The (Basic Input/Output System) is a embedded in the computer's motherboard that initializes hardware components and boots the operating system. It stores essential information, such as the (Master Boot Record), which acts as a small program that serves as the . The bootloader is responsible for locating and loading the operating system into memory.
In modern systems, the (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) has replaced BIOS as the standard firmware interface. UEFI provides more advanced capabilities, such as improved security features and faster boot times, compared to traditional BIOS. It also stores critical system settings in the (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) memory, ensuring they are retained even when the power is turned off.
When configuring storage devices, the disk can be divided into multiple sections called s. A partition is a logical division that can hold a file system. The is the main section that contains a bootable operating system. An acts as a container for s within it. Logical partitions are like sub-sections within an extended partition, each capable of housing a separate file system.
Within the primary partition, there is typically an , indicating which partition is bootable. This plays a crucial role in a configuration, where two or more operating systems are installed on the same computer. The (GRand Unified Bootloader) is a common bootloader used in many Linux distributions, capable of managing multiple operating systems during the boot process.
To keep track of all these partitions, the system relies on a stored on the disk. The partition table keeps a record of each partition's location, size, and type. and are techniques used to create identical copies or snapshots of an entire disk, including all partitions and data.
In physical drives, data is stored in s, which are the smallest addressable units on the disk surface. The , which reads and writes data, moves across the s, rotating on a spindle. The combination of one head per platter and multiple platters stacked together forms a .
