Which firmware contains the configuration settings for a PC and conducts the POST?

The Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) is the firmware that contains configuration settings for a PC and is responsible for conducting the Power-On Self-Test (POST). When a computer is powered on, the BIOS initializes the hardware components and performs diagnostics to ensure that everything is functioning correctly before loading the operating system.

BIOS settings allow users to configure hardware parameters, such as boot order, CPU settings, and memory timings. The environment provided by BIOS is essential for system checks and activating the operating system loader.

While the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a modern alternative to BIOS and provides similar functionalities with enhanced features and capabilities, BIOS specifically refers to the traditional firmware that is still widely used in many systems, especially older ones. Firmware, or software-on-a-chip, also pertains to low-level software coded directly onto hardware but does not specifically encompass the entirety of configuration settings and POST functions as related to PCs. A boot loader is a separate piece of software responsible for loading the operating system into RAM but does not manage hardware configuration or conduct the POST.

Thus, the focus on BIOS emphasizes its longstanding role in a PC's initial boot process and hardware management.