercise of
this Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time upon the
occurrence of certain events described in this Section 3. Upon each adjustment
of the Stock Purchase Price, the Holder of this Warrant shall thereafter be
entitled to purchase, at the Stock Purchase Price resulting from such
adjustment, the number of shares obtained by multiplying the Stock Purchase
Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment by the number of shares
purchasable pursuant hereto immediately prior to such adjustment, and dividing
the product thereof by the Stock Purchase Price resulting from such adjustment.

               3.1    Subdivision or Combination of Stock.  In case the Company 
shall at any time subdivide its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a
greater number of shares, the


                                       3.
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Stock Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision shall be
proportionately reduced, and conversely, in case the outstanding shares of
Common Stock of the Company shall be combined into a smaller number of shares,
the Stock Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such combination shall
be proportionately increased.

               3.2    Dividends in Common Stock, Other Stock, Property,
Reclassification. If at any time or from time to time the Holders of Common
Stock (or any shares of stock or other securities at the time receivable upon
the exercise of this Warrant) shall have received or become entitled to receive,
without payment therefor,

                      (A)    Common Stock or any shares of stock or other 
securities which are at any time directly or indirectly convertible into or
exchangeable for Common Stock, or any rights or options to subscribe for,
purchase or otherwise acquire any of the foregoing by way of dividend or other
distribution,

                      (B)    any cash paid or payable otherwise than as a cash 
dividend, or

                      (C)    Common Stock or additional stock or other 
securities or property (including cash) by way of spinoff, split-up,
reclassification, combination of shares or similar corporate rearrangement,
(other than (i) shares of Common Stock issued as a stock split, adjustments in
respect of which shall be covered by the terms of Section 3.1 above or (ii) an
event for which adjustment is otherwise made pursuant to Section 3.4 below),
then and in each such case, the Holder hereof shall, upon the exercise of this
Warrant, be entitled to receive, in addition to the number of shares of Common
Stock receivable thereupon, and without payment of any additional consideration
therefor, the amount of stock and other securities and property (including cash
in the cases referred to in clauses (B) and (C) above) which such Holder would
hold on the date of such exercise had he been the holder of record of such
Common Stock as of the date on which holders of Common Stock received or became
entitled to receive such shares or all other additional stock and other
securities and property.

               3.3    Reorganization, Reclassification, Consolidation, Merger or
Sale. If any capital reorganization of the capital stock of the Company, or any
consolidation or merger of the Company with another corporation, or the sale of
all or substantially all of its assets to another corporation shall be effected
in such a way that holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive stock,
securities, or other assets or property, then, as a condition of such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger or sale, lawful and
adequate provisions shall be made whereby the holder hereof shall thereafter
have the right to purchase and receive (in lieu of the shares of the Common
Stock of the Company immediately theretofore purchasable and receivable upon the
exercise of the rights represented hereby) such shares of stock, securities or
other assets or property as may be issued or payable with respect to or in
exchange for a number of outstanding shares of such Common Stock equal to the
number of shares of such stock immediately theretofore purchasable and
receivable upon the exercise of the rights represented hereby. In any
reorganization described above, appropriate provision shall be made with respect
to the rights and interests of the Holder of this Warrant to the end that the
provisions hereof (including, without limitation, provisions for adjustments of
the Stock Purchase Price and of the number of shares purchasable and receivable
upon the exercise of this Warrant)


                                       4.
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shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as may be, in relation to any shares
of stock, securities or assets thereafter deliverable upon the exercise hereof.
The Company will not effect any such consolidation, merger or sale unless, prior
to the consummation thereof, the successor corporation (if other than the
Company) resulting from such consolidation or the corporation purchasing such
assets shall assume by written instrument, executed and mailed or delivered to
the registered Holder hereof at the last address of such Holder appearing on the
books of the Company, the obligation to deliver to such Holder such shares of
stock, securities or assets as, in accordance with the foregoing provisions,
such Holder may be entitled to purchase.

               3.4    Other Notices.  If at any time:

                      (1)    the Company shall declare any cash dividend upon 
its Common Stock;

                      (2)    the Company shall declare any dividend upon its 
Common Stock payable in stock or make any special dividend or other distribution
to the holders of its Common Stock;

                      (3)    the Company shall offer for subscription pro rata 
to the holders of its Common Stock any additional shares of stock of any class
or other rights;

                      (4)    there shall be any capital reorganization or 
reclassification of the capital stock of the Company; or consolidation or merger
of the Company with, or sale of all or substantially all of its assets to,
another corporation;

                      (5)    there shall be a voluntary or involuntary 
dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company; or

                      (6)    there shall be an initial public offering of 
Company securities; 

then, in any one or more of said cases, the Company shall give, by first class
mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Holder of this Warrant at the address of
such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, (a) at least thirty (30) days'
prior written notice of the date on which the books of the Company shall close
or a record shall be taken for such dividend, distribution or subscription
rights or for determining rights to vote in respect of any such reorganization,
reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, dissolution, liquidation or
winding-up, and (b) in the case of any such reorganization, reclassification,
consolidation, merger, sale, dissolution, liquidation, winding-up or public
offering, at least thirty (30) days' prior written notice of the date when the
same shall take place; provided, however, that the Holder shall make a best
efforts attempt to respond to such notice as early as possible after the receipt
thereof. Any notice given in accordance with the foregoing clause (a) shall also
specify, in the case of any such dividend, distribution or subscription rights,
the date on which the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled thereto. Any
notice given in accordance with the foregoing clause (b) shall also specify the
date on which the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to exchange


                                       5.
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their Common Stock for securities or other property deliverable upon such
reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, dissolution,
liquidation, winding-up, conversion or public offering, as the case may be.

