Traditionally, UNIX and Linux systems utilized the Basic I/O System (BIOS) for their bootstrapping process. When you switch on your Linux laptop, the process is completely controlled by the hardware. Initially, the hardware is designed to execute the Power On Self Test (POST), which is a part of the BIOS. POST ensures that the hardware components, such as RAM, are functioning correctly.
In contemporary settings, the functions previously performed by the BIOS have largely been supplanted by the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). This is a public specification that outlines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware. Though the term BIOS may still appear in documentation and articles, it’s advisable to mentally substitute it with UEFI and proceed.
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System):
BIOS is a pre-installed program used by a computer to start up. It’s stored on a chip on a part of the computer motherboard and is the first software to run when powered on. The BIOS prepares the system, checks hardware, and allows the operating system to run on your computer hardware. It also allows you to manage various settings such as system time and boot order. Despite its wide usage, BIOS has certain limitations such as slow boot times and restrictions on hard disk sizes.
