What Goes On During the Boot Process?
The next step is controlled byBIOSorUEFIand begins after thePOST.
This is whenPOST error messagesare given if there’s a problem with any of thehardware.
Windows XP Boot Process (into Safe Mode).
This is how BIOS finds the righthard drivethat has the operating system.
It does this by checking the firstsectorof the hard drives it identifies.
In newer versions of Windows,BOOTMGRis the boot manager that’s used.

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Ahard bootis also characterized by the computer performing a power-on-self-test, or POST.
However, there are conflicting perspectives on what a cold boot really involves.
For example, maybe the computer keeps rebooting automatically, or there’s no indication of power at all.
See ourHow to Fix a Computer That Won’t Turn Onguide for help figuring out what’s wrong.
You canread more about boot files here.
Here are some other boot-related articles you might be looking for: