The new SDK expands the possibilities for system management and security software vendors working in UEFI environments. The technology allows system vendors and motherboard manufacturers to make their UEFI systems more competitive and user-friendly.
Introduced by Intel in 2005 as a replacement for the aging MBR (Master Boot Record) and PC BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) interfaces, UEFI now comes standard on new computers, where it is positioned between the operating system and firmware stacks. Despite advantages over traditional BIOS and MBR, UEFI is technically limited by its support for FAT32 (File Allocation Table), an outdated file system, which restricts file sizes to less than four gigabytes. In an effort to address this problem, motherboard manufacturers have started to implement read-only NTFS support into their UEFI firmware — but this only solves half of the problem.
With the release of UFSD SDK for UEFI, Paragon Software now delivers a complete read/write solution. Based upon the company’s industry-proven, cross-platform Universal File System Driver library used around the world in billions of devices such as smartphones, tablets, routers, networked storage, and cameras, the new SDK opens transparent, full read/write support for Windows-native NTFS, Linux-native ExtFS, and other file systems in the UEFI pre-boot environment.
Key Features
- Full access to NTFS, ExtFS, ExFAT, HFS+, ReFS in the UEFI pre-boot environment
Example Scenarios
- Use NTFS- or ExtFS-formatted thumb drives to install operating systems
- Check the integrity of core OS files in the pre-boot environment and restore modified files
- Scan for and remove malware (including “rootkits”) before they gain control over the running OS
- Deploy system updates in the pre-boot environment without interfering OS applications
- Restore NTFS or ExtFS volumes from backup images
How it Works
Availability:
The UFSD SDK is available for licensing