Computer Fundamentals Index

Computer Introduction Types of computer Characteristics of computer Uses of computer History of Computers

Computer Languages

Low Level language Middle level Language High level language

Computer Generation

Generation of Computers First Generation of Computer Second generation of Computers Third generation of Computers Fourth generation of Computers Fifth generation of Computers Sixth Generation of Computer

Peripheral Devices

Input devices Output device

Components

Block diagram and basic components Control processing unit (CPU) Software Hardware

Memory

Computer Memory Registers Memory Hierarchy RAM Vs ROM Understanding file sizes (Bytes, KB, MB, GB, TB, PB, EB, ZB, YB)

Computer Network

Types of Network Types of Area Networks (LAN, WAN, MAN) TCP Flags

Computer Virus

Computer Virus

Computer Ports

Computer Ports

How

How to hack a computer How much do Computer Programmers make How does a Computer work How to associate a file with a program How does a computer convert text into binary How does a computer process data into information How to fix a CD-ROM DVD How to fix the no input signal How to install computer memory How to associate a file with a program How to log out of your operating system How do I change my name on Google How to installation or uninstallation Microsoft Paint How to fix a not a valid Win32 application error How to fix missing Microsoft Windows .dll files How to use a computer keyboard How to erase my hard drive and start over How can I test how many words I can write a minute How to shut down a computer How do I open and edit the Windows registry How to edit the registry from the command line How to restart Microsoft Windows How to install a computer processor How to open Microsoft Paint How to fix problems in Windows after installing new software How to enable or disable the preview pane of Microsoft Outlook How to open a Microsoft .wps or Works file in Word How to view the HTML source code in Microsoft Word How to View or Change the Screen Resolution of a Monitor How to Connect and Install a Computer Keyboard How to Delete Temporary Files in Windows 10 How to determine Which Version of Microsoft Office I'm using How to find out how much hard drive space is available How to Fix PC Stuck on Verifying DMI Pool Data How to choose which items show in the notification area How to find similar images using Search by Image How to fix Low Memory and out of memory errors How To Replace the CMOS Battery How do I Update my Antivirus Program How to fix a general protection fault How to Identify problems in the Windows Device Manager How can the Base be Shown How to test if a Website or Web Page is down How Much is 1 Byte, Kilobyte, Megabyte, Gigabyte, etc How to fix a CMOS checksum error How to Fix a Windows CD-ROM, DVD, or Disc Drive Issue How to Open Safe Mode How to Password Protect Files and Folders in Windows How to Reset CMOS or BIOS Settings How to use Computer Keyboard How to create a text file How to enable or disable DHCP in Windows How to test computer memory to determine if its bad How do double space or change line spacing in Microsoft Word How do I know if I have Windows Administrator Rights How many cores does my computer have How to Create a Directory or Folder How to Enter and Exit the BIOS or CMOS Setup How to change Windows Compatibility mode How to clear your internet browser history How to Connect Computer Speakers How to Copy a Web Page Link or URL How to install a Hard Drive or SSD How to Open the Windows Control Panel How to split a screen in Windows How to copy text from a scanned PDF

