Unit 4 System Software Flashcards
What is a boot sequence
The initial set of operations that the computer performs when it is switched on
What is the boot loader
The program that performs the boot sequence is ends with the entire operating system being loaded
What does bios Stand for
Basic input output system
What is bios responsible for
POST (power on self test) and loading the operating system
What is the process followed when the computer is turned on
- BIOS begins the POST to check the hardware
- An inventory of the hardware connected to the computer is obtained from the CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semiconductor)
- The hardware is tested to determine if it is functioning correctly
- The BIOS located the MBR (master boot record) a section of code usually stored in the hard disk drive. The MBR is responsible for loading and executing the operating system kernel which continues with the start up procedure
What does CMOS stand for
Complimentary metal oxide semiconductor
What is CMOS
A battery backed, volatile memory that stores hardware settings and user settings
What is hardware settings
The types of hardware installed on your computer such as the disk drive
What is user settings
The current date and time
What is a more efficient operating system than BIOS
UEFI (unified extended firmware interface)
What are the advantages of UEFI
- the UEFI Firmware can boot from drives of 2.2 TB or larger
- UEFI can run in 32-bit or 64-bit mode which has more address space than BIOS; this means that the boot process is faster
- UEFI setup screens can be more user friendly than BIOS setting screens, including graphics drivers
What features does UEFI have
- It supports secure boot, which means the operating can be checked for validity ensure no malware has tampered with the boot process
