Boot Mode Considerations: BIOS vs.

UEFI
An overview of differences between UEFI Boot Mode and traditional BIOS Boot Mode
Dell Engineering
October 2017

A Dell EMC Deployment and Configuration Guide

Revisions
Date Description

October 2017 Initial release

The information in this publication is provided “as is.” Dell Inc. makes no representations or warranties of any kind with respect to the information in this
publication, and specifically disclaims implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Use, copying, and distribution of any software described in this publication requires an applicable software license.

Copyright © 2017 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. Other
trademarks may be the property of their respective owners. Published in the USA [11/21/2017] [Deployment and Configuration Guide] [Document ID]

Dell believes the information in this document is accurate as of its publication date. The information is subject to change without notice.

2 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

Table of contents
Revisions.............................................................................................................................................................................2
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................................4
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................5
2 Comparing UEFI and Traditional BIOS ........................................................................................................................6
2.1 Partitioning Scheme for Boot Media ...................................................................................................................6
2.2 Handoff from BIOS to Operating System ...........................................................................................................6
2.3 User Interfaces for Firmware ..............................................................................................................................6
2.4 Resource Allocation for Boot Device Firmware ..................................................................................................7
3 Features Requiring UEFI Boot Mode ...........................................................................................................................8
3.1 UEFI Secure Boot ...............................................................................................................................................8
3.2 Boot to Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) Devices ....................................................................................8
3.3 Boot to Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) ..........................................................................................................8
4 Configuration Settings for UEFI Boot Mode .................................................................................................................9
4.1 UEFI Boot Settings .............................................................................................................................................9
4.2 UEFI Boot from Local Media ............................................................................................................................12
4.3 UEFI PXE Boot Configuration ..........................................................................................................................12
4.3.1 PXE Client Configuration ..................................................................................................................................12
4.3.2 PXE Server Configuration ................................................................................................................................13
4.4 UEFI HTTP Boot Configuration (Boot from URI) ..............................................................................................14
4.4.1 HTTP Boot Client Configuration .......................................................................................................................14
4.4.2 HTTP Boot Server Configuration ......................................................................................................................15
4.5 UEFI iSCSI Boot Configuration ........................................................................................................................15
4.5.1 UEFI iSCSI Initiator Configuration ....................................................................................................................16
4.5.2 iSCSI Target Configuration ...............................................................................................................................19
4.6 UEFI Secure Boot Configuration ......................................................................................................................19
4.7 Integrated Device Firmware .............................................................................................................................19
5 Technical support and resources ...............................................................................................................................21
5.1 Related resources.............................................................................................................................................21

3 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

Executive Summary
Dell EMC servers provide the option of using the traditional BIOS boot mode or UEFI boot mode. The boot
mode determines how the system BIOS interacts with adapter card firmware and operating system software.
Specific security features and boot mechanisms are available only when the system is configured for UEFI
boot mode.

This Dell EMC Deployment and Configuration Guide has two goals. First, it informs readers of the benefits
and shortcomings of the two boot modes, so they can choose the boot mode that is best for their
environment. Second, this paper provides an overview of the configuration needed to use UEFI boot mode. It
is assumed that the reader is familiar with the traditional BIOS boot mode, and likely has existing
infrastructure that uses BIOS boot mode. This paper outlines changes needed to support UEFI boot mode in
an existing datacenter infrastructure.

4 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

1 Introduction
Traditionally, the system BIOS performs initialization, boot, system management, and configuration tasks. The
BIOS initializes the system’s processors, memory, bus controllers, and I/O devices. After initialization is
complete, the BIOS passes control to operating system (OS) software. The OS loader uses basic services
provided by the system BIOS to locate and load OS modules into system memory. After booting the system,
the BIOS and embedded management controllers execute system management algorithms, which monitor
and optimize the condition of the underlying hardware. BIOS configuration settings enable fine-tuning of the
performance, power management, and reliability features of the system.

The Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) does not change the traditional purposes of the system
BIOS. To a large extent, a UEFI-compliant BIOS performs the same initialization, boot, configuration, and
management tasks as a traditional BIOS. However, UEFI does change the interfaces and data structures the
BIOS uses to interact with I/O device firmware and operating system software. The primary intent of UEFI is
to eliminate shortcomings in the traditional BIOS environment, enabling system firmware to continue scaling
with industry trends.

Since 2010, Dell EMC has offered servers that support both the traditional BIOS boot mode and UEFI boot
mode. However, the system administrator must choose the boot mode before deploying the server to its
operating environment. This paper helps system administrators understand the implications of each boot
mode. First, the paper explains the limitations of the traditional BIOS that UEFI resolves. Next, it describes
functionality that is available in UEFI boot mode that is not available in BIOS boot mode. Finally, the paper
provides considerations for deploying a server in UEFI boot mode in the midst of a traditional datacenter
infrastructure.

5 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

2 Comparing UEFI and Traditional BIOS
This sections explains how UEFI corrects certain shortcomings in traditional BIOS implementations. The UEFI
boot mode offers:

 Improved Partitioning scheme for boot media

o Support for media larger than 2 TB
o Redundant partition tables
 Flexible handoff from BIOS to OS
 Consolidated firmware user interface
 Enhanced resource allocation for boot device firmware

2.1 Partitioning Scheme for Boot Media

Traditional BIOS implementations use the Master Boot Record (MBR) scheme for partitioning boot media.
Because it uses 32-bit addressing and 512-byte blocks, the MBR scheme limits the addressable storage in
the boot media to 2 TB. The MBR scheme also limits the number of partitions to four, and expects bootstrap
code to reside at specific locations in the media.

UEFI defines an improved partitioning scheme known as a GUID Partition Table (GPT). The GPT scheme
uses 64-bit addressing, so the boot media can be much larger than 2 TB. Each entry in the table is identified
by a 128-bit Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), so the scheme supports a large number of partitions. Bootstrap
code is no longer required at fixed locations, and a backup partition table provides redundancy.

2.2 Handoff from BIOS to Operating System

After performing system initialization, the BIOS attempts to transfer control to an operating system. Traditional
BIOS implementations maintain a prioritized list (“boot order”) of bootable media in the system, and attempt to
launch boot software according to the list of media. For each entry in the list, the BIOS loads bootstrap code
from a well-known location and passes control to it; if the attempt fails, the BIOS attempts subsequent entries
in the list.

UEFI implementations also maintain a boot order, but each entry corresponds to an individual file instead of
an entire bootable medium. This scheme allows for one medium (such as a hard disk) to contain multiple boot
order entries (for example, multiple operating system loaders). Since each entry specifies the location of the
boot file, UEFI also supports booting via Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs).

Unlike traditional BIOS implementations, all bootable files (executable bootstrap images) must be formatted
according to the Portable Executable / Common Object File Format (PE/COFF). This requirement applies to
any code executed by the BIOS, including device firmware (traditionally called “option ROMs”), pre-boot
execution environment (PXE) boot programs, and operating system loaders.

2.3 User Interfaces for Firmware

In a traditional BIOS, each boot device provides a separate user interface for its configuration settings. For
example, a network boot device provides one interface for PXE settings, and a storage controller provides a

6 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 separate interface for hard-disk or RAID configuration. Most boot devices require a system reboot after any
firmware change, so system configuration requires multiple boots.

UEFI defines a shared user interface known as the Human Interface Infrastructure (HII). A user can configure
all the firmware settings - including BIOS, onboard management controller, and boot devices – using a single
user interface, without needing a reboot between changes for each device. HII also facilitates remote
configuration of all firmware settings via baseboard management controller interfaces.