               3.5    Certain Events. If any change in the outstanding Common
Stock of the Company or any other event occurs as to which the other provisions
of this Section 3 are not strictly applicable or if strictly applicable would
not fairly protect the purchase rights of the Holder of the Warrant in
accordance with such provisions, then the Board of Directors of the Company
shall make an adjustment in the number and class of shares available under the
Warrant, the Stock Purchase Price or the application of such provisions, so as
to protect such purchase rights as aforesaid. The adjustment shall be such as
will give the Holder of the Warrant upon exercise for the same aggregate Stock
Purchase Price the total number, class and kind of shares as he would have owned
had the Warrant been exercised prior to the event and had he continued to hold
such shares until after the event requiring adjustment.

         4.    Issue Tax. The issuance of certificates for shares of Common 
Stock upon the exercise of the Warrant shall be made without charge to the
Holder of the Warrant for any issue tax (other than any applicable income taxes)
in respect thereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to
pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the
issuance and delivery of any certificate in a name other than that of the then
Holder of the Warrant being exercised.

         5.    Closing of Books. The Company will at no time close its transfer
books against the transfer of any warrant or of any shares of Common Stock
issued or issuable upon the exercise of any warrant in any manner which
interferes with the timely exercise of this Warrant.

         6.    No Voting or Dividend Rights; Limitation of Liability. Nothing
contained in this Warrant shall be construed as conferring upon the holder
hereof the right to vote or to consent or to receive notice as a shareholder of
the Company or any other matters or any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of
the Company. No dividends or interest shall be payable or accrued in respect of
this Warrant or the interest represented hereby or the shares purchasable
hereunder until, and only to the extent that, this Warrant shall have been
exercised. No provisions hereof, in the absence of affirmative action by the
holder to purchase shares of Common Stock, and no mere enumeration herein of the
rights or privileges of the holder hereof, shall give rise to any liability of
such holder for the Stock Purchase Price or as a shareholder of the Company,
whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by its creditors.

         7.    Registration Rights Agreement. The registration rights of the 
Holder (including Holders' successors) with respect to the stock underlying this
Warrant will be the same as granted to the holders of the Company's Common Stock
under that certain Investors' Rights Agreement of even date herewith (the
"Investors' Rights Agreement").

         8.    Warrants Transferable.  Subject to compliance with applicable 
federal and state securities laws and the transfer restrictions set forth in the
Investors' Rights Agreement, this Warrant and all rights hereunder are
transferable, in whole or in part, without charge to the holder hereof (except
for transfer taxes), upon surrender of this Warrant properly endorsed and


                                       6.
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compliance with the provisions of the Investors' Rights Agreement. Each taker
and holder of this Warrant, by taking or holding the same, consents and agrees
that this Warrant, when endorsed in blank, shall be deemed negotiable, and that
the holder hereof, when this Warrant shall have been so endorsed, may be treated
by the Company, at the Company's option, and all other persons dealing with this
Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for any purpose and as the person entitled
to exercise the rights represented by this Warrant, or to the transfer hereof on
the books of the Company any notice to the contrary notwithstanding; but until
such transfer on such books, the Company may treat the registered owner hereof
as the owner for all purposes.

         9.    Rights and Obligations Survive Exercise of Warrant. The rights 
and obligations of the Company, of the holder of this Warrant and of the holder
of shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise of this Warrant, referred to in
Sections 7 and 8 shall survive the exercise of this Warrant.

         10.   Modification and Waiver.  This Warrant and any provision hereof 
may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated only by an instrument in
writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the same is sought.

         11.   Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or
permitted to be given or delivered to the holder hereof or the Company shall be
delivered or shall be sent by certified mail, postage prepaid, to each such
holder at its address as shown on the books of the Company or to the Company at
the address indicated therefor in the first paragraph of this Warrant or such
other address as either may from time to time provide to the other.

         12.   Binding Effect on Successors. This Warrant shall be binding upon
any corporation succeeding the Company by merger, consolidation or acquisition
of all or substantially all of the Company's assets. All of the obligations of
the Company relating to the Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of this
Warrant shall survive the exercise and termination of this Warrant. All of the
covenants and agreements of the Company shall inure to the benefit of the
successors and assigns of the holder hereof.

         13.   Descriptive Headings and Governing Law. The description headings 
of the several sections and paragraphs of this Warrant are inserted for
convenience only and do not constitute a part of this Warrant. This Warrant
shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, and the rights of the
parties shall be governed by, the laws of the State of California.

