firmwareBIOSondersteuning

Firmware refers to the non-volatile software embedded in hardware devices to control and manage low-level operations. BIOS stands for basic input/output system and is a form of firmware used in many computing systems to perform initial hardware checks and to prepare the machine to boot an operating system. When the computer is powered on, the firmware initializes CPUs, memory, chipset, storage controllers, and other peripherals, conducts the Power-On Self-Test, and provides a minimal environment for loading the OS or a boot manager. Configuration settings are typically stored in non-volatile memory, such as CMOS RAM or flash, and may be preserved between restarts.

Historically, PCs used the legacy BIOS, a 16-bit interface with limited capabilities. Modern systems commonly use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), a more flexible firmware interface that supports larger boot drives, faster startup, a graphical user interface, network features, and Secure Boot to help verify the integrity of software loaded during startup. While UEFI is often described as the successor to BIOS, many systems maintain a compatibility mode to support older operating systems and software.

Firmware updates are released by hardware manufacturers to add features, improve stability, or address security vulnerabilities. Updating firmware carries risks such as bricking the device if interrupted. Vendors advise using official utilities and, where available, redundant firmware recovery options (dual BIOS, recovery modes). Beyond personal computers, firmware and BIOS concepts apply to routers, printers, and embedded devices, where firmware controls core functions and can be updated to patch security flaws or add capabilities.