Boot

Boot — the process of the system loading the instructions for the execution of instructions of a computer. Today’s PCs have a set of instructions stored in ROM or flash memory chips that are invoked at the time of system boot. These instructions point to the location of the operating system in the memory, it loads it and then passes the control to the operating system. In the present time, to boot a computer one has to switch on the computer or select the ‘Restart,’ but in the initial years of computers, it involved the pressing of many console buttons.

There is a hard reboot and a soft reboot: the first one switches the power off and on again, the second one is a normal restart. In some systems, a soft boot may also perform what is known as hardware reset, for instance of the mainboard or RAM power. Starting may be done either mechanically, through a button or electronically through a software command. The process is complete when the runtime system for example an operating system with some applications is up and running. Basically, booting guarantees the correct working of the hardware and availability of sufficient software and drivers.