Pros and cons of uefi. What is the difference between uefi and bios. Useful UEFI Features
Most modern computers, instead of the usual primary input/output system, are equipped with the latest control tool, called UEFI. Not all users of computers and laptops still know what this is. Some important aspects associated with this development will be discussed below. In addition, we will briefly touch upon issues related to the installation of operating systems through this interface using bootable USB media, and will also determine how to disable UEFI if using this system for some reason is inappropriate. But first, let’s understand the primary understanding of what kind of system this is.
UEFI: what is it?
Many users are accustomed to the fact that they need to use the BIOS to configure the primary parameters of a computer system even before starting the OS. In essence, the UEFI mode, which is used instead of the BIOS, is almost the same, but the system itself is built on a graphical interface.
When loading this system, which, by the way, many call a kind of mini-OS, one immediately notices the fact that it supports a mouse and the ability to set a regional language for the interface. If we go further, we will notice that, unlike the BIOS, UEFI can work with support for network devices and display the optimal operating modes of certain components of the installed hardware.
Some people call this system by a double term - BIOS UEFI. Although this does not contradict the logic of hardware and software, such a definition is nevertheless somewhat incorrect. Firstly, UEFI is developed by Intel Corporation, and BIOS systems are developed by many other brands, although they are not fundamentally different from each other. Secondly, BIOS and UEFI operate on slightly different principles.
Main differences between UEFI and BIOS
Now another look at UEFI. What this is in a clearer understanding can be determined by finding out the differences between this system and the BIOS. It is believed that UEFI is positioned as a kind of alternative to BIOS, the support of which is now announced by many motherboard manufacturers. But the differences are best considered based on the disadvantages of outdated BIOS systems.
The very first difference is that the primary BIOS input/output systems do not allow working correctly with hard drives with a capacity of 2 TB or more, which means that the system does not have the ability to fully use disk space.
The second point concerns the fact that BIOS systems are limited in working with disk partitions, while UEFI supports up to 128 partitions, which becomes possible thanks to the presence of a GPT standard partition table.
Finally, UEFI implements completely new security algorithms, which completely eliminates the substitution of the bootloader when the main OS starts, even preventing the impact of viruses and malicious codes, and provides a choice of the operating system to boot without the use of specific tools inside the OS boot loaders themselves.
A little history
This is the UEFI system. What it is is already a little clear. Now let's see where it all began. It is a mistake to think that UEFI is a relatively recent development.
The creation of UEFI and the universal interface began in the early 90s. As it turned out then, for Intel server platforms, the capabilities of standard BIOS systems were not enough. Therefore, a completely new technology was developed, which was first introduced in the Intel-HP Itanium platform. At first it was called the Intel Boot Initiative, and was soon renamed Extensible Firmware Interface or EFI.
The first modification of version 1.02 was presented in 2000, version 1.10 was released in 2002, and since 2005, the then-formed alliance of several companies, called the Unified EFI Forum, began to engage in new development, after which the system itself began to be called UEFI. Today, the developers include many famous brands, such as Intel, Apple, AMD, Dell, American Megatrends, Microsoft, Lenovo, Phoenix Technologies, Insyde Software, etc.
UEFI Security
Separately, it is worth dwelling on the mechanisms of the protection system. If anyone doesn’t know, today there is a special class of viruses that are capable of writing their own malicious codes when introduced into the microcircuit itself, changing the initial algorithms of the input/output system, which leads to the ability to launch the main operating system with extended management rights. This is how viruses can gain unauthorized access to all OS components and controls, not to mention user information. Installing UEFI completely eliminates such situations by implementing a secure boot mode called Secure Boot.
Without going into technical aspects, it is only worth noting that the protection algorithm itself (secure boot) is based on the use of special certified keys supported by some well-known corporations. But, for some reason, it is believed that this option is supported only by operating systems Windows 8 and higher, as well as some modifications of Linux.
How is UEFI better than BIOS?
The fact that UEFI is superior to BIOS in its capabilities is noted by all experts. The fact is that the new development allows you to solve some problems even without loading the operating system, which, by the way, starts much faster when the optimal operating mode of the main “hardware” components such as the processor or RAM is set. According to some reports, the same Windows 8 boots within 10 seconds (however, this indicator is clearly arbitrary, since the general hardware configuration must be taken into account).
