Back to: Jss1 Computer Science – ICT (BST)

System Start-Up

When the computer is powered on, it performs a Power On Self Test (POST). This is a diagnostic test that checks the functionality of the different peripherals connected to the computer, including the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Once the test is completed, the computer proceeds to locate the boot sector file which is crucial for it to boot up properly.

If there are any issues detected during the test, the computer will display start-up messages to alert the user of the problem. For instance, if a start-up file is missing, the computer will notify the user that it cannot proceed with the start-up process.

Assuming that everything is in order, the computer will proceed to boot up normally and will be ready for use.

Cold Booting

Powering on a computer can be done using a process called Cold Booting. This involves turning the system unit (CPU) and the monitor on by pressing the power button. Before starting the computer, it is important to ensure that all cables are properly connected. Once the power button is pressed, the Central Processing Unit (CPU) will initiate a Power-On Self Test (POST). During this test, the CPU checks the primary memory, hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, and keyboard to ensure that they are functioning properly. If any of these devices are found to be faulty, the booting process will be terminated. The duration of the booting process depends on the computer’s processing power. If the capacity is high, the processing power will also be high and the booting process will be faster.

Warm Booting

This is another process used to reboot a computer when it hangs or becomes unresponsive. There are two ways to do this: by pressing the reset button on the system unit or by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. When a computer is restarted using the warm boot, some of the POST tests, such as the memory check, may be skipped.

Shut Down

To shut down a computer, it is important to first close all open windows and running programs. The next step is to click on the start button and then click on the shutdown option. If you forget to save changes to any open documents, a screen message will prompt you to do so before shutting down your computer. It is important to safely turn off your computer to avoid data loss or damage to the system.

Additional Details:

• Cold Booting is also known as a power-on reset (POR) or a hard reboot.
• Warm Booting is also known as a soft reboot or a warm restart.
• The Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys combination is also known as the “Three Finger Salute” and is commonly used to force quit a program or bring up the Task Manager in Windows operating systems.