2.4 Resource Allocation for Boot Device Firmware

Traditional BIOS implementations offer limited memory space for boot device firmware. Boot devices such as
storage controllers and network interface controllers require increasing amounts of memory to execute their
firmware during the boot process. When a system contains multiple boot devices, a traditional BIOS may not
allocate enough memory space for all of the device firmware to execute.

UEFI eliminates this limitation by defining standard interfaces for memory management. In UEFI boot mode,
boot devices use these interfaces to request memory space from the BIOS memory manager. When a system
contains multiple boot devices, UEFI boot mode allocates memory on-demand for each device’s firmware.

7 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

3 Features Requiring UEFI Boot Mode
As UEFI grows in popularity, modern capabilities are implemented natively for UEFI Boot Mode instead of
BIOS Boot Mode. In Dell EMC servers, the following features are available only in UEFI Boot Mode:

 UEFI Secure Boot

 Boot to Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) devices
 Boot to Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)

3.1 UEFI Secure Boot

Most traditional BIOS implementations do not include mechanisms that verify the integrity of non-BIOS code
modules (such as I/O device firmware or operating system loaders). A traditional BIOS may offer protection
for the non-volatile memory where the BIOS code is stored, as well as defenses against unauthorized
configuration changes. However, these implementations vary between vendors, and risks associated with
each implementation may be difficult to assess.

UEFI defines a mechanism, named Secure Boot, which verifies the integrity of each pre-boot code module
and allows only authorized code modules to execute. Users configure a Secure Boot Policy consisting of
X.509 certificates and hash values for both authorized and unauthorized entities. The system BIOS enforces
this policy when determining whether to execute pre-boot software including I/O device firmware and
operating system loaders.

For more information on Dell’s Secure Boot implementation and configuring the Secure Boot Policy, see the
following documents:
Defining a Secure Boot Policy (Dell TechCenter)
Secure Boot Management on 14G Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers (Dell TechCenter)

3.2 Boot to Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) Devices

Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) refers to an interface for accessing non-volatile storage connected by
PCI Express. In Dell EMC PowerEdge servers (beginning with the 13th generation), the NVMe boot firmware
is developed by Dell as part of the BIOS firmware, instead of developed by individual NVMe device vendors.
Dell EMC servers support booting to NVMe devices only when the server is configured for UEFI boot mode.

3.3 Boot to Uniform Resource Identifier (URI)

A Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) is a character string that a system can use to access a file. For example,
the URI “http://mydomain.org/img/bootimage.efi” indicates that a file named “bootimage.efi” can be accessed
using Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) at mydomain.org.

The Dell EMC PowerEdge BIOS supports booting to URIs only in UEFI boot mode. The bootable URI must
use the HTTP protocol. Also, the bootable URI must refer to an .EFI image (PE/COFF format). The Boot URI
can be configured in the System Setup utility or via remote management interfaces such as RACADM.

8 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

4 Configuration Settings for UEFI Boot Mode
This section provides an overview of the configuration changes needed to operate a Dell EMC PowerEdge
server in UEFI Boot Mode. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the traditional BIOS boot mode, and
likely has existing infrastructure that uses BIOS boot mode.

Unless otherwise noted, all configuration settings are accessible through integrated Dell Remote Access
Controller (iDRAC) interfaces such as RACADM, or locally through the System Setup utility. IDRAC interface
documentation can be found at http://www.delltechcenter.com/iDRAC. The System Setup utility is accessed
by pressing F2 at the prompt shown during the system boot process.

4.1 UEFI Boot Settings

The “Boot Mode” setting controls whether the system boots in the traditional BIOS mode or in UEFI mode. In
System Setup, enter System BIOS > Boot Settings and set Boot Mode to UEFI (see Figure 1). In RACADM,
set the BootMode attribute to UEFI (see Figure 2).

Figure 1 Setting Boot Mode in System Setup.

9 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 2 Setting Boot Mode in RACADM.

