Chapter 5 - FIRMWARE Flashcards
Why do peripherals need a controller chip to connect to the CPU?
If the system clock resets to a default date/time at every boot, or you see errors like “CMOS time not set,” the CMOS battery likely needs replacement.
What is “flashing the BIOS” or updating firmware?
It’s replacing the ROM firmware code with a newer version, often to support new hardware, fix bugs, or enhance security. It should only be done if there’s a compelling reason.
What is a chipset?
A chipset is a collection of controller chips combined into fewer chips to reduce complexity and improve communication with the CPU.
what are the Northbridge and Southbridge in older chipsets responsible for?
The Northbridge handled high-speed interfaces like memory and video, while the Southbridge handled lower-speed peripherals. Modern CPUs integrate many Northbridge functions directly.
What is a device driver?
A device driver is software that tells the CPU how to communicate with a specific device. It’s stored on mass storage and loaded by the OS at startup.
What is ROM and why is it important?
ROM (Read-Only Memory) is non-volatile memory on the motherboard that stores firmware instructions for communicating with mass storage, configuring system features, and guiding the CPU to the OS at boot.
What is UEFI?
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is modern firmware that provides device drivers, boot support, and system setup utilities. It’s stored in ROM and replaces or works alongside legacy BIOS
How does UEFI differ from traditional BIOS?
UEFI is more flexible, can handle larger drives, uses boot managers instead of bootstrap loaders, and stores configuration data in a dedicated area (often backed by CMOS-like memory).
Why does UEFI need writable memory like CMOS?
Although UEFI’s core is on read-only ROM, it needs a writable area (CMOS) to store system configuration settings that can be changed by the user.
What is CMOS memory used for?
CMOS stores system setup data (e.g., hardware configurations). If the stored data doesn’t match actual hardware, the system may fail to access that device.
What is the purpose of the system setup utility?
The system setup utility (accessed via UEFI/BIOS) enables users to view and modify CMOS settings, adjust boot order, configure security options, and manage hardware features like fans and TPM.
What is TPM (Trusted Platform Module)?
TPM is a hardware module that provides secure cryptographic functions, storing encryption keys and supporting features like drive encryption.
What is Secure Boot?
Secure Boot ensures the device only loads firmware and OS bootloaders trusted by the manufacturer, enhancing security against malicious code at startup.
What is POST (Power-On Self-Test)?
POST is a diagnostic program that runs on startup, checking hardware components (like video and RAM) before booting the operating system. Errors are indicated by beep codes or on-screen messages.
What are POST cards used for?
POST cards plug into an expansion slot to display diagnostic codes, helping troubleshoot where the boot process fails (e.g., CPU, RAM, motherboard issues).
