One of the most prevalent APPLICATIONS of Flash memory is for your computer's basic input/output SYSTEM, sometimes known as the BIOS. When a computer is turned on, the BIOS allows it to do specific tasks right away. The BIOS' primary function is to control the early phases of a computer's starting process, guaranteeing that the operating system is loaded appropriately into memory. BIOS is vital to the functioning of most computers today, and understanding it can help you troubleshoot problems with your machine.

• The Power On Self Test is the first thing the BIOS does once you turn on your computer. The BIOS examines the computer's hardware at the POST to ensure that it can complete the STARTUP procedure. When a POST is successfully finished, the system normally emits a beep. However, if the attempt fails, the system usually produces a sequence of beeps. The quantity, duration, and pattern of such sounds can help you figure out why the test failed.
• After the POST, the BIOS tries to load the operating system using a program called a bootstrap loader, which is made to look for any available operating systems and load them into memory if one is DISCOVERED. At this stage, the BIOS drivers are also loaded. These are programs that allow the computer to control hardware devices simply.
• In addition to computer security, the BIOS can PLAY a role. The boot process can be password-protected in most BIOS software versions, which means you must provide a password before any BIOS action can take place. Because the BIOS performs nearly all of its duties during startup, the entire computer is effectively password-protected. Resetting a forgotten BIOS password, on the other hand, can be time-consuming and need access to some of the computer's highly sensitive components.
• The BIOS software is usually stored on a Read-Only Memory (ROM) or a flash memory chip connected to the motherboard of your computer. Because the BIOS software is the first to take control of the system when you switch it on, the position of the BIOS program on the chip is critical. Your computer's CPU would just not know where to find the BIOS if it wasn't constantly in the same position on the same chip, and the boot process would fail.