Questions

Who invented Computer What are the advantages of the Internet? What are the disadvantages of the Internet? Is my computer 64 bit? What is Edge Computing? What is a Router? What is Monitor What is Printer What is a Web Browser What is Microphone What is a Webcam What is PC What is Keyboard What is Motherboard What is WAP What is URL What is a Digital Assistant When was the first Computer Invented What is Modem What is Firmware What is Imperative Programming What is Protocol What is Safe Mode What is Device Driver What is Hybrid Topology What is Mesh Topology What is Procedural language What is a hyperlink What is a Username Who invented the Internet What is Video Card What is Sound Card What is Binary What does Alt+B do What does Alt+D do What does Alt+E do What does Alt+Esc do What does Alt+R do What does ALT + Q do What does Alt + Tab do What is Data Manipulation What is a touch screen What is Back Panel What is Analog Monitor What is AR lens What is an ATX Style Connector What is a File System What is Hard Disk Drive (HDD) What is a boot device What is accessibility What is Line In What is network Interface card (NIC) What is Optical Disk Where can I ask questions on the internet What is Auto Rotate What is CAD (Computer-aided design) What is Cable Modem What is Home Page What is boot menu What is braille reader What is flash memory What is Windows What is Clipboard What is Cyber Warfare What is Myspace Why has my IP address changed What is Jacquard Loom My computer is running slow, what steps can I do to fix it What is a Kensington Lock What is a multicore processor What is automation Are smartphones and tablets computers What is a Login Script What is a Loosely Typed Language What is Multitasking? Why my computer monitor shows no display or black screen What is REM What is Parallelization What is Overtype mode What is open with What is Bracket What is an Online Service What is REM What is Parallelization What is Overtype mode What is open with What is Bracket What is an Online Service What is the Pg Dn Key (Page Down Key) What is the Pg up Key (Page up Key) What is Palmtop Computer What is a Processing Device What is a Print Preview What is the Print Screen Key What can I do if my computer or laptop is lost or stolen What is a Model Number What are the currently available antivirus programs What are Toggle keys What is a Case fan What is a Silicon Chip What is a Slate PC What is a TAB stop What is an Octothorpe What is Task Pane What is Task View What is the svchost.exe file used for in Windows Where can I find free online virus scanners Why am I unable to increase the resolution in Windows What is Autofill When I click my mouse, it sometimes double-clicks What is Scratch What is UDIMM What is MsConfig What is an Expansion Card What is an Executable File What is an Elevated Command Prompt What is an AC Adapter What is AIMBOT What is a Software Suite What is a LED Monitor What does Alt + X do What does alt + space do What does Alt + O do Now that I’ve got a Computer, what can i do What is a Punch Card What is RDIMM What is Select All What is Serial number What is Thermos flask What programs can I use for speech recognition What are the Advantages of Computers What are the Disadvantages of Computers What does Alt + T do What Hardware Device Drivers should be Updated What is a Desktop What is a Ring Topology What is CMOS What is a Directory What is a Mechanical Mouse What is a Plotter What is a Variable What is an Icon What is Data What is HDMI What is Remote What is Right-Click What is SMPS Why does my Laptop not turn on What is a Copyright What is a Cordless Mouse What is a CSV file What is a Joystick What is a Start Button What is a Taskbar What is an Alignment What is an Output Device What is Cat 5 What is Google Chrome What is Post What are Recordable DVD Drives What Does Alt + F4 Do What Does Alt + L Do What is a bit (Binary Digit) What is a cable What is a Calculator What is a capacitor What is a Cold Boot What is a Dialog Box What is a Dual-boot What is a Slide What is A4 What is AM What is Barcode Reader What is EHCI What is a Header What is a Joystick What is a Secondary Storage Device What is Access Time What is Account Sharing What is an Asterisk What is Asynchronous DRAM What is Back Quote What is BIOS What is Borderless Printing What is Case Badge What is CD-ROM What is Chat Slang What is Composite What is RJ Cable What Are Bottom Row Keys What is SAN What is Tray What is VDU What Does Alt + M Do What Does Alt + P Do What is a Cell What is a Command Key What is a key Combination What is a Menu Bar What is a Startup What is a T What is Chat What are the F1 through F12 keys What does Alt + Enter do What Does Alt + Home DO What does Alt + R do What does Ctrl + B do What Does Ctrl + Enter Do What Does Ctrl + R Do What does Ctrl + G do What does Ctrl + 9 do What does Ctrl + End do What does Ctrl + O do What Does Ctrl + P do What Does Ctrl + Q do What is a Colon What is a Core What is Apple Touch Icon What is Clock What is Code What is Computer Crime What is Ctrl What is DAT What is Data diddling What is Date Why won't my computer turn on What Does Alt + N Do What does ctrl + 2 do What does ctrl + space do What does Ctrl + W do What does Ctrl + T Do What Does Ctrl + 2 do What does Ctrl + 5 Do What are the most common file types and file extensions What are Sticky keys What Does Ctrl + Shift + Esc Do What is Settings What is Task Manager What is Taskbar What is a DNS Resolver What does ctrl + 1 do What does ctrl + 0 do How to install software What is a Folder What is a Legend What is a MAC Address What is a Path What is a Ruler What is a Toolbar What is an Intranet Meaning and Differences with Internet What is an SSD What is Inheritance What is Tablet What is Depth What is Docking Station What is Double Click What is a Solid Ink Printer What is a Temporary File What is Backup and Restore What is Electronic Payment Systems Eps What is Marshalling

Difference

Difference between hardware and software Difference between multiprocessor and distributed systems Difference between Desktop and Laptop Difference between File and folder Difference between Hard Copy and Soft Copy Open Source Programs vs Closed Source Programs Difference between Optical Fibre and Coaxial Cable Difference between Website and Webpage Difference between Classes and Objects Input VS Output Difference between Primary and Secondary Storage with Examples