However, UEFI support also has a number of undeniable advantages, among which are the following:
- simple intuitive interface;
- support for regional languages and mouse control;
- work with disks 2 TB and higher;
- having its own bootloader;
- ability to work on processors with x86, x64 and ARM architecture;
- the ability to connect to local and virtual networks with Internet access;
- the presence of its own protection system against the penetration of malicious codes and viruses;
- simplified update.
Supported Operating Systems
Unfortunately, not all operating systems support UEFI. As already mentioned, such support is mainly announced for some modifications of Linux and Windows, starting with the eighth version.
Theoretically, you can install Windows 7 (the installation distribution recognizes the UEFI). But no one can give a complete guarantee that the installation will be completed successfully. In addition, if you use Windows 7, the UEFI interface and all the associated capabilities of the new system will simply remain unclaimed (and often unavailable). Thus, it is not advisable to install this particular system on a computer or laptop with UEFI support.
Features of Secure Boot boot mode
As mentioned above, the secure boot system is based on the use of certified keys to prevent the penetration of viruses. But such certification is supported by a limited number of developers.
When an operating system is re-installed via UEFI, there will be no problems provided that the installed system is as close to the original as previously installed. Otherwise (which is not uncommon), an installation ban may be issued. However, there is a way out here, since Secure Boot mode itself can be disabled in the settings. This will be discussed separately.
Nuances of UEFI access and configuration
There are quite a few versions of UEFI themselves, and different computer manufacturers install their own options for launching the primary system. But sometimes when trying to access the interface, problems may arise, such as the main settings menu not being displayed.
In principle, for most computers and laptops with UEFI support, you can use a universal solution - pressing the Esc key when logging in. If this option does not work, you can use Windows' own tools.
To do this, you need to enter the settings section, select the recovery menu and in the line of special boot options, click on the “reboot now” link, after which several start options will appear on the screen.
As for the basic settings, they are practically no different from standard BIOS systems. Separately, we can note the presence of a BIOS emulator mode, which in most cases can be called either Legacy or Launch CSM.
In addition, it is worth paying attention to the fact that when switching to Legacy operating mode, you should re-enable the UEFI settings at the first opportunity, since the operating system may not boot. By the way, the differences between different versions of UEFI are that some provide a hybrid mode for launching either a BIOS emulator or UEFI, while others do not have this option when operating in normal mode. Sometimes this may also include the inability to disable Secure Boot.
UEFI bootable flash drive: prerequisites for creating
Now let's see how to create a bootable USB drive for later installation of the operating system using the UEFI interface. The first and main condition is that the UEFI bootable flash drive must have a capacity of at least 4 GB.
The second problem concerns the file system. As a rule, Windows systems format removable drives using NTFS by default. But UEFI does not recognize USB drives with file systems other than FAT32. Thus, at the first stage, formatting should be done using this parameter.
Formatting and recording a distribution image
Now the most important point. Formatting is best done from the command line (cmd) running with administrator rights.
In it, first enter the command diskpart, after which the line list disk is written, and with the command select disk N, where N is the serial number of the USB flash drive, the desired device is selected.
Next, for a complete cleanup, the clean line is used, and then the create partition primary command creates a primary partition, which is activated by the active command. After this, the line list volume is used, the flash drive is selected with the line select volume N (the above serial number of the partition), and then the start of the formatting process is activated with the command format fs=fat32. At the end of the process, you can assign a specific character to the media using the assign command.
After this, an image of the future system is written to the media (you can use either regular copying or creating a bootable flash drive in programs like UltraISO). When you reboot, the required media is selected and the OS is installed.
Sometimes a message may appear stating that installation to the selected MBR partition is not possible. In this case, you need to go to the UEFI boot priority settings. Not one, but two flash drives will be displayed there. The boot must be started from a device whose name does not contain the abbreviation EFI. This eliminates the need to convert MBR to GPT.
UEFI Firmware Update
As it turns out, updating UEFI firmware is much easier than performing similar operations for the BIOS.
