UEFIohjelmistoa

UEFIohjelmistoa, often referred to as UEFI firmware, is a modern replacement for the traditional BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) firmware found in most computers. UEFI stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface. It provides a standardized interface between the operating system and the computer's hardware during the boot process. Unlike BIOS, which is limited to 16-bit architecture and has several restrictions, UEFI is designed to be more flexible and feature-rich.

One of the key advantages of UEFI is its support for larger hard drives, specifically those with capacities exceeding 2 terabytes, thanks to its use of GUID Partition Table (GPT) partitioning scheme. It also enables faster boot times and supports a graphical user interface for configuration, which can be more user-friendly than the text-based interfaces of older BIOS systems. UEFI firmware can be pre-installed on motherboards by manufacturers.

UEFI also introduces enhanced security features, such as Secure Boot. Secure Boot helps protect the boot process by ensuring that only trusted software, signed by a recognized authority, is loaded during startup. This can prevent malicious software, like rootkits, from compromising the system before the operating system even loads. The development and standardization of UEFI are managed by the Unified EFI Forum.