Misc

Quantum Computing Computer Software Autoexec.bat and config.sys info Update an Antivirus Use of Internet Advantages and disadvantages of Email Computing Power Internet Explorer Shortcut Keys Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Augmented Reality Infrastructure Readiness Check Top 10 Internet tips and tricks Introduction and Features of FoxPro Features of Multimedia Top 10 online services and applications Receiving S.M.A.R.T. status bad backup and replacing error Version Control System Uninstalling Software or Apps in Windows Data Warehouse Increase or decrease font size in Word using keyboard shortcuts Mouse not detected or working in Windows Computer Cleaning Information and Steps Function Keys on Keyboard Windows 7 Alt+Tab won’t stay on top or stick 10 Essential Examples of Web Browsers Binary Subtraction using 2’s Complement Case Sensitive Languages Computer Pioneers and people who are CEO Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys Parts of Computers Names, Definitions and Images ROM and its Types Basics of Information Technology Characteristics of a Good Software Design Characteristics of Management Information System Classification of Management Information System Implementation of MIS Input Devices of Computer Definition Limitations of Management Information System 3 Types Of Network in Computer Block Diagram Of Control Unit Difference Between Computer and Embedded System Difference Between Hard Disk and Floppy Disk Abstraction in OOAD Hardware and Software Devices Optomechanical Mouse CMOS Memory What is a Terminal? What is Graphic Design? What is Load? What is Passcode? What is Reboot? What is Registry? What is Safe Mode? What is Standby? What is SYN (Synchronize)? What is Task Manager? Attribute Computing BPS in Computer Bulletin Board System Light Pen Input Device 3 TYPES OF NETWORK IN COMPUTER Block diagram of control unit What is a Solid Ink Printer? What is a Temporary File? What is an App launcher? What is Backup and Restore? What is a Tab Character? What is the Core i3? What is Paint? What is a Workbook? Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Education What is a String? What is a VDU (Visible Display Unit)? 50 Uses of Computer What is Workspace? What is a Procedural Language? What is VGA (Video Graphics Array)?

What is a Cold Boot?

A cold boot is a process of starting a computer from a completely powered-off state. It is also known as a hard boot. The computer goes through a series of steps to check all hardware and software, load the operating system and necessary files into memory, and prepare the computer for use.

The cold boot process typically includes the following steps:

  1. Power-On Self-Test (POST): The computer performs a series of tests to check that all hardware components are functioning properly. This includes checking the CPU, memory, and other components.
  2. BIOS or UEFI: The computer's BIOS or UEFI firmware initializes and tests the system's hardware before passing control to the operating system.
  3. Operating System Load: The operating system is loaded from the storage device (e.g., hard drive or SSD) into memory.
  4. Device Drivers: Device drivers are loaded, which allows the operating system to communicate with and control the various hardware components.
  5. Startup Programs: Any programs that are set to automatically start when the computer boots up are loaded and run.
  6. Login Screen: Once the boot process is complete, the computer displays the login screen, and the user can log in and start using the computer.

Types of Cold Boot

There are different types of cold boot that are used to start a computer from a completely powered-off state:

  1. Hard Reset
  2. Battery Removal
  3. Power Cycling
  4. CMOS Reset
  5. Safe Mode Boot

1) Hard Reset

A hard reset is a type of cold boot that is performed by physically shutting down the computer and then restarting it. This is typically done by pressing and holding the power button until the computer turns off, and then releasing it to turn the computer back on. A hard reset is a simple but effective way to reboot a computer and can be used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues.

When a hard reset is performed, the computer's power is completely shut off, and all open programs and processes are terminated. This can be useful for resolving issues caused by software conflicts or memory leaks, as it clears the computer's memory and closes all open programs.

A hard reset can also be used to resolve issues caused by hardware components, such as a malfunctioning keyboard or mouse. When a hardware component is not working properly, it can cause the computer to freeze or crash. A hard reset can often fix the problem by shutting down the computer and restarting it with the malfunctioning hardware component.

In addition, a hard reset can also be used to resolve issues caused by malware or viruses. Some malware or viruses can cause the computer to crash or freeze, and a hard reset can be used to shut down the computer and restart it in a clean state, before the malware or virus has a chance to load.

In general, a hard reset is a simple but effective way to reboot a computer and can be used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues. It's important to note that a hard reset may cause data loss if the power is turned off when saving a document or file.

2) Battery Removal

Battery removal is a type of cold boot that is performed by removing the battery from the computer, waiting a few seconds, and then reinserting it. This is typically done on laptops, as the battery is often removable. Battery removal is often used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues on laptops.

When a battery removal is performed, the computer's power is completely shut off, and all open programs and processes are terminated. This can be useful for resolving issues caused by software conflicts or memory leaks, as it clears the computer's memory and closes all open programs.

Battery removal can also be used to resolve issues caused by hardware components, such as a malfunctioning keyboard or mouse. When a hardware component is not working properly, it can cause the computer to freeze or crash, and battery removal can often fix the problem by shutting down the computer and restarting it with the malfunctioning hardware component.

