firmware is a technical name of computer and its accessories like window is a software and the harddisk that stored on computer is firmware.
Firmware
because firmware can never be erased because firmware can never be erased
Programs stored on ROM chips are called firmware. The motherboard stores the keyboard controller support program on the ROM chip.
Firmware is the combination of persistent memory and program code and data stored in it. Typical examples of devices containing firmware are traffic lights, consumer appliances, digital watches, computers, computer peripherals, mobile phones, and digital cameras. The firmware contained in these devices provides the control program for the device. Firmware is held in non-volatile memory devices such as ROM, EPROM, or flash memory.
In Windows, the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) programming code is typically stored in the system's firmware or BIOS. This code is often part of the network interface card (NIC) firmware, which enables the computer to initiate a network boot process. When a PXE boot is initiated, the system firmware retrieves the PXE code from the NIC, allowing it to locate and boot from a network resource.
KTSs evolved from wired logic and electromechanical operation to stored program or firmware control
Depending on the context, those could be referred to as hardware or firmware.
I'm not sure what you mean by "the mod" but I think you may be referring to a "custom firmware". If so, you can safely format your PSP's memory stick without removing the custom firmware. This is because the custom firmware is stored in the internal PSP flash memory, not on your memory stick. If you want to remove the custom firmware, you will need to just install an official firmware onto the psp. The easiest way to do this is to put in a PSP game that comes with a firmware upgrade and choose that option. Then I would recommend having the psp do a Network Update.
On a hard drive, CD/DVD, floppy disk, as part of the device's firmware, or over a network with PXE.
CMOS or BIOS configuration settings
firmware chip