Ch 2 Flashcards
(33 cards)
What is BIOS?
BIOS is a ROM chip on the motherboard that is the first thing to load when the computer starts.
What are the main responsibilities of BIOS?
Boot process control, hardware initialization (POST), managing essential devices, and motherboard settings.
What is POST?
Power-On Self-Test; checks hardware components and generates beep codes to indicate errors.
What is firmware?
A combination of hardware and software; BIOS is a type of firmware.
Where is the POST card installed?
In an expansion slot on the motherboard.
What is CMOS used for in BIOS?
Stores BIOS configuration data, such as system clock and boot priorities.
What happens if the CMOS battery dies?
BIOS settings are lost, but the battery can last for years.
What is the difference between BIOS and CMOS?
BIOS is non-volatile; CMOS is volatile.
Where is CMOS integrated in modern motherboards?
In the Southbridge chip.
What is UEFI?
An upgraded version of BIOS with more features and better usability.
How does UEFI differ from BIOS?
UEFI supports both keyboard and mouse, has a user-friendly interface, runs on 32/64-bit OS, supports larger boot drives, and includes Secure Boot.
What is Secure Boot?
A security feature that prevents unauthorized software from loading during boot.
What happens when you power on a computer?
The motherboard circuits activate, and the CPU resets to a predefined state.
Why does the CPU have a fixed memory address on startup?
It doesn’t know what to do initially, so it uses this address to find the BIOS startup routine.
What are the steps of the boot process?
Power-on and CPU reset
BIOS/UEFI initialization
POST execution
Boot device selection
Bootloader execution
OS loads
User interface appears
What is a kernel panic?
A system crash due to an unrecoverable error in the operating system.
What are the main functions of an OS?
Managing hardware, files and folders, applications, and providing a user interface.
What components make up an OS?
The kernel, init/systemd, and user-space programs.
What is the difference between a kernel and init/systemd?
The kernel manages hardware; init/systemd manages system services and startup.
What is ACPI?
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface, which manages power consumption.
What is an OS’s role as a middleman?
It manages interactions between users, applications, and hardware.
What are the types of user interfaces?
CLI (Command-Line Interface), GUI (Graphical User Interface), Touch Interface, and VUI (Voice User Interface).
What are examples of GUI frameworks?
GTK+, Qt, JavaFX, WinForms (Desktop), SwiftUI (iOS), Jetpack Compose (Android).