It’s enough just to find and download the latest version on the developer’s official website, and then run the downloaded file as an administrator in a Windows environment. The update process will take place after the system is rebooted without user intervention.
Disabling UEFI
Finally, let's look at how to disable UEFI, for example, for cases where booting from removable media is impossible only because the device itself is not supported.
First, you need to go to the Security section and disable Secure Boot (if possible) by setting it to Disabled. After this, in the Boot menu in the Boot Priority line, you should set the value Legacy First. Next, from the list you need to select the device that will be the first to boot (hard drive) and exit the settings, having first saved the changes (Exit Saving Changes). The procedure is completely similar to the BIOS settings. You can use the F10 key instead of menu commands.
Brief summary
Here's a brief summary of UEFI systems that replaced BIOS. As you can already see, they have quite a lot of advantages. Many users are especially pleased with the graphical interface with support for their native language and the ability to control using the mouse. However, fans of the seventh version of Windows will have to be disappointed. Its installation in computer systems with UEFI support looks not only impractical, but sometimes becomes completely impossible. Otherwise, using UEFI looks very simple, not to mention some additional functions that can be used even without loading the operating system.
UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) technology, like BIOS, is an interface to the computer's firmware and provides communication between it and the operating system. Like BIOS, the UEFI interface (also referred to in Russian-language computer journalism as UEFI) is used to initialize computer hardware components and launch the operating system stored on the hard drive.
UEFI positioning diagram in the generalized structure of interaction between PC components.
The BIOS reads the first sector of the hard drive, which contains the master boot record (MBR), and selects the boot device where the operating system resides. Since the BIOS is a very old system, dating back to the mid-1970s, it still runs in 16-bit mode. This circumstance limits the amount of information that can be read from the system ROM (computer read-only memory).
UEFI performs the same task, but does it a little differently. It stores all information about initialization and booting of the system in a special file located on the hard drive in a special ESP (EFI System Partition) section. In addition, the ESP contains boot programs for the operating system installed on the computer.
The process of booting a computer based on UEFI and emulating the traditional Legacy BIOS
UEFI is intended to be a complete replacement for BIOS and offers many new features and improvements that cannot be implemented in BIOS:
- No restrictions on the volume of sections and their number. To store information about the hard drive, BIOS uses the master boot record (MBR), while UEFI uses the so-called GPT (GUID partition table). The main difference between the two is that MBR uses 32-bit elements, which allows the system to have only 4 physical disk partitions, and each partition can be no more than 2 terabytes in size. As for GPT, it has 64-bit elements, which allows the system to have up to 128 partitions up to a zettabyte (10 21 bytes) in size.
- Speed and performance. Since UEFI technology does not depend on a specific platform, it can reduce boot time and increase the speed of the computer, especially if the system has large hard drives installed.
- Safety. The biggest advantage of UEFI over BIOS is security. It is implemented using Secure Boot technology, supported by the Windows 8 operating system. Because Secure Boot has the ability to request a digital signature from boot programs, the UEFI interface allows only authenticated drivers and services to be used at boot time. Secure Boot controls the boot process until the operating system is completely loaded. This ensures that no malware gets into your computer during boot.
- Backward compatibility. For backward compatibility, most UEFI implementations on PC architecture computers also support Legacy BIOS mode for MBR drives. For this purpose, UEFI has a CSM (Compatibility Support Module) function. In the case of an MBR disk, booting is performed in the same mode as in BIOS-based systems. It is also possible to boot BIOS-based systems from GPT drives.
- Network boot support. UEFI can boot over the network using Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) technology. This technology supports major network protocols such as IPv4 and IPv6, UDP, DHCP and TFTP. Booting from boot images stored in network storages is also supported.
- Download manager. The UEFI standard defines a boot manager as a tool designed to load the operating system and all the necessary drivers. Operating system loaders are stored in files that can be accessed by firmware. UEFI supports FAT32 file systems, as well as FAT16 and FAT12 for removable media. UEFI is independent of boot sectors, although ESP makes room for them for backward compatibility purposes. Bootloaders are automatically detected by UEFI software, allowing you to boot from removable media.
History of the technology
EFI BIOS technology was originally developed by Intel. The UEFI standard is currently being developed by the UEFI Forum.
