Firmware Flashcards
In older chipsets, a chip that connects a CPU to memory, the PCI bus, Level 2 Cache, and high-speed graphics card
Northbridge
In older chipsets, a chip that handled all the inputs and outputs to the many devices in the PC
Southbridge
Intel’s name for the chip that collects functions once performed by multiple chips known as the chipset
Platform Controller Hub (PCH)
Unique code corresponding to each key on the keyboard, sent from the keyboard controller to the CPU
Scan Code
Firmware that directly controls a particular piece of hardware. This firmware handles startup operations and low-level control of hardware such as disk drives, the keyboard, and monitor
Basic Input/Output Services (BIOS)
A chip that stores programs, services, exactly like RAM. Non-volatile, stored info is not erased on shutdown, and anything stored is read-only
Read-Only Memory (ROM) Chip
ROM tech that can be electronically reprogrammed while still in the PC. Most common storage medium of BIOS in computers today as it can be upgraded without a need to open the computer on most systems
Flash ROM
A chip on every motherboard that enables the CPU to talk to the basic hardware of the PC
System ROM Chip
Embedded programs or code stored on a ROM chip. Generally, OS-independent, thus allowing devices to operate in a wide variety of circumstances without direct OS support
Firmware
Modern 32-, or 64-bit firmware programming interface. Replaced the original 16-bit BIOS, it supports large capacity storage devices, additional features, and a more direct booting process
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
A tiny bit RAM hooked up to a small battery that enabled it to hold system settings for the BIOS firmware even with the computer off. Now, incorporated into the chipset
Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Chip
Often informally used to refer to the CMOS setup program or system setup utility
CMOS
A powerful type of program that enables you to run a second (or third or fourth), software-based machine inside your physical PC. It recreates the motherboard, hard drives, RAM, network adapters, and more, and is just as powerful as a real PC
Virtual Machine
Technology that helps the virtual machines use your hardware more efficiently as is controlled by the BIOS (Intel Virtualization Technology/Intel VT and AMD Virtualization/AMD-V)
Hardware-Assisted Virtualization
A feature offered in some chassis that trips a switch when the chassis is opened
Chassis Intrusion Detection/Notification
A hardware platform for the acceleration of cryptographic functions and the secure storage of associated information
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
Alternative way of telling the system how to talk to a piece of hardware. It stores BIOS for the card in a chip on the card itself
Option ROM
A file stored on the PC’s hard drive that contains all of the commands necessary to talk to whatever device it was written to support
Device Driver
Basic diagnostic routine completed by a system at the beginning of the boot process to make sure a display adapter and the system’s memory are installed; it then searches for an OS. If it finds one, it hands over control of the machine to the OS
Power-On Self Test (POST)
Series of audible tones produced by a motherboard during the POST. These tones identify whether the POST has completed successfully or whether some piece of system hardware is not working properly
Beep Codes
Device installed into a motherboard expansion slot that assists in troubleshooting boot programs by providing a two-digit code indicating the stop of the boot process where the problem is occurring
POST Card
Segments of code in a system’s BIOS that scans for an OS, looks specifically for a valid boot sector, and, when one is found, hands control over to the boot sector; then it removes itself from memory
Bootstrap Loader
First sector on a storage drive. The boot-up software in ROM tells the computer to load whatever program is found there. If a system disk is read, the program in the boot record directs the computer to the root directory to load the OS
Boot Sector
Enables you to boot a PC without any local storage by retrieving an OS from a server over a network
Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)
