What is necessary to change any boot settings in a computer?

To change any boot settings in a computer, accessing the BIOS or UEFI is essential. The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) are firmware interfaces that allow users to configure hardware settings and manage the boot process. When you start your computer, it performs a power-on self-test (POST) and then reads the boot settings stored in the BIOS or UEFI to determine the appropriate device to boot from, such as a hard drive, SSD, or USB drive.

In the BIOS or UEFI, users can modify various settings related to boot order, hardware configurations, and system clock settings. This level of access is fundamental for tasks such as setting a primary boot device or enabling options for secure boot or legacy support.

Other options provided, such as installing new software, upgrading hardware, or using a recovery disk, do not grant access or the ability to change the boot settings directly. Installing new software generally occurs after the operating system has loaded, which does not affect the initial boot process. Upgrading hardware might change which device is recognized by the BIOS or UEFI, but it does not substitute the need to access these settings for configuration changes. Utilizing a recovery disk is primarily for recovery purposes and may help