Which memory type is non-volatile and commonly stores firmware such as BIOS?

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Multiple Choice

Which memory type is non-volatile and commonly stores firmware such as BIOS?

Explanation:
Non-volatile memory retains its contents without power, which is essential for firmware that must run on every boot. ROM, or Read-Only Memory, is designed to hold software that initializes hardware and starts the boot process, such as the BIOS. Because it preserves data without power, the BIOS code is available immediately after power-on, enabling the system to start reliably. Traditionally the firmware lived in ROM so it couldn’t be accidentally altered during normal operation. In many modern systems, firmware is stored in non-volatile flash memory (a writable form of ROM), but the standard idea remains: firmware is kept in non-volatile memory to ensure it’s present and ready at startup. The other options don’t fit because RAM is volatile and loses data when power is off, cache memory is a small, fast, volatile layer, and virtual memory is a disk-backed area used to extend RAM, not for storing firmware.

Non-volatile memory retains its contents without power, which is essential for firmware that must run on every boot. ROM, or Read-Only Memory, is designed to hold software that initializes hardware and starts the boot process, such as the BIOS. Because it preserves data without power, the BIOS code is available immediately after power-on, enabling the system to start reliably. Traditionally the firmware lived in ROM so it couldn’t be accidentally altered during normal operation. In many modern systems, firmware is stored in non-volatile flash memory (a writable form of ROM), but the standard idea remains: firmware is kept in non-volatile memory to ensure it’s present and ready at startup. The other options don’t fit because RAM is volatile and loses data when power is off, cache memory is a small, fast, volatile layer, and virtual memory is a disk-backed area used to extend RAM, not for storing firmware.

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