The initial motivation for the development of EFI was the BIOS limitations, such as 16-bit processor mode, 1 MB of addressable memory space, which were unacceptable for serious server platforms such as Itanium. An attempt to fix these problems in 1998 was initially called the Intel Boot Initiative and later renamed EFI.
In 2005, Intel suspended development of the EFI standard at version 1.10 and handed it over to the Unified EFI Forum, which developed the standard into the UEFI version. At the same time, Intel continues to remain the owner of the original EFI BIOS standard, issuing licenses for products based on EFI technology. UEFI 2.1 was released in January 2007. It added data encryption, network authentication, and User Interface Architecture technology. The current version of the UEFI 2.4 standard was adopted in July 2013.
Criticism of UEFI
UEFI is sometimes criticized, in particular by advocates of information rights. For example, computer expert Ronald G. Munnich, one of the developers of the alternative open boot technology Coreboot, denounces EFI as an attempt to limit a user's ability to fully control their computer. In addition, he believes that this technology does not solve any of the long-standing problems of the traditional BIOS, in particular the need for two drivers - one for the firmware, the other for the operating system.
Conclusion
UEFI is a technology that has both many advantages and disadvantages. To date, it is not yet widespread and is not supported by all computers and other devices. Having a boot manager built into UEFI means there is no need for separate bootloaders. In addition, this technology can work in conjunction with the BIOS (in compatibility mode - Legacy BIOS) and independently of it. At the same time, the BIOS can still be used where large amounts of data are not required to be stored, and the security issue is not extremely pressing.
UEFI BIOS has made a lot of noise in the digital world, and since all new computers and laptops already have this interface installed, we received a whole bag of letters regarding this topic in the mail. Questions are primarily of this nature.
What is UEFI BIOS and why did it replace the regular BIOS? Why can only Windows 8 be installed on a laptop with a UEFI BIOS, and no other operating system or even another operating system can be installed, then how to do this?
Why on a laptop with BIOS UEFI Is it possible to install Windows 8 of a different edition?
BIOS UEFI
After reading all the letters, I decided to answer them with one article and in such a way that everything would be clear even to a novice user.
An important incentive for writing this article was the fact that, according to my observations, a lot of people who buy new computers with an SSD drive and a motherboard that supports the new UEFI interface immediately disable this interface and install Windows 8 on a hard drive with an outdated master boot record. MBR.
What was the point then of buying a new expensive computer for 30-40 thousand rubles with an SSD drive and a UEFI BIOS, which undoubtedly gives advantages over a simple BIOS. You ask - What are the benefits? This is what I want to talk to you about.
BIOS UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is an interface between the operating system and firmware that controls low-level hardware functions. Developed by Intel. The history of the creation of the UEFI interface dates back to the first half of the 90s and at first it was called the Intel Boot Initiative, later it was given a different name EFI. The first EFI 1.02 specification was released by Intel in 2000.We all know what a BIOS is, yes, that’s right, it is a “basic input/output system”, and in human terms it is a microprogram built into a simple chip, which in turn is located on the motherboard. So, this firmware (BIOS) is an intermediary between the installed operating system and the components installed on the computer. That is, the BIOS explains to the operating system how all computer components can be functionally used: motherboard, processor, video card, RAM, and so on. The BIOS starts before the operating system and immediately checks (POST procedure) all the computer hardware listed above: processor, motherboard and everything else, setting the necessary parameters for their operation. If any component malfunctions, the BIOS emits a signal through the built-in speaker, by the nature of which you can understand which device is faulty.
In short, BIOS turns out to be a rather important thing on a computer, but... today, friends, BIOS has been replaced by a much more advanced tool called UEFI.
What's wrong with a regular BIOS?
Here are the most important reasons.
1) When you turn on the computer, the BIOS, in addition to checking the components for serviceability, checks all hard drives for the MBR (master boot record), which is located in the zero sector and has a size of 512 bytes; when a boot record is found, the BIOS starts the boot record the code is in the MBR, then the operating system is loaded. On a computer with a regular BIOS and a hard drive (having an MBR (Master Boot Record)), volume addressing is done in such a way that the maximum addressable space on the hard drive can be a maximum of 2TB, that is, the operating system will NOT see more than 2TB of disk space on a 3TB hard drive, which you will agree is not very convenient given the current capacity of hard drives.
