What is the primary role of BIOS in a computer system?

The primary role of BIOS, which stands for Basic Input/Output System, is to serve as the fundamental firmware interface between the computer's hardware and its operating system. Upon powering on the computer, BIOS is responsible for initializing and testing the hardware components such as the CPU, RAM, and hard drives during the POST (Power-On Self-Test) process. After successful initialization, BIOS locates the bootloader on the storage device to initiate the loading of the operating system.

In addition to hardware initialization, BIOS also provides a set of low-level drivers that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware devices, such as the keyboard, mouse, and disk drives. Furthermore, BIOS settings can be accessed through a setup utility, allowing users to configure hardware settings and priorities, such as the boot sequence, system clock settings, and system security features.

The other options listed do not accurately describe the function or nomenclature of BIOS, leading to a misunderstanding of its critical role in computer functionality.