Booting Up - How to Start a Computer?

Have you ever thought about the mystery of what happens when we turn on a computer? It all seems like magic when the monitor displays the screen. 

Booting is the starting process of the computer. Booting is done by either a hardware push button, or a software. Computers need software to operate. The booting process will allow the user to load that software into computer memory. Booting is also known as Boot, Booting up and Bootstrapping. Let’s learn more about Bootstrapping.

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Definition of Booting

The process of turning on a computer and launching the operating system (OS) is known as Booting. The Booting process is automatic when we press the power button.

Switching On and Switching Off a Computer

Before knowing the booting process, it is necessary to know how to switch on and off a computer. Let’s see the details below.

Step by Step Process of Switching On a Computer:

Step by Step Process of Switching Off the Computer:

You can’t switch off the computer directly like how you turn off a light or a fan. Because it harms the computer parts. Switching off the computer in a proper way is called “Shut down”. We have to follow certain steps to Shut down the computer.

The Process of Booting

Booting Process in Technical Terms

Pre-Boot: When the booting process starts, the Basic Input/Output System popularly known as “BIOS”, checks whether all peripherals are working properly or not by running a “Power On Self Test” (POST).

Master Boot: After pre-booting, BIOS reads bootable instructions from CMOS (a semiconductor chip) and looks for the master reboot in the bootable disc.

Boot Strap Loader: The BIOS will find the required floppy disc drive, the operating system loader also called Boot strap loader loads the operating system (OS) into the memory (Read Only Memory - ROM).

Let’s overview the whole process what happens when a computer is turned on:

Types of Booting in Computer

1. Warm Boot/Soft Boot: 

• When computer systems reach a state of no response or hang, they are allowed to restart during the on condition, which is known as warm or hot booting. 

• This is also known as Soft booting or Reboot.

• Example: When a new software is installed, the computer will ask to reboot to work at its best. 

• Ctrl + Alt + Del button is used to perform warm boot.

2. Cold Boot/ Hard Boot: 

• When a computer starts from its dead state or after shutting down where all the computer parts have no power, it is called Hard boot. This is also called Cold Boot.

• During the cold booting process, the system reads all of the instructions from the BIOS, and the Operating System is loaded into the system automatically.

• It usually takes more time than Warm Booting.

Conclusion

We learnt about the process of booting and types of booting in this article. To boot up a computer means to supply the electric power to all parts of the computer, so that it checks whether all hardware components are working. When the booting process is done, the operating system will be loaded and we can see the computer screen. When you go to higher classes you will learn more technical details about the booting process. Keep on learning.