- Alternatively referred to as boot up or sometimes startup, booting is the process of powering on a computer and getting into the operating system.
- During the boot process, the computer goes through multiple steps, to ensure the computer hardware works correctly, and the necessary software canbe loaded. When booting, the computer performs the following tasks.
1. Pressing the power button on the computer starts up the power supply, which subsequently provides power to the other hardware components
inside the computer case.
2. A self-diagnostic is performed, also known as a POST, to check if all hardware in the computer is working properly.
3. The BIOS checks the hard drive for the boot loader, located in the first sector of the hard drive.
4. The boot loader looks for the operating system on the hard drive and begins loading the found operating system (e.g., Linux, macOS, or
Windows).
5. Hardware drivers are loaded, allowing the operating system to interact and utilize the hardware components inside the computer case.
6. If configured in the operating system, a login screen is displayed, allowing a user to enter a username and password to log in.
7. Any additional software programs configured to start with the operating system, known as startup programs, are loaded. Common startup
programs include antivirus software or printer management software.