         14.   Lost Warrants. The Company represents and warrants to the Holder
hereof that upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of
the loss, theft, destruction, or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of
any such loss, theft or destruction, upon receipt of an indemnity reasonably
satisfactory to the Company, or in the case of any such mutilation upon
surrender and cancellation of such Warrant, the Company, at its expense, will
make and deliver a new Warrant, of like tenor, in lieu of the lost, stolen,
destroyed or mutilated Warrant.


                                       7.
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         15.   Fractional Shares.  No fractional shares shall be issued upon 
exercise of this Warrant. The Company shall, in lieu of issuing any fractional
share, pay the holder entitled to such fraction a sum in cash equal to such
fraction multiplied by the then effective Stock Purchase Price.







                                       8.
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         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be duly
executed by its officers, thereunto duly authorized this 30th day of September,
1995.

                                            AWARD SOFTWARE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
                                            a California corporation



                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------------

                                            Title:
                                                  ------------------------------

ATTEST:




- -----------------------------------
Secretary






                                       9.
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                                    EXHIBIT A

                                SUBSCRIPTION FORM

                                                 Date:                   , 19   

Award Software International, Inc.

- ----------------------------------
- ----------------------------------
Attn:  President

Gentlemen:

/ /      The undersigned hereby elects to exercise the warrant issued to it by
         Award Software International, Inc. (the "Company") and dated September
         30, 1995 Warrant No. W-    (the "Warrant") and to purchase thereunder
                                            shares of the Common Stock of the
         Company (the "Shares") at a purchase price of Fifty Cents ($.50) per
         Share or an aggregate purchase price of
                                            Dollars ($          ) (the "Purchase
         Price").

/ /      The undersigned hereby elects to convert                        
         percent (    %) of the value of the Warrant pursuant to the provisions
         of Section 1.2 of the Warrant.

         Pursuant to the terms of the Warrant the undersigned has delivered the
Purchase Price herewith in full in cash or by certified check or wire transfer.
The undersigned also makes the representations set forth on the attached Exhibit
B of the Warrant.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            ------------------------------------

                                            By
                                               ---------------------------------

                                            Title
                                                 -------------------------------








                                       1.
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                                    EXHIBIT B

                           INVESTMENT REPRESENTATIONS

THIS AGREEMENT MUST BE COMPLETED, SIGNED AND RETURNED TO                 ALONG
WITH THE SUBSCRIPTION FORM BEFORE THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF THE
WARRANT CERTIFICATE DATED SEPTEMBER 30, 1995, WILL BE ISSUED.

                                                , 19  


Award Software International, Inc.
[ADDRESS]

- ----------------------------------
- ----------------------------------

Attention:  President

         The undersigned,                           ("Purchaser"), intends to
acquire up to                shares of the Common Stock (the "Common Stock") of
Award Software International, Inc. (the "Company") from the Company pursuant to
the exercise or conversion of certain Warrants to purchase Common Stock held by
Purchaser. The Common Stock will be issued to Purchaser in a transaction not
involving a public offering and pursuant to an exemption from registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and applicable state
securities laws. In connection with such purchase and in order to comply with
the exemptions from registration relied upon by the Company, Purchaser
represents, warrants and agrees as follows:

         Purchaser is acquiring the Common Stock for its own account, to hold
for investment, and Purchaser shall not make any sale, transfer or other
disposition of the Common Stock in violation of the 1933 Act or the General
Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder by the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") or in violation of any applicable state securities law.

         Purchaser has been advised that the Common Stock has not been
registered under the 1933 Act or state securities laws on the ground that this
transaction is exempt from registration, and that reliance by the Company on
such exemptions is predicated in part on Purchaser's representations set forth
in this letter.

         Purchaser has been informed that under the 1933 Act, the Common Stock
must be held indefinitely unless it is subsequently registered under the 1933
Act or unless an exemption from such registration (such as Rule 144) is
available with respect to any proposed transfer or disposition by Purchaser of
the Common Stock. Purchaser further agrees that the Company may refuse to permit
Purchaser to sell, transfer or dispose of the Common Stock (except as permitted
under Rule 144) unless there is in effect a registration statement under the
1933 Act and any
   12
applicable state securities laws covering such transfer, or unless Purchaser
furnishes an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the
Company, to the effect that such registration is not required.

         Purchaser also understands and agrees that there will be placed on the
certificate(s) for the Common Stock, or any substitutions therefor, a legend
stating in substance:

                  "The shares represented by this certificate have not been
         registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
         "Securities Act"), or any state securities laws. These shares have been
         acquired for investment and may not be sold or otherwise transferred in
         the absence of an effective registration statement for these shares
         under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an
         opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company that registration is not
         required and that an applicable exemption is available."

         Purchaser has carefully read this letter and has discussed its
requirements and other applicable limitations upon Purchaser's resale of the
Common Stock with Purchaser's counsel.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            ------------------------------------



                                            By:
                                               ---------------------------------






                                       2.