[Question] What is the 1st thing the computer does when you turn it on

By Nickyyy
in Hardware Hangout

 Share

Recommended Posts

Enthusiast

Nickyyy

Posted
Posted (edited)

So today my ICT teacher asked me what is the 1st thing the pc does when you turn it on.

I said it checks all systems suck as ram gpu etc and then Posts, then loads the BIOS and then boots the OS.

She Said I was wrong and it loads the OS first. I argued with her a little feeling I was right but then she got mad @ me and told me that she knows best and she is the one with the degree, don't get me wrong shes a lovely person and a great teacher but I just feel that I was right.

So thats why I am here, please tell me what the Pc does when you first turn it on, I'm posting here as this community is full of experts and I feel I can show her this with a smug look on my face :) lol

Edited by kerno
Grand Master

Hell-In-A-Handbasket

Posted
Posted (edited)

it wouldnt be called POST if it didnt POWER ON SELF TEST

to quote Boot Sequence

1. First is the POST, this stands for Power On Self Test, for the computer. This process tests memory as well as a number of other subsystems. You can usually monitor this as it runs each test. After that is complete the system will run POST for any device that has a BIOS (Basic Input-Output System). An AGP has its own BIOS, as do some network cards and various other devices.

2. Once the POST is complete and the BIOS is sure that everything is working properly, the BIOS will then attempt to read the MBR (Master Boot Record). This is the first sector of the first hard drive (called the Master or HD0). When the MBR takes over it means that Windows is now in control.

3. The MBR looks at the BOOT SECTOR (the first sector of the active partition). That is where NTLDR is located, NTLDR is the BOOT LOADER for Windows XP. NTLDR will allow memory addressing, initiate the file system, read the boot.ini and load the boot menu. NTLDR has to be in the root of the active partition as do NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI, BOOTSECT.DOS (for multi-OS booting) and NTBOOTDD.SYS (if you have SCSI adapters)

4. Once XP is selected from the Boot Menu, NTLDR will run NTDETECT.COM, BOOT.INI and BOOTSECT.DOS to get the proper OS selected and loaded. The system starts in 16-bit real mode and then moves into 32-bit protected mode.

5. NTLDR will then load NTOSKRNL.EXE and HAL.DLL. Effectively, these two files are windows XP. They must be located in %SystemRoot%System32.

6. NTLDR reads the registry, chooses a hardware profile and authorizes device drivers, in that exact order.

7. At this point NTOSKRNL.EXE takes over. It starts WINLOGON.EXE that in turn starts LSASS.EXE, this is the program that display the Logon screen so that you can logon

Edited by Hell-In-A-Handbasket
Grand Master

markwolfe Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted
The first thing it does is POST, so you're right-er, even though checking hardware and POSTing and mostly the same.

However...I wouldn't consider a forum where random people answer to be credible. ;)

Agreed. Instead of showing her a forum with miscellaneous people posting, how about a little technical research of your own? ;)

Enthusiast

Nickyyy

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Yeah what did she say happens?

And I hate teachers like that, think they know it all when in reality you wouldnt let them loose on a speak and spell

She said the OS posts first, then I asked her about the white scrolling text, isn't it the BIOS loading 1st? She said no it was a part of the OS or something I can't remember exactly but I think she said it was a part of the OS. Completely false as its stored on the Mobo, but thats what irritated me. I knew she was right but she always tells me to be quiet, and if I argued on she would of probably sent me out or something lol.

But yeah and to as why I asked this forum I think a human response would be better than one source from the internet as it could easily be proven to be false.

Experienced

C_Guy

Posted
Posted

Ask her how the computer knows WHERE to load the operating system from if it hasn't checked the BIOS yet. And how can it check the BIOS if it hasn't POST'd yet?

But don't argue with her. Apparently her degree doesn't mean much if she doesn't even know how a computer starts up. Let her be happy in her ignorance.

Grand Master

+shift. MVC

Posted
  • MVC
Posted

Is this a first year ICT course?

I would tell you that Power On Self Test is the first thing the computer does but 13 other users have already told you that.

What I'm intrigued about is how your ICT instructor with supposedly a "degree" does not know this.

I think a rather simple way of demonstrating her error in a productive manner would be just to power on a computer, and show her how she's incorrect, rather than making an argument out of this.

Grand Master

Hell-In-A-Handbasket

Posted
Posted

its a degree in automotive, or cosmotoligy

id argue with her just for the simple fact of the "i'm better then you" complex she has

What I'm intrigued about is how your ICT instructor with supposedly a "degree" does not know this.
Grand Master

Joel

Posted
Posted

Your teacher is a moron. Tell her to take a formatted harddrive with no OS on it and install it in a computer. Then tell her to turn the computer on. Ask her where the text is coming from if there's no OS installed on the drive yet. That'll shut her up.

