A Level Computer Science OCR Practice Exam

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What is a common use for ROM in computers?

Data backup
Holding system boot up instructions
Storage of temporary files
Execution of applications

The correct answer is: Holding system boot up instructions

The correct answer is holding system boot-up instructions. Read-Only Memory (ROM) is a non-volatile memory type that retains its contents even when the computer is powered off. It is primarily used to store firmware, which includes the system's boot-up process instructions known as the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface). These instructions are critical for initializing hardware and loading the operating system when the computer starts. This use is fundamental because it ensures that the computer can reliably start up every time it is powered on, without relying on any external storage or potential data changes. Other functions such as data backup or storage of temporary files are typically handled by different types of memory (like hard drives or RAM), and execution of applications happens in volatile memory where data can be modified during runtime.