2) On computers with a regular BIOS, hard drives (having a master boot record MBR) have a limitation on the creation of primary partitions, that is, only 4 primary partitions can be created on an MBR disk - three main and one additional partition in which logical disks can be created, You can install an operating system on the logical one, but it will not start without a boot manager on the main partition). And UEFI BIOS works with hard drives that have a GUID partition table (GPT), such hard drives can be divided into 128 primary partitions.
3) And most importantly, UEFI BIOS is much safer. It is no secret that there has long been a rootkit capable of injecting its code into the BIOS chip and loading itself before the operating system, thereby gaining unlimited control of the system itself. This is not possible in UEFI BIOS; it has a secure boot procedure “Secure Boot”,
Based on special certified keys from Microsoft. Looking ahead, I will say that because of this very secure boot, ordinary users cannot install anything other than Windows 8 on computers with UEFI BIOS, since only Windows 8 today has these same certified keys (further in the article there is more complete information about this ).
Advantages of UEFI BIOS
So, let's take a look at the new UEFI BIOS one by one and find out its main advantages over a regular BIOS. The UEFI interface is a mini operating system, or in other words, an improved and completely redesigned mechanism that will soon completely replace BIOS. Firstly, UEFI took a lot from its predecessor and is intended primarily for the interconnection of the operating system and the hardware installed on the computer, that is, all the components of the computer. When you turn on the computer, the UEFI interface must test all equipment for serviceability and then pass the baton to the operating system bootloader.
1) BIOS UEFI has its own very convenient and intuitive graphical control interface with mouse support. There is support for the Russian language.
2) UEFI BIOS works with hard drives that have a GUID partition table (GPT), such hard drives can be divided into 128 primary partitions (by the way, only 4 primary partitions can be created on an MBR disk - three main and one additional partition in which logical drives can be created , you can install an operating system on the logical one, but it will not start without a boot manager on the main partition).
3) UEFI BIOS makes it possible to use hard drives with a capacity of more than 2 TB, the maximum partition size can reach 18 exabytes (18,000,000 terabytes). On a computer with a regular BIOS, the installed operating system will NOT see more than 2.2 TB of disk space, which is of course inconvenient.
4) Hard drives with a GUID partition table (GPT) work only with LBA addressing, unlike MBR hard drives working with outdated CHS addressing.
6) GUID (GPT) hard drives make it easier to recover lost data.
7) BIOS UEFI has its own boot manager, which is very convenient to use if there are many operating systems on the computer; there is no need to use special bootloaders like EasyBCD.
8) UEFI BIOS is much easier to update than a simple BIOS.
9) GPT is more secure than MBR because the partition table is written at the beginning and end of the disk, providing duplication.
Secure Boot protocol
But the most important feature of the UEFI mechanism, which causes trouble for users, happens when reinstalling Windows 8 on a new computer or laptop. The UEFI BIOS has a secure boot protocol called “Secure Boot”, based on special certified keys which only Windows 8 from Microsoft has and Microsoft requires all manufacturers of computers and laptops with Windows 8 pre-installed to be enabled by default secure boot protocol "Secure Boot".
Having such keys in its distribution, Windows 8, when installed on a computer from any manufacturer, successfully passes the UEFI “Secure Boot” protocol, but none of the older Windows operating systems, as well as Ubuntu or Linux distributions, have such keys. That’s why, if your laptop has a UEFI BIOS, then you won’t be able to install any other operating system on such a laptop, there’s only one way out,
but then you will install the operating system you need on an MBR disk and will lose all the advantages of working with a hard disk with a GUID (GPT) style.
Of course, many users will think that in this way Microsoft is getting rid of competitors, but Microsoft successfully fends off such attacks by explaining that the UEFI interface with all its protocols and secure boot"Secure Boot" designed primarily for our safety and it’s hard to disagree with it (I already talked about a rootkit that can write its code into a regular BIOS at the beginning of the article).