When the system powers on with Boot Mode set to UEFI, the BIOS provides a list of available UEFI boot
options. An administrator can view and edit the order of UEFI boot options. In System Setup, enter System
BIOS > Boot Settings > UEFI Boot Settings (see Figure 3). Select UEFI Boot Sequence to edit the boot order.
To disable specific boot options without changing the order, uncheck the desired options in the “Boot Option
Enable/Disable” section on this page.

10 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 3 UEFI Boot Order Configuration.

In RACADM, the “UefiBootSeq” attribute controls the UEFI Boot Order. Figure 4 shows an example of moving
the PXE boot device to the beginning of the boot order.

11 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 4 UEFI Boot Order Configuration in RACADM.

4.2 UEFI Boot from Local Media

As a general rule, operating systems installed in a traditional BIOS environment will not be bootable in UEFI
boot mode. There are no reliable means for converting or upgrading traditional bootable media to a UEFI-
bootable form, other than re-installing the operating system when the BIOS is in UEFI boot mode.

The boot mode must be configured before installing operating systems or other bootable software. Operating
system installers detect the current boot mode and provide tools for formatting the media accordingly. If the
boot mode is UEFI, the installer will format the media using the GPT partitioning scheme. If the boot mode is
BIOS, the installer uses the traditional MBR scheme. Operating systems also specify different boot loaders for
the two boot modes.

4.3 UEFI PXE Boot Configuration

PXE is used to execute an operating system’s bootstrap program using a network connection. The system
that provides the Network Bootstrap Program (NBP) is called the “PXE server.” The “PXE client” then
executes the NBP to complete the boot process.

Minimal changes are required for the PXE server and PXE client when transitioning from BIOS boot mode to
UEFI boot mode. The following sections describe these changes.

4.3.1 PXE Client Configuration

As with other system settings, the PXE client configuration settings are accessible through integrated Dell
Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) interfaces such as RACADM, or locally through the System Setup utility.

In BIOS boot mode, individual network devices provide the PXE settings in System Setup > Device Settings.
However, in UEFI boot mode, PXE settings are configured in the BIOS pages (System Setup > System BIOS
> Network Settings > PXE Device Settings). See Figure 5. The “Network Settings” option in the System BIOS
page is available only in UEFI boot mode.

12 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 5 UEFI PXE boot Configuration.

The parameters to be configured in this page are:

 Interface: the network interface in the PXE client to configure for PXE boot;
 Protocol: the Internet Protocol that will be used for PXE boot (IPv4 or IPv6);
 VLAN: ID and Priority for Virtual LAN if enabled.

4.3.2 PXE Server Configuration

PXE server setup involves configuration of the DHCP server and boot server (a.k.a. TFTP server).

The difference between UEFI and BIOS boot modes is that in UEFI boot mode the Network Bootstrap
Program (NBP) must be a UEFI bootable image (PE/COFF format). For Linux environments, UEFI-capable
NBPs include ELILO, grub2, and syslinux. Windows environments (Windows Server 2012 and later) use
bootmgfw.efi. Alternatively, Windows Deployment Services (WDS) offers PXE server configuration
capabilities for UEFI-based PXE clients.

13 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

4.4 UEFI HTTP Boot Configuration (Boot from URI)
UEFI HTTP boot is supported beginning with Dell PowerEdge 14G systems. The system that provides the
Network Bootstrap Program (NBP) is known as the “HTTP boot server.” The “HTTP boot client” downloads
and executes the NBP to complete the boot process.

The principle for HTTP boot is similar to PXE boot, except that HTTP boot uses HTTP (rather than TFTP) to
transfer the NBP.

4.4.1 HTTP Boot Client Configuration

As with other system settings, the HTTP boot client configuration settings are accessible through integrated
Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) interfaces such as RACADM, or locally through the System Setup
utility.

