Móðurborðshugbúnaðarins

Móðurborðshugbúnaðarins, or motherboard firmware, refers to the low-level software embedded directly onto the motherboard of a computer. This essential software controls the fundamental operations of the computer hardware during the boot-up process and provides an interface between the operating system and the hardware. The most common type of motherboard firmware is the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or its modern successor, UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface).

When a computer is powered on, the motherboard firmware is the first software that runs. It initializes and tests various hardware components, such as the CPU, memory, and storage devices, a process known as the Power-On Self-Test (POST). If POST is successful, the firmware then locates and loads the operating system from a designated boot device.

The firmware also provides a setup utility, often referred to as the BIOS setup or UEFI settings, which allows users to configure hardware settings, boot order, security options, and other low-level system parameters. While historically BIOS was the standard, UEFI has become dominant due to its enhanced features, including support for larger hard drives, faster boot times, and improved security measures like Secure Boot. Updates to motherboard firmware are periodically released by manufacturers to fix bugs, improve compatibility, and add new features.