In addition, battery removal can also be used to resolve issues caused by malware or viruses. Some malware or viruses can cause the computer to crash or freeze, and a battery removal can be used to shut down the computer and restart it in a clean state, before the malware or virus has a chance to load.

In general, battery removal is a simple but effective way to reboot a laptop and can be used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues. However, it's important to make sure that the laptop is turned off before removing the battery and also to check the manufacturer's instructions before doing so, as some laptops may have a different way of removing the battery.

3) Power Cycling

Power cycling is a type of cold boot that is performed by disconnecting the power source from the computer and then reconnecting it. This is typically done by unplugging the power cord from the computer or turning off the power strip it is connected to. Power cycling is often used as a troubleshooting step to resolve a variety of issues with a computer.

When power cycling is performed, the computer's power is completely shut off and all open programs and processes are terminated. This can be useful for resolving issues caused by software conflicts or memory leaks, as it clears the computer's memory and closes all open programs. Additionally, Power cycling can help in resolving issues with the power supply or the power outlet that the computer is connected to.

Power cycling can also be used to resolve issues caused by hardware components, such as a malfunctioning keyboard or mouse. When a hardware component is not working properly, it can cause the computer to freeze or crash, and power cycling can often fix the problem by shutting down the computer and restarting it with the malfunctioning hardware component.

In addition, some malware or viruses can cause the computer to crash or freeze, and power cycling can be used to shut down the computer and restart it in a clean state, before the malware or virus has a chance to load.

In general, Power cycling is a simple but effective way to reboot a computer and can be used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues. This can help in resolving issues caused by software, hardware, and even power supply issues.

4) CMOS Reset

A CMOS reset is a type of cold boot that is performed by resetting the computer's CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) settings. The CMOS is a memory chip that stores the computer's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings. It is used to store system configuration information such as the date, time, and system setup options.

A CMOS reset can be used to troubleshoot and resolve a variety of issues with a computer, such as an incorrect system time, incorrect boot order, or problems with the computer's peripheral devices. This type of cold boot is often used when the computer is having difficulty booting up or if the system is behaving unexpectedly.

A CMOS reset is typically performed by opening the computer's case and locating the CMOS battery. The battery is typically a coin-shaped cell that can be easily removed. Once the battery is removed, the CMOS settings are cleared, and the computer's BIOS settings are restored to their default values. After this, the battery is reinserted, and the computer is restarted.

It's important to note that a CMOS reset can cause the loss of some settings, such as the system clock and some custom BIOS settings. Before performing a CMOS reset, it's important to check the manufacturer's instructions and to make sure that you have backed up any important settings or data that you do not want to lose.

In general, a CMOS reset is a useful troubleshooting step that can be used to resolve a variety of issues with a computer. It can restore the BIOS settings to their default values, which can help resolve problems with the system's time, boot order, and peripheral devices.

5) Safe Mode Boot

Safe mode boot is a type of cold boot that is performed by starting the computer in safe mode. A safe mode is a boot option that starts the computer with a minimal set of drivers and services, and is used to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with the operating system.

When a computer is started in safe mode, only the essential drivers and services are loaded. This means that non-essential programs and services are not loaded, which can help to resolve issues caused by conflicting software or malware. Additionally, it can help in resolving issues caused by a recent software installation or update that caused the system to behave unexpectedly.

A safe mode boot is typically performed by pressing a specific key during the computer's startup process. The key that needs to be pressed varies depending on the computer's manufacturer and the version of the operating system. For example, on Windows, you can press the F8 key during the startup process to enter safe mode.

In safe mode, the computer runs with a minimal set of drivers and services, which can help to resolve issues caused by conflicting software or malware. Additionally, it provides access to the command prompt and other system tools that can be used to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with the operating system.

In general, Safe Mode boot is a useful troubleshooting step that can be used to resolve a variety of issues with a computer. It can help to resolve issues caused by conflicting software or malware, and provide access to system tools that can be used to troubleshoot and diagnose problems with the operating system. It's also important to note that when the computer is running in safe mode, certain features and applications may not work as expected and the computer may run slower than normal.

Why do we need to use cold booting?

Cold booting is the process of starting a computer from a completely powered-off state. It is necessary for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Resolving software conflicts: Cold booting can be used to resolve software conflicts that occur when multiple programs are running at the same time. When a computer is cold booted, all open programs and processes are terminated, which can help to resolve conflicts caused by conflicting software.
  • Clearing memory: Cold booting can be used to clear the computer's memory, which can help to resolve issues caused by memory leaks or other memory-related problems. When a computer is cold booted, the computer's memory is cleared, which can help to improve the computer's performance.
  • Troubleshooting hardware issues: Cold booting can be used