Scribd
Upload
2 views

OS Lecture 01

When a computer is turned on, the power supply activates its components, and the BIOS performs a Power-On Self Test (POST) to check hardware functionality. If successful, the BIOS locates the Master Boot Record (MBR) to load the boot loader, which then starts the operating system. This entire boot process occurs rapidly, allowing users to access their desktop environment shortly after powering on the device.

Uploaded by

Md Mahfuzar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views

OS Lecture 01

When a computer is turned on, the power supply activates its components, and the BIOS performs a Power-On Self Test (POST) to check hardware functionality. If successful, the BIOS locates the Master Boot Record (MBR) to load the boot loader, which then starts the operating system. This entire boot process occurs rapidly, allowing users to access their desktop environment shortly after powering on the device.

Uploaded by

Md Mahfuzar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

What happens when we turn on a computer?

A computer without a program running is just an inert hunk of electronics. The first
thing a computer has to do when it is turned on is to start up a special program called
an operating system. The operating system’s job is to help other computer programs
work by handling the messy details of controlling the computer’s hardware.
What happens when we turn on computer?
❖ The power supply sends electricity to the components of the computer, such as the
motherboard, hard drive, and fans.
❖ The BIOS (basic input/output system) or UEFI initializes and performs a power-on
self-test (POST), which checks the basic hardware components to ensure they are
working properly. If any issues are detected, error messages may be displayed.
❖ The operating system (OS), such as Windows or macOS, is loaded from the hard
drive or another storage device into the computer’s RAM (random access memory).
❖ The OS then initializes its own components and drivers and presents the login
screen or desktop environment to the user.
An overview of the boot process
An overview of the boot process
❖ The boot process is something that happens every time you turn
your computer on. It happens so quickly that it remains unnoticed to
the user.
❖ You press the power button and come back a few seconds (or
minutes if on slow storage like HDD) later and Windows 10, or
Windows 11, or whatever Operating System you use is all loaded.
❖ The BIOS chip tells it to look in a fixed place, usually on the lowest-
numbered hard disk (the boot disk) for a special program called a
boot loader (under Linux the boot loader is called Grub or LILO).
❖ The boot loader is pulled into memory and started.
❖ The bootloader’s job is to start the real operating system.
Functions of BIOS
POST (Power On Self Test): The Power On Self Test happens each time you turn
your computer on. It sounds complicated and that’s because it kind of is. Your
computer does so much when it’s turned on and this is just part of that.
⮚ It initializes the various hardware devices.
⮚ It is an important process to ensure that all the devices operate smoothly without
any conflicts. BIOSes following ACPI create tables describing the devices in the
computer.
⮚ The POST first checks the bios and then tests the CMOS RAM.
⮚ If there is no problem with this then POST continues to check the CPU, hardware
devices such as the Video Card, and the secondary storage devices such as the
Hard Drive, Floppy Drives, Zip Drive, or CD/DVD Drives.
⮚ If some errors are found then an error message is displayed on the screen or a
number of beeps are heard.
Functions of BIOS
Master Boot Record: The Master Boot
Record (MBR) is a special boot sector at
the beginning of the disk. The MBR
contains the code that loads the rest of
OS, known as bootloader. This
complicated process (called the Boot
Process) starts with the POST (Power On
Self Test) and ends when the Bios
searches for the MBR on the Hard Drive,
which is generally located in the first
sector, first head, first cylinder (cylinder
Functions of BIOS
The bootstrap loader is stored in the
computer’s EPROM, ROM, or another
non-volatile memory. When the
computer is turned on or restarted, it
first performs the power-on-self-test,
also known as POST. If the POST is
successful and no issues are found, the
bootstrap loader will load the operating
system for the computer into memory.
The computer will then be able to
quickly access, load, and run the

You might also like