Windows uefi mode or other OS. What is the difference between uefi and bios

Newer computers use UEFI firmware instead of the traditional BIOS. Both of these firmwares are low-level software that runs when the PC boots before loading the operating system, but UEFI is more modern solution, supporting large hard drives, faster loading time, more features security and convenient graphic and mouse cursors.

We've seen that newer PCs that come with UEFI are still called "BIOS" to avoid confusion for people used to a traditional computer. Even if your computer uses the term "BIOS", the modern PCs you buy today almost certainly come with UEFI firmware instead of BIOS.

What is BIOS?

BIOS is short for Basic Input Output System. This is low-level software that resides on a chip on your computer's motherboard. The BIOS is loaded when your computer starts, it is responsible for waking up your computer's components, providing correct work, and then launches the bootloader, which boots Windows or any other operating system you have installed.

You can configure various settings on the screen BIOS settings. Here you will find parameters such as the hardware configuration of your computer, system time and loading order. You can access this screen by pressing a specific key - different on different computers, but often Esc, F2, F10, or Delete - while the computer is booting. When you save a setting, it is saved in the memory of the motherboard itself. When you boot your computer, the BIOS configures your computer with the saved settings.

Before the operating system boots, the BIOS goes through a POST, or power-on self-test. It checks that your hardware is configured correctly and is operating correctly. If something is wrong, you'll see an error message or hear a mysterious series of beep codes. You will need to find out what the different beep sequences mean in your computer manual.

When the computer boots, after POST-BIOS completes, it looks for the main boot entry(MBR) stored on the boot device and uses it to launch the boot loader.

You may also see the acronym CMOS, which stands for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor. This refers to the battery memory in which the BIOS stores various settings on the motherboard. It's not really precise definition, as this method has been replaced by flash memory (also called EEPROM) in modern systems.

Why is the BIOS outdated?

BIOS has been around for a long time and hasn't evolved much. Even MS-DOS computers released in the 1980s had a BIOS!

Of course, over time, the BIOS has evolved and improved. Several extensions have been developed, including ACPI, Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. This allows the BIOS to more easily configure devices and perform advanced power management functions such as sleep. But BIOS hasn't improved nearly as much as other PC technologies since the days of MS-DOS.

Traditional BIOS still has serious limitations. It can only boot from drives that are 2.1 TB or smaller. Nowadays, 3 TB drives have become widespread, and a computer with BIOS cannot boot from them. This limitation is due to how the BIOS master boot record works.

The BIOS must run in 16-bit processor mode and only have 1MB of space. It has trouble initializing multiple devices at once, resulting in a slow boot process when initializing all the hardware interfaces and devices on a modern PC.

The BIOS needs to be replaced over a long period of time. Intel began work on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) specification back in 1998. Apple chose EFI when it switched to Intel architecture on their Macs, but other PC makers haven't followed suit.

In 2007, Intel, AMD, Microsoft and PC manufacturers agreed on a new Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specification. It is an industry standard driven by the Unified Extended Firmware Interface community, not just Intel. UEFI support came to Windows with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows 7. The vast majority of computers you can buy today now use UEFI rather than traditional BIOS.

How UEFI replaces and improves BIOS

UEFI replaces the traditional BIOS on PCs. It is not possible to upgrade from BIOS to UEFI on an existing PC. You'll need to buy new hardware that supports and enables UEFI, as most new computers do. Most UEFI implementations provide BIOS emulation, so you can choose to install and boot older operating systems that expect BIOS instead of UEFI so they are backwards compatible.

This new standard avoids BIOS limitations. UEFI firmware can boot from drives of 2.2 TB or larger - in fact, the theoretical limit is 9.4 Zettabytes. This is approximately three times the estimated size of all data on the Internet. This is because UEFI uses GPT partitioning scheme instead of MBR. It also boots in a more standardized way, running executable files EFI rather than running code from the disk's master boot record.

UEFI can run in 32-bit or 64-bit mode and has a larger address space than BIOS, which means the boot process is faster. This also means that screens UEFI settings may be smoother than BIOS setup screens, including graphics and mouse cursor support. However, this is not mandatory. Many PCs still come with UEFI text mode interface settings that look and act like the old BIOS setup screen.

UEFI is packed with other features. It supports Secure Boot, which means the operating system can be verified to ensure that malware has not affected the boot process. It can support network functions right in the UEFI firmware itself, which can help with remote diagnostics and configuration. In a traditional BIOS you have to sit in front of physical computer to configure it.

This is not just a BIOS replacement. UEFI is essentially a tiny operating system that runs on top of a PC's firmware, and it can do a lot more than BIOS. It can be stored in the motherboard's flash memory or booted from hard drive or network resource when loading.

Different UEFI PCs will have different interfaces and features. This all depends on the PC manufacturer, but the basics will be the same on every PC.

How to Access UEFI Settings on Modern PCs

If you regular user PC, moving to a UEFI computer will not be a noticeable change. Your new computer will boot and finish faster than it would with the BIOS, and you can use drives that are 2.2 TB or larger.

If you need to access lower level settings there may be a slight difference. You may need to open the UEFI settings screen through the options menu Windows boot, rather than pressing a key while your computer is starting up. Now that PCs boot up so quickly, PC manufacturers don't want to slow down the boot process by waiting for a key to be pressed. However, we have also seen UEFI PCs that allow you to access the BIOS in the same way by pressing a key during the boot process.

While UEFI is a big update, it's largely in the background. Most PC users will never notice (or care) that their new PCs use UEFI instead of the traditional BIOS. But they will perform better and support more modern hardware and features.

Both of these programs are examples of software low level, which runs when the computer starts before the operating system boots. UEFI is a newer solution, it supports larger hard drives, boots faster, is more secure - and, very conveniently, has a graphical interface and mouse support.

Some newer computers that ship with UEFI still call it "BIOS" to avoid confusion for users accustomed to traditional PC BIOSes. But even if you see it mentioned, know that your new computer will most likely be equipped with UEFI, not BIOS.

What is BIOS?

BIOS is Basic Input-Output system, basic system I/O It is a low-level program stored on a chip on your computer's motherboard. The BIOS loads when you turn on your computer and is responsible for waking up its hardware components, making sure they are working correctly, and then launching the boot loader program, which starts the Windows operating system or any other operating system you have installed.

The BIOS setup screen allows you to change many settings. Computer hardware configuration, system time, boot order. This screen can be called up at the beginning of the computer boot by pressing a certain key - it is different on different computers, but the Esc, F2, F10, Delete keys are often used. By saving a setting, you store it in the motherboard memory. When loading computer BIOS will configure it as specified in the saved settings.

Before loading the operating system, the BIOS goes through POST, or Power-On Self Test, self-test after switching on. It checks that the hardware is configured correctly and is working properly. If something is wrong, you will see a series of error messages on the screen or hear system unit mysterious squeak. What exactly the sound signals mean is described in the computer instructions.

When the computer boots after POST, the BIOS looks for Master Boot Record, or MBR - master boot record. It is stored on the boot device and is used to launch the OS boot loader.

You may also have seen the acronym CMOS, which stands for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor. It refers to the memory in which the BIOS stores various settings. Its use is obsolete, since this method has already been replaced by flash memory (also called EEPROM).

Why is the BIOS outdated?

Of course, with BIOS time still changed and improved. Its extensions were developed, in particular, ACPI, Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (advanced configuration and power management interface). This allowed the BIOS to more easily configure devices and more advanced power management, such as hibernation. But BIOS has not evolved as much as others computer technology since the days of MS-DOS.

The traditional BIOS still has serious limitations. It can only boot from hard drives with a volume of no more than 2.1 TB. Nowadays, 3 TB disks are already ubiquitous, and a computer with BIOS will not boot from them. This is a BIOS MBR limitation.

The BIOS must operate in 16-bit processor mode and only 1 MB of memory is available to it. It has trouble initializing multiple devices at the same time, resulting in a slow boot process during which all hardware interfaces and devices are initialized.

The BIOS was long overdue for replacement. Intel began working on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) back in 1998. Apple chose EFI when it switched to Intel architecture on its Macs in 2006, but other manufacturers didn't follow suit.