Attentive readers may ask why Linux doesn’t come to an agreement with Microsoft and computer manufacturers and get these same keys. I found the answer in the blog of one of the Linux kernel developers - Matthew Garrett,
Matthew Garrett
It turns out that this is difficult both physically (this will take a lot of time, since you first need to agree with Microsoft, then you will have to negotiate with each computer manufacturer separately) and legally (the problems are related to the GRUB 2 bootloader, licensed under the GPLv3 license).
Many readers are interested in whether it is possible to make a bootable UEFI USB flash drive with the Windows 7 operating system?
UEFI(UnifiedExtensibleFirmwareInterface, EFI)– software, interface interlayer between firmware motherboard and O operating room With system.
Created on the initiative Intel and was originally created For first systems HP—Itanium V 1990 -x, while the original name was IBI, later it became EFI, and then UEFI. Developed as replacement, which hasn't changed since the days PC, supported only 16 bit addressing, maximum 1 MB ROM and other hardware restrictions.
IN 2005 year, Intel corp. passed the initiative development and promotion EFI– UEFI Forum. The transmitted version had version 1.10, and the system itself was renamed to UEFI (United EFI).
Latest version in free access – 2.1 (dated - Jan. 7, 2007 ), in which there was improved encryption, network configuration, expanded user interface and many bugs were fixed. The latest version has the designation 2.3.1 and was released in April 2011 of the year. It added support for all types existing architectures and common processors, improved interface, functionality, stability And number of settings, which the user can use.
UEFI – contains data tables about devices boot services, services. The firmware itself already contains circuits for working with volume over 2TB, fast loading, CPU drivers, add-ons for Internet networks, add-ons for recognition processor architectures And controllers. UEFI much more functional And more convenient PC BIOS, while supporting such functions BIOS-but as ACPI, SMBIOS, since these functions do not require 16 -ti bit addressing.
Large capacity hard drives.
UEFI It has compatibility with a new hard drive partitioning system GPT(GUIDPartition Table) , wherein No many restrictions, embedded in DOS MBR. This allows use with UEFIhard disks, volume more than 2.2 TB to disk, and mark each of them on more than 4 loading areas. For now ( 2011 ), use hard drives with capacity more than 2.2 TB to disk together with UEFI, can 64-bit O operating rooms With systems, beginning with Windows Vista And Windows Server 2008, and OS Windows Server 2003 And Windows XP, intended for Itanium systems Unix- similar operating systems have not yet secured support UEFI.
Processor and hardware compatibility.
Beginning from version 2.3, supported processors with architectures x 86, x 86-64, . Unlike 16 -ti bit BIOS, UEFIcan address much more memory, how 1 MB, since it is built on 32 —bit addressing. This allows you to do comfortable And beautiful interface, expand functional, embed the main drivers For fast boot OS.
Specification UEFI provides an architecturally independent driver environment EFI Byte Code (E.B.C.). This environment can work emulate any architecture, for initial launch. This is achieved due to the fact that the device firmware (Firmware) under UEFI, already include interpreters for easy and correct recognition by the system E.B.C..
IN UEFI own is used download manager And selection of operating systems, which allows you to avoid using the operating system loader and improves stability.
Expanded functionality.
UEFI can be used as an operating system, with many functions in critical cases, when the main one does not load. It all depends on type UEFI And its elaboration motherboard manufacturers. For example, using UEFI Can go online, configure network connections, play music And video, see photos and even edit them, perhaps update everyone firmware devices via the Internet and much more.
EFI gradually being replaced UEFI because of lack of support and increasing the number of systems using x 64 addressing.
UEFI controversy.
Main criticism occurs due to causeless, not carrying any significant advantages complications loading systems. Also criticized closed system, which can lead to impossibility of installation O operational With system not provided by the manufacturer. In this case, this is a path to nowhere, since most manufacturers and market leaders, on the contrary, strive for unification And openness program code.
In order to compatibility with old hardware solutions, manufacturers OS, more likely will remain compatible of their products with older systems on PC -BIOS. Otherwise it might have a bad effect on sales, and slower growth of the market as a whole. Manufacturers of PC hardware may do the same for the sake of compatibility with previous OS.
A big difference. What is UEFI and how is it different from BIOS?
