BIOS/UEFI
pcBIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) are firmware interfaces that initialize hardware during the booting process and provide runtime services for operating systems.
expanded
BIOS and UEFI serve as the intermediary between the operating system and the computer hardware, managing data flow between the computer's operating system and attached devices such as the hard drive, video adapter, keyboard, mouse, and printer. UEFI is the modern replacement for BIOS, offering enhanced security features, faster boot times, and support for drives larger than 2.2 TB.
examples
UEFI Secure Boot, a feature that scripts only signed software to run during the boot sequence.
Commonly used in modern operating systems like Windows 10 and Windows 11 to provide a trusted boot environment.
BIOS used to configure hardware settings such as CPU frequency and memory timings.
Traditionally found in older systems or custom setups where manual hardware configuration is necessary.