Even better, tell her to remove the harddrive and turn the computer on.

Enthusiast

Nickyyy

Posted
  • Author
Posted

That would not of worked.

Could a mod please close this now? I think I have all the input thanks guys and girls :)

And btw just to make absoloute clear my teacher is a great teacher but sometimes we argue! This time I just felt I was right :) lol

Grand Master

Angel Blue01

Posted
Posted

There's your source.

Don't feel bad, I had a teacher tell me earlier this semester that POP was used in both sending and receiving E-mail when she explained that its used only in receiving E-mail to a confused classmate of mine a year ago! And she has her Phd...

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Posts

    • Apple releases iOS 27 Beta 2 for developers and power users

      By Aditya Tiwari · Posted

      Apple releases iOS 27 Beta 2 for developers and power users by Aditya Tiwari It's been a couple of weeks since Apple previewed the iOS 27 update during the WWDC official keynote. The upcoming iOS version will bring even more refinements to the Liquid Glass design language, an upgraded Siri AI assistant, and several new Apple Intelligence features. Interestingly, the latest WWDC keynote was different than previous years. Apple has released the iOS 27 beta 2 (build 24A5370h) for developers who want to test the new features being baked for the iPhone and optimize their apps. If you're interested in downloading the latest beta, go to Settings > General > Software Update > beta Updates, then choose iOS 27 Developer Beta. You can download the latest iOS 27 beta on more than 30 supported iPhones. Make sure you know what you are doing since developer betas can be unstable and unexpected at times. If you want to be on the safer side, you can wait for the public beta, which will arrive next month. It's been a while since Apple discontinued its AirPort router lineup. Now, the company said in the iOS 27 beta 2 release notes that the AirPort Utility is deprecated and won't be available for new downloads from the App Store. Apple added that if you previously downloaded the app, you can re-download it. However, the functionality isn't guaranteed when using the AirPort Utility on iOS 27 or later. Speaking of known issues, Apple said that the Portrait mode blur effect might render incorrectly for photos; you may be unable to stop an alarm from the lock screen without unlocking your iPhone; the "Add a Control" button in Control Center edit mode might appear small or clipped. There are several new features in iOS 27 beta 2 as well. It comes with Neural Engine improvements for Apple Intelligence, including better performance when loading large models over 1GB. HomeKit Secure Video recordings are processed on-device and through Private Cloud Compute for video descriptions and search, when Apple Intelligence is enabled in the Home app. That said, you can also download the second betas of macOS 27 Golden Gate, iPadOS 27, watchOS 27, and other Apple operating systems.
    • AMD 26.6.2 driver brings FSR 4.1 support to RDNA 3 RX 7000 series graphics cards

      By RejZoR · Posted

      FSR 4.1 is insanely superior to FSR 3. Like, FSR 4.1 Performance looks better than FSR 3.1 Quality. It's great they are finally enabling it for RX 7000 users. A bit late, but I guess better late than never.
    • Rockstar confirms Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders begin next week, unveils cover art

      By TCA · Posted

      Was it the way the cars handled in 4? or was it the choices you had to make?
    • Rockstar confirms Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders begin next week, unveils cover art

      By TCA · Posted

      Exactly.
    • Valve finally confirms Steam Machine prices, starts at $1049 for 512GB option

      By Parallax Abstraction · Posted

      I understand the position Valve is in with hardware pricing thanks to the AI bubble, but as others have said, this is DOA at this price point. There's no world in which a machine at that performance level is worth that price. My girlfriend's a console gamer and after meeting me, wanted to try PC but wanted something she could use on her TV with a controller. The Steam Machine is basically tailor made for her, but only at what it would have cost before the hardware crisis. I took my old Lenovo Legion laptop with a Ryzen 5800H and a 3060 Mobile 8GB, put Bazzite on it and it does the same thing with the games she's interested in very well. She still likes the Steam Machine, but won't be touching it until component prices are back in the sane range. I know Valve isn't a charity, but I don't know why they're not willing to at least partially subsidize this device or even take a loss on it during the component crisis, just to build some market share. Then again, the Steam Deck is also a complete ripoff at its current price and they can barely keep them in stock so...

  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      mike_rumble earned a badge
      First Post
    • Dedicated
      tuben earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Week One Done
      mnsgroup earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Conversation Starter
      sumytbe earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • One Year In
      B4dM1k3 earned a badge
      One Year In

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      503
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      203
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      98
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      80
    5. 5
      neufuse
      67
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!