Typically, users do not think about the design of a PC or laptop until it fails. For example, when hearing the word “BIOS,” some users vaguely imagine an archaic blue interface that does not support mouse control. For most users, this is just another computer abbreviation that makes their head spin. Few people have heard of UEFI, and only a select few know how it differs from BIOS.
Briefly: what is the difference between BIOS and UEFI
BIOS - basic input/output system ( English Basic Input/Output System), which is stored on the computer's motherboard. The BIOS starts working immediately when you turn on the PC, the system launches hardware components and a program to boot Windows or another operating system.
BIOS was developed back in 1975, when no one could imagine a 2 TB hard drive. Today this is the usual amount of memory for a home computer. BIOS does not support hard drives of this size - this is one of the reasons why it is gradually being replaced by UEFI.
New computers use UEFI - the Universal Extensible Firmware Interface ( English Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), but it is still called “BIOS” in the old fashioned way, so as not to confuse users once again. UEFI is a modern solution that supports larger hard drives, boots faster, has a clear graphical interface and supports mouse control!
Why do you need a BIOS?
BIOS is used to load the OS, check the functionality of the hardware, and configure the PC. For example, to change the hard drive configuration, the OS boot order (from a hard drive, flash drive or other media) and setting the system time. These settings will be saved in the motherboard memory.
In addition, the BIOS performs a POST - self-test after switching on ( English Power-On Self Test) to check the hardware configuration. If something is wrong, an error message or beep is displayed. When the computer does not turn on and you hear a “squeak” from an 8-bit game, this is the BIOS. To understand what exactly is broken, you need to find the instructions for the motherboard, which will explain the meaning of this or that sound signal.
Why is the BIOS outdated?
Since its inception, BIOS has seen almost no qualitative development. Separate additions and expansions were released. For example, ACPI is the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface.
This interface simplified BIOS installation and power management, as well as entering sleep mode. However, this was not enough; the BIOS was hopelessly stuck in the days of MS-DOS. For example, the BIOS can only boot from drives smaller than 2.1 TB. It also has problems initializing multiple hardware devices at the same time, which results in slow boot times on computers with modern hardware.
In 1998, Intel first began thinking about replacing the BIOS and began working on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) for the underrated Itanium series of 64-bit processors. Broad industry support was required to spread the new interface. Apple chose EFI for the Mac back in 2006, but other manufacturers haven't followed suit.
UEFI is coming to us
UEFI supports BIOS emulation, so users still have the ability to run legacy OSes ( approx. ed. - It is not safe!)
The new standard allows you to avoid BIOS restrictions. UEFI can boot the OS from disks larger than 2.2 TB. The actual limit for these is 9.4 zettabytes. This is approximately three times the estimated volume of all data on the Internet.
UEFI supports 32-bit or 64-bit modes, and its address space is larger than that of BIOS - which makes booting much faster. In addition, the UEFI setup screen has more flexible functionality with mouse support and user interface.
Secure Boot support allows you to verify that the OS boot has not been modified by malware. UEFI allows remote configuration and debugging. BIOS can't do that.
Essentially, UEFI is an independent operating system that runs on top of the PC firmware. It can be stored in flash memory on the motherboard or loaded from other sources (hard drive and other media).
Motherboards with UEFI from different manufacturers will have different interfaces and functionality. It all depends on the specific model, but the basic settings will be the same for any computer.
How to open UEFI settings?
For ordinary users, the transition from BIOS to UEFI was seamless. The new PC will simply boot up faster when turned on. However, if you need UEFI access, it will differ depending on the operating system.
Windows 8
- Press Win + C
- Settings - Change PC settings
- Under PC Settings, select General
- Under Advanced Startup, click Restart
- After reboot, the Windows 8 boot menu will appear
- In the boot menu, select “Troubleshooting” - “Advanced settings” - “UEFI firmware setup”
In Win 10, you can try to log into UEFI the old fashioned way:
- Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds
- As soon as the logo appears on the screen, quickly press F2 or DEL (keys may be different on some laptop models)
Access from the operating system:
- In the search field, enter "Options"
- Settings - Update & Security - Recovery
- Under Special Boot Options, click Restart Now
- The system will reboot and show the Windows 10 boot menu
- Troubleshooting - Advanced Settings - UEFI Settings