As shown in Figure 6, the UEFI HTTP Boot configuration page is found under System Setup > System BIOS
> Network Settings > HTTP Device Settings. The settings are similar to PXE settings with the addition of the
“URI” setting, which specifies the location of the bootstrap program. The URI must use the HTTP protocol,
and must specify the name of the bootstrap program (for example, http://mydomain.org/img/bootimage.efi).

NOTE: If the “URI” setting is blank, the system will try to obtain the URI from the DHCP server (Option 67 -
Bootfile_Name for DHCPv4; Option 59 - Bootfile_Url for DHCPv6).

HTTP Boot is supported only in UEFI boot mode. Also, the “Network Settings” option in the System BIOS
page is available only in UEFI boot mode.

14 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 6 UEFI PXE boot Configuration.

4.4.2 HTTP Boot Server Configuration

The HTTP boot server is composed of two major parts: DHCP server and HTTP server. A domain name
system (DNS) server is necessary as well if the URI specifies the domain name instead of the IP address.

The bootstrap program provided by the HTTP boot server must be a UEFI bootable image (PE/COFF format).
For Linux environments, UEFI-capable bootstrap programs include ELILO, grub2, and syslinux. Windows
environments (Windows Server 2012 and later) use bootmgfw.efi.

4.5 UEFI iSCSI Boot Configuration

UEFI iSCSI Boot enables booting a system to a boot image located on a network-attached system. The
network-attached system with the boot image is known as the “target.” The other system, the “initiator,” uses
block transactions (similar to the way a hard-disk controller accesses a local hard-disk drive) to access the
bootable software stored on the network-attached target.

Minimal changes are required for the iSCSI initiator and iSCSI target when transitioning from BIOS boot mode
to UEFI boot mode. The following sections describe these changes.

15 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

4.5.1 UEFI iSCSI Initiator Configuration
As with other system settings, the UEFI iSCSI configuration settings are accessible through integrated Dell
Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) interfaces such as RACADM, or locally through the System Setup utility.

In BIOS boot mode, individual network devices provide the iSCSI settings in System Setup > Device Settings.
However, in UEFI boot mode, iSCSI settings are configured in the BIOS pages (System Setup > System
BIOS > Network Settings > UEFI iSCSI Settings). See Figure 7. The initiator name is configured on this page;
this is the unique name (in IQN format) for the iSCSI initiator. The “Network Settings” option in the System
BIOS page is available only in UEFI boot mode.

There are two iSCSI logical devices that can be configured for iSCSI boot. Each logical device appears as a
separate entry in the UEFI boot order. When an iSCSI logical device is enabled, its settings are available in its
iSCSI Device Settings menu. Figures 8 and 9 show the contents of the iSCSI Device Settings menu.

Figure 7 UEFI iSCSI boot Initiator Name Configuration

16 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 8 UEFI iSCSI boot Configuration.

17 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Figure 9 UEFI iSCSI boot Configuration (cont’d).

The parameters to be configured for an iSCSI logical device are:

 Interface: the network interface in system to be configured for PXE boot;

 Protocol: the Internet Protocol that will be used for PXE boot (IPv4 Vs IPv6);
 VLAN parameters: VLAN ID and Priority Virtual LAN if enabled;
 TCP parameters: Retry Count and Timeout to manage TCP handshake retries and timeout condition;
 iSCSI Initiator parameters: if set DHCP to Disabled, iSCSI initiator parameter fields (IP Address,
Subnet Mask and Gateway) will need to be filled out;
 iSCSI Target parameters: if set Target info via DHCP to Disabled, iSCSI target parameter fields
(Target Name, IP Address, Port and Lun) will need to be filled out;
 ISID: set the initiator session identifier;
 Authentication parameters: CHAP Type, CHAP Name/Secret and Reverse CHAP Name/Secret fields
are used for authentication purposes.

18 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

4.5.2 iSCSI Target Configuration
The difference between iSCSI target configurations for UEFI and BIOS boot modes is the format of the
bootable image on the target. In UEFI boot mode, the image must be a UEFI bootable image. iSCSI target
configuration steps for Windows and Linux can be found on their respective official websites.

