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The first thing a computer does when it starts up? It does a Power-On Self Test, or what they call a POST. This basic test ensures all your stuff like keyboard, mouse and other basic hardware is ok. If all is ok, you get some kind of text on the
screen. However, if the computer beeps many times or beeps for a long time, then
something is definitely wrong with your hardware. 2. Search For An Operating System If the POST went ok, then the computer will start
looking for an operation system on a disk drive. If its ok, the operating system
continues to load and you see your Windows XP logo and such (see the next
section). If it cannot find an operating system, the typical message displayed
is 'Missing
Operating System' or 'Non-system
disk'. 3. Fire Up The Operating System At this point, you should see the operating
system load up graphics. This is also termed a splash screen. Now, if you have
hardware issues, the operating system can hang up without reason. I've
encountered several occasions where Windows XP hangs at the splash screen or
goes to a blue screen. 4. Load Startup Programs Once the operating system passes the basic load
up process, it will star the rest of the startup
programs. These include stuff like your anti-virus programs, desktop wallpaper
manager and task scheduler. 5. You Can Start Using Your Computer If it goes right, you can now go into Windows and start using your PC to your heart's content. Although it takes about only 5 minutes, there are a lot of activities going on in the PC before you get to this point. Just something to bear in mind.Conclusion I hope this article gives you some insight into how a computer starts up. It’s important to know these concepts so that you can easily troubleshoot PC errors in future. Good luck setting up your own PC! Related Articles You may also wish to read the following related articles:
Some tips on getting more value out of an old PC
© 2007 Build-Your-Own-Computers.com
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