For students who like to toss and install the Windows operating system, they will definitely know the word BIOS, but what is BIOS? If you don't know about BIOS yet, this article will tell you in a very simple way. Currently, there are two types of BIOS, one is the traditional BIOS, and the other is the mainstream UEFI BIOS.
What is BIOS?
The BIOS is an important part of computer history. The term was first used in the 1970s as part of the CP/M (Control Program for Microcomputers) operating system developed by Gary Kildall. But the BIOS is still used today. However, successful techniques are now increasingly used in modern computers.
Legacy BIOS and UEFI BIOS
BIOS: Definition of a decades-old term
What does BIOS mean? The term is an acronym for Basic Input/Output System, which describes the firmware that is stored on a computer's motherboard as non-volatile memory. Unlike normal working memory, the ROM components on which the BIOS is installed are not deleted when the computer is turned off, and are therefore still available immediately upon startup. The BIOS is automatically loaded when the user turns on the x64/x86 computer. Unlike an operating system, it does not need to be installed, but is already included in the computer's hardware.
The Story
Some have pointed out that the word BIOS is bios in Greek, which means "life." In other words, the BIOS is the software that brings your computer to life.
Core tasks of the BIOS
The BIOS exposes the computer's core functionality and evaluates it after each boot. It determines whether important parts of the memory, CPU, and other hardware components are functioning. This is called the Power On Self Test (POST).
NOTE
If the BIOS detects errors during POST, it will emit one or more beeps through the system's speaker. Depending on the computer manufacturer, individual beeps can sound specific error codes that indicate the problem. For example, for a graphics card problem, IBM's BIOS error code is one short beep followed by two long beeps.
The BIOS solves a core problem in most computers. Every piece of software initially has to boot into main memory in order to start. This process requires additional software to tell the system where a particular program or component (such as the operating system) is located. That's what the BIOS is for, it's a signpost. At the same time, it acts as a transmitter between the CPU and the software. The BIOS creates a level of abstraction, the so-called Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), which enables software to react to the hardware in a standardized way.
Additional functions of the BIOS
The capabilities of the BIOS have continued to expand over the past few decades. In addition to POST, it also plays an important role in the computer's power management, as it generates the necessary ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) tables that control how much power each device receives.
In addition, it monitors the functionality of internal hard drives as well as externally connected components such as external hard drives or UBS devices. Users can also adjust the activation sequence of storage devices through BIOS. This is useful, for example, if loading a new operating system from a DVD or USB storage device.
Modify and update the BIOS
The BIOS provides the user with the opportunity to make extensive modifications to the hardware configuration. Note, however, that only experienced users should modify the BIOS. Its interface is not very user-friendly and any mistake can affect the entire operating system.
However, in some cases, modifications to the BIOS may be required. These situations include cases where the operating system can no longer be started at boot time. In this case, a close look at the BIOS may reveal errors in the system. BIOS is accessed by users who are trying to increase the performance of their computer beyond what the manufacturer configures, for example, to overclock the CPU. Users can also adjust settings to reduce the system's energy usage.
Tips
To modify the BIOS configuration, you need to start the BIOS interface first. In most cases, you'll need to hold down a specific key or key combination at startup to activate it. Click to view BIOS shortcut keys
When a user wants to replace a specific hardware component, for example installing a new processor, sometimes the BIOS no longer recognizes the new component and then fails to load the operating system. If this is the case, you will need to update the BIOS.
Replacement and successor technologies: EFI and UEFI
At the core, the BIOS has barely been modified since the 1980s, so it doesn't meet the needs of modern hardware. However, its successor is already in place. The Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) was developed in the 1990s, followed in 2005 by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). As of 2010, UEFI has become the standard for 64-bit computers because it is more functional and comfortable to use than BIOS.
UEFI includes a graphical user interface that can be navigated using a computer mouse and keyboard. In this way, network components can be accessed using the Internet without booting the system. One of the main differences from BIOS is that UEFI relies on Secure Boot, which prevents booting of unauthorized operating systems and suspicious software, increasing the system's cybersecurity protection.
Fact
Although many new computers use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, many people still refer to it as the system's BIOS. In order to distinguish between the two, some people call BIOS Legacy BIOS and UEFI UEFI BIOS.
What are the advantages of traditional BIOS and UEFI
Compared with BIOS, UEFI has the following advantages:
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UEFI enables users to handle drives larger than 2 TB, whereas older legacy BIOS cannot handle large storage drives.
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UEFI supports more than 4 primary partitions using a GUID partition table.
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Computers with UEFI firmware have a faster boot process than BIOS. Various optimizations and enhancements in UEFI can help your system boot faster than ever before.
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UEFI supports Secure Boot, which means that the validity of the operating system can be checked to ensure that no malware has tampered with the boot process.
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UEFI supports the networking function of UEFI firmware itself, which is helpful for remote troubleshooting and UEFI configuration.
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UEFI has a simpler graphical user interface and richer setup menus than traditional BIOS.
After reading the above, you may find that UEFI has many advantages over BIOS. It is because of these advantages that UEFI is considered the successor of BIOS.
However, not all computers or devices support UEFI. To use UEFI firmware, the hardware on the disk must support UEFI. Also, your system disk must be a GPT disk. If not, you can use a professional disk management tool to convert an MBR disk to a GPT disk. In this way, you can successfully boot your computer in UEFI mode.
Today, UEFI is gradually replacing the traditional BIOS on most modern PCs, as many major hardware companies have switched to UEFI use. To boot from a GPT disk and take advantage of UEFI, you may need to convert your legacy BIOS to UEFI.
UEFI vs BIOS FAQ
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What is the difference between UEFI and BIOS?
BIOS and UEFI are two firmware interfaces through which a computer boots an operating system. BIOS uses the Master Boot Record (MBR) to hold information about hard disk data, while UEFI uses the GUID Partition Table (GPT). Compared with BIOS, UEFI is more powerful and has more advanced functions. This is the newest method of starting a computer, designed to replace the BIOS. In short, UEFI is the successor of BIOS.
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Should I use UEFI or BIOS?
Today, UEFI is gradually replacing traditional BIOS on most modern PCs because it includes more security features than traditional BIOS mode and boots faster than traditional systems. If your computer supports UEFI firmware, you should convert the MBR disk to a GPT disk to use UEFI boot instead of BIOS. However, if you are booting from a BIOS-only network, you will need to boot into Legacy BIOS mode.
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What is UEFI Boot Mode?
UEFI Boot Mode refers to the boot process used by UEFI firmware. UEFI stores all information about initialization and booting in .efi files kept on a special partition called the EFI System Partition (ESP). During POST, UEFI firmware scans all bootable storage devices connected to the system for a valid GUID Partition Table (GPT).
UEFI firmware scans GPT for an EFI service partition to boot from. If no EFI bootable partition is found, the firmware may revert to the old legacy boot method. If both UEFI boot and legacy boot fail, you may receive a disk boot failure error message.
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What are the advantages of UEFI booting?
UEFI boot has many advantages over BIOS mode. For example, UEFI supports an unlimited number of partitions and supports disks larger than 2 TB. Computers using UEFI firmware can boot faster than BIOS because of any magic code that must be executed during boot. UEFI also has more advanced security features, such as Secure Boot, which help make your computer even more secure.