4.6 UEFI Secure Boot Configuration

There are three primary settings involved in configuring UEFI Secure Boot. All three settings are available in
BIOS Setup (System Setup > System BIOS > System Security) and iDRAC interfaces such as RACADM. The
Boot Mode must be set to UEFI; otherwise these settings are not configurable. Secure Boot is not available
when the Boot Mode is set to BIOS.

To use UEFI Secure Boot, set the “Secure Boot” setting to “Enabled”, the “Secure Boot Policy” setting to
“Standard”, and the “Secure Boot Mode” setting to “Deployed”. This configuration causes the BIOS to verify
pre-boot code modules (such as adapter firmware and OS loaders) against an industry-standard set of
certificates and hashes. The BIOS will execute only those modules signed by third parties trusted by Dell.

The first setting (Secure Boot) instructs the BIOS whether to perform integrity and authorization checks on
pre-boot code modules. When this setting is set to “Enabled” the BIOS enforces the Secure Boot policy for
each code module that is loaded during the boot process. When this setting is set to “Disabled” the BIOS
loads code modules without performing integrity and authorization checks.

The second setting (Secure Boot Policy) tells the BIOS which Secure Boot policy to enforce. When this
setting is set to “Standard” the BIOS uses an industry-standard set of certificates and hash values that
authorize common operating systems and I/O adapter firmware. The Standard policy applies to a majority of
server deployment environments. (The system BIOS will log and display an error message when a server
component, such as an expansion card or operating system, does not satisfy the policy requirements.) When
this setting is set to “Custom” the BIOS uses a set of certificates and hash values pre-defined by the system
administrator. This setting is intended for advanced users who want additional assurance beyond the
industry-standard policy. A custom policy enables the user to specify which pre-boot code modules are
trusted and executed by the system BIOS.

The third setting (Secure Boot Mode) enables automated deployment capabilities for Secure Boot that are
beyond the scope of this document. The most secure value for the Secure Boot Mode is its default value
(Deployed Mode). Advanced users can find a description of the other values for Secure Boot Mode in the
UEFI specification (version 2.7, section 31.3).

For more information on UEFI Secure Boot and configuring a custom Secure Boot policy, refer to the
following documents:
Defining a Secure Boot Policy (Dell TechCenter)
Secure Boot Management on 14G Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers (Dell TechCenter)

4.7 Integrated Device Firmware

Dell PowerEdge servers include multiple integrated devices, such as network controllers and storage
controllers. Each of these devices has firmware that initializes the hardware and contributes to the boot
process.

19 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

 Since the integrated device firmware supports both UEFI and BIOS boot modes, it is not necessary to update
the firmware for one boot mode or the other. When the system is in UEFI boot mode, the BIOS automatically
loads UEFI drivers for the devices instead of traditional option ROMs.

RAID containers and virtual disk configurations do not require re-configuration when the system is changed to
UEFI boot mode. The RAID metadata is independent of the system boot mode.

20 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)

5 Technical support and resources
Dell.com/support is focused on meeting customer needs with proven services and support.

Dell TechCenter is an online technical community where IT professionals have access to numerous resources
for Dell EMC software, hardware and services.

The Dell Systems Management portion of Dell TechCenter provides guidance for deployment, update, and
configuration tasks.

5.1 Related resources

Preboot Networking on Dell PowerEdge Servers – Dell whitepaper that discusses network boot operation in
both traditional BIOS boot mode and UEFI boot mode.

Defining a Secure Boot Policy – Dell whitepaper that provides background on UEFI Secure Boot and explains
how to configure a custom Secure Boot policy.

Secure Boot Management on 14G Dell EMC PowerEdge Servers – Dell whitepaper that describes remote
management capabilities for Secure Boot certificates.

21 : BIOS vs. UEFI | Document ID | version (optional)