BIOS firmware is built in to the server and provides the server with configuration information and programs that enable the server to boot.
The server's BIOS can be configured to operate in one of these two modes:
Legacy BIOS (default) – Works with all of the supported OSes, but does not offer the latest BIOS features.
UEFI BIOS – Provides the latest BIOS features, but only supports these OSes:
Oracle Enterprise Linux
Oracle Solaris
Oracle VM
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
RHEL
Microsoft Windows
Some devices do not yet support UEFI-based BIOS and can only boot from Legacy BIOS. Depending on your situation, you might need to configure the server's BIOS for Legacy BIOS Mode or UEFI Boot Mode.
Once you choose a mode and install an OS, the server can only boot using the same mode that was used for the installation.
Ensure that the server's BIOS is configured for your desired mode before you install an OS.
You can use these tools to view, configure, and reset default BIOS values:
BIOS Setup utility
OSA
Any changes you make in the BIOS Setup utility are permanent until you change them.
In addition to using F2 to view or edit the system's BIOS settings, you can use F8 during the BIOS start-up to specify a temporary boot device. If you use F8 to set a temporary boot device, this change is only in effect for the current system boot. The permanent boot device specified through F2 takes effect after booting from the temporary boot device.