In 2007, Intel, AMD, Microsoft and PC manufacturers agreed on a new specification, the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), a unified extensible firmware interface. This is an industry standard maintained by the UEFI forum and does not depend solely on Intel. UEFI support in Windows was introduced with the release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows 7. Most computers you can buy today use UEFI instead of BIOS.

How UEFI replaces and improves BIOS

UEFI replaces the traditional BIOS on PCs. There is no way to change the BIOS to UEFI on an existing PC. You need to buy hardware that supports UEFI. Most versions of UEFI support BIOS emulation so you can install and run a legacy OS that expects a BIOS instead of UEFI - so they are backwards compatible.

The new standard bypasses BIOS limitations. UEFI firmware can boot from disks larger than 2.2 TB - the theoretical limit for them is 9.4 zettabytes. This is approximately three times the amount of data contained on the Internet today. UEFI supports such volumes due to the use of GPT partitioning instead of MBR. It also has a standardized boot process and runs executable EFI programs instead of code located in the MBR.

UEFI can operate in 32-bit or 64-bit modes and its address space is larger than that of the BIOS - which means faster booting. This also means that UEFI setup screens can be made more beautiful than those of the BIOS, including graphics and mouse support. But this is not necessary. Many computers to this day run UEFI with text mode, which look and work just like the old BIOS screens.

There are many other features built into UEFI. She supports safe start Secure Boot, in which you can verify that the OS boot has not been modified by any malicious program. It can support network operation, allowing remote configuration and debugging. With a traditional BIOS, setting up your computer required you to sit directly in front of it.

And this is not just a BIOS replacement. UEFI is a small operating system that runs on top of the PC's firmware, so it can do much more than BIOS. It can be stored in flash memory on the motherboard or loaded from a hard drive or network.

U different computers There are different interfaces and UEFI properties. It all depends on the computer manufacturer, but the basic capabilities are the same for everyone.

How to Access UEFI Settings on a Modern PC

But the procedure for accessing the settings will be slightly different. To access the UEFI Settings screen you may need to boot menu Windows. PC manufacturers didn't want to slow down a fast booting computer by waiting for a key to be pressed. But we also came across UEFIs in which manufacturers left the ability to enter the settings in the same way as in the BIOS - by pressing a key during boot.

UEFI is a big update, but it happened quietly. Most PC users won't notice it and don't have to worry about their new computer using UEFI instead of the regular BIOS. PCs will simply perform better and support more modern hardware and features.

More detailed explanation differences in the UEFI boot process can be read in

Today we will talk about the new interface BIOS UEFI, which today is doing a good job of replacing the regular BIOS. This technology is increasingly appearing in new computers and laptops. But there is one small catch. If your computer or laptop is on BIOS UEFI, then you will not be able to install anything on it except Windows 8. But there are still ways to install, for example, Windows 7. And now we will talk about the advantage over a regular BIOS.

BIOS UEFI is a new interface that controls low-level hardware functions. It was developed by Intel.

Everyone probably knows what a BIOS is in general. This is the firmware built into the motherboard. This technology tells the system how to use the internal components of the computer: processor, video card, etc. BIOS starts before Windows and checks all internal components. If any device is faulty, the BIOS should emit a signal through the built-in speaker.

But today the BIOS has been replaced by more advanced technology UEFI.

So, what are the advantages of UEFI BIOS over regular BIOS? Well, first of all, a completely redesigned mechanism. Secondly, UEFI took a lot from its predecessor. He also checks the computer components, and then loading operating system.

1. Comfortable GUI. Supports mouse control. Also, there is support for the Russian language.
   
2. Works with hard drives that have a table GPT partitions. These hard drives can be divided into 128 partitions. And in the MBR it was possible to create only 4 partitions.
   
3. Since the regular BIOS did not see disks larger than 2 TB, UEFI fixed this problem. UEFI supports 18 Exabytes.
   
4. MBR hard drives worked with old CHS addressing, now hard GPT disks work with LBA addressing.
   
5. On GPT hard drives, it is easier to recover deleted data.
   
6. BIOS UEFI has its own boot manager, which is convenient if you use multiple operating systems.
   
7. Easy to update unlike regular BIOS.
   

There is one more feature in the UEFI BIOS. Because of this, it is impossible to install other operating systems other than Windows 8.

This technology is called Secure Boot protocol secure boot . It is based on certified keys, which are available only in Windows 8. Older operating systems, including , do not have such keys, and they will not be installed.

Of course, there is a way out; you can disable Secure Boot, but then Windows will be installed on MBR disk, and many benefits are lost.

In the next article we will look at how to disable this function– Secure Boot. And secondly, how to install other operating systems besides Windows 8.

UEFI BIOS - software solution, which is an alternative to the BIOS system, to which most computer users have long been accustomed. This is not to say that this is a completely new development. Work on creating an interface between the OS and firmware responsible for low-level hardware functions began in the second half of the 90s. Initially, this interface was called the Intel Boot Initiative. A little later the name was changed to EFI.

The first specification of this interface released by Intel in 2000, demonstrated it clear advantages over classic BIOS. Therefore, it is supported in most modern motherboards. Today we will talk about the features and advantages of UEFI. But to do this, you first need to understand what BIOS is.

What is BIOS?

This is a software solution built into a chip on the motherboard. This firmware provides data exchange between computer components and operating system. That is, due to BIOS Windows has the ability to work with RAM, motherboard, processor, video card and other components.

BIOS is initializing much earlier than Windows boots. The firmware is tasked with checking all the computer systems that we listed above. In addition, the BIOS sets them required parameters functioning.

If a faulty computer component is detected during the POST procedure, the BIOS will transmit a coded sequence of sound signals through a small speaker, by which the user can determine which part is faulty.

Why did software and hardware developers decide to abandon BIOS in favor of UEFI?

Tom there are several reasons:

For these reasons, leading brands provide UEFI support in modern motherboards.

Main advantages of UEFI

UEFI, unlike BIOS, is not firmware, and a miniature operating system, but at the same time she took a lot from her predecessor. The tasks of UEFI are exactly the same as those of BIOS - relationship software and computer hardware. New interface checks the equipment in the same way before starting Windows boot loader.

To the main advantages of UEF I can be attributed to:

The new interface supports mouse control.

It is intuitive and supports many languages. Setting it up does not cause any problems.

1. UEFI, unlike BIOS, works great with hard drives that have GPT.
2. UEFI BIOS provides the ability to work with hard drives with a capacity of more than 2 TB.
3. Hard drives with a GUID table operate with the new LBA addressing.
4. Windows starts much faster in UEFI.
5. UEFI has its own bootloader, which allows you to use several operating systems on one computer without using special bootloaders.
6. UEFI BIOS is very easy and safe to update.

As for “Secure Boot,” this procedure is still considered a dubious advantage. As mentioned above, if you do not disable it, then installing any operating systems other than Windows 8 and 10 will be impossible.

There is an opinion that Microsoft is actively promoting the “Secure Boot” procedure in order to fight competitors, because not only old operating systems cannot be installed on new computers Windows systems, but also third-party operating systems. Some will say that to solve the problem it is enough to disable this procedure, but then the user will be deprived of all the benefits of working with hard drives that have a GUID.

Microsoft responds to all accusations in the same way - the protocol was developed for user safety. And there is nothing to counter these words with, because “Secure Boot” really provides high level protection.

Today the user may encounter With different versions UEFI. The fact is that the interface is developed by manufacturers personal computers. Therefore, UEFI differs from different brands in appearance and functionality. For example, when starting a computer, the user may not see a menu to access interface settings. As a rule, the user can later access them directly from the Windows OS. In this case, the user can correct the situation by selecting the “Options” mode in the “Options” tab. Special options downloads". After the reboot, a menu of available boot modes will appear at startup.

An alternative option to access UEFI settings is to click ESC keys on the keyboard when the computer starts.

UEFI can operate in two modes:

1. Ordinary. Provides full access to interface options.
2. Legacy. It is not recommended to install this BIOS compatibility mode if the hard drive size exceeds 2 TB. The operating system may stop loading. Moreover, if the system has a disk with a capacity of more than 2 TB, then UEFI will automatically activate normal mode with its “Secure Boot”. If at the same time there was on the disk Windows version, other than 8 and 10, then it will not start.

Exists third UEFI operating mode– hybrid, but it has so far been implemented on a small number of computer models.

Another important feature of UEFI is that it does not recognize file NTFS system. That is, you cannot install the OS from flash drives formatted in NTFS. Some computer experts consider this a drawback of the new interface.

What do you need to do to install Windows UEFI?

Installing Windows via UEFI is a little more difficult than installing via BIOS. First, the user needs to create a bootable USB flash drive.

If the user intends to install Windows 10, then to create and configure a flash drive, you can use official utility from Microsoft Media Creation Tool. It is very simple to use: you need to insert a USB flash drive into the computer connector and run the utility, which will determine everything removable media in the system and will prompt you to select the required option. Next, the user will need to carry out a simple setup: select the operating system bit depth and language.

A bootable USB flash drive can also be made using third party utilities. It's not much more complicated.

The next step is to configure the UEFI BIOS for installation. To access the interface settings, press F 2 or Delete when starting the computer. After launching the menu, you need to select the “Advanced” subsection. In the “boot” tab you need to select the mode USB support with full initialization. On the “Secure Boot” tab, do not forget to select the “Windows UEFI mode”. To complete the setup, you need to set the priority of use boot devices. From the available list, select the flash drive with the OS distribution.

After this you can install Windows.

If you receive a message during installation of Windows 8 or 10 about incorrect setting secure boot, then most likely the user forgot to enable the “Secure Boot” procedure in the UEFI BIOS. To fix the error, just enable secure boot mode.

How to install Windows 7 via UEFI BIOS?

At Windows installation 7 via UEFI BIOS the user may encounter 2 problems:

After preset UEFI enabling and disabling the necessary functions, you can begin installing the OS from a flash drive, CD or DVD.

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a connecting shell between the operating system and the hardware (hardware). In the future, it is planned that UEFI will completely replace BIOS (Basic Input Output System) and take its place. UEFI is a relatively old technology, developed in 2005 (Unified EFI Forum). However, this statement is incorrect regarding this situation, since despite the fact that 8 years is quite a long time for IT technology and in other areas over the years they managed to change several technologies at once, UEFI initially developed quite slowly and only in recent years has become gain more and more fame. Below you can see the UEFI release schedule.

The primary goal when creating UEFI was to develop a convenient and versatile shell for 64-bit systems with more advanced user interface and network control.
So, what advantages does UEFI have?

Benefits and simplicity interesting facts about UEFI

1) Due to the trend latest trends, more and more PCs have a 64-bit OS, which allows for increased productivity.
2) The second important point is memory addressing. Great opportunity to use more RAM and hard drive size. Theoretically maximum size hard drive can reach 8192 Exybyte-a, which is approximately 8.8 (oh yes! O_o) trillion terabytes, which even with the current volumes of information transfer is a very impressive figure, especially considering that the size of the archive of the entire Internet is 10 petabytes. As for RAM– there are also bright prospects here with the possibility of addressing up to 16 Exybyte-s, that given the current market situation (new PCs usually have from 8 to 16 gigabytes of RAM) is a great foundation for the future.
Link to interesting facts connected with a clear example of whether this is a lot or a little.
3) More fast loading a system achieved through parallel initialization of individual system components.
4) Loading drivers into UEFI and then transferring them to the OS.
5) One of the most important and most critical features of UEFI is Secure Boot Option, which allows you to protect Bootloader from execution malware, which in turn allows you to protect the OS outside its own boundaries during boot time. For this purpose, “digital” signatures of operating systems are used.

UEFI Beginning

It all starts with Power On phase (who would have thought) in which it is performed Power On Self Test and skips Security phase. After which we can assume that the platform has been initialized, but we must not forget about the phase P.E.I.(Pre-EFI Initialization), as well as DXE(Driver Execution Environment) phase, which allows the system to get to the point when memory becomes available, and also begins (Firmware) searching for the Boot device. IN BDS(Boot Device Selection) phase, a search occurs for a device from which boot can be carried out, and this can be used third party device or UEFI-Shel l. When the system starts, the already initialized and loaded drivers are transferred to the OS in order to reduce its loading time.

And so this was the introductory part of the story about UEFI. The next chapter will look at the individual phases in more detail: POWER ON, SECURITY (SEC), PRE-EFI Initialization (PEI), DRIVER EXECUTION ENVIRONMENT and BOOT DEV SELECT (BDS)