There are new machines that use Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), not the ordinary PC BIOS.
Example: new Apple computers with Intel CPU.
http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/
http://www.apple.com/imac/
Is there any Linux LiveCD with EFI support?
http://www.kernelthread.com/publications/firmware/
http://developer.intel.com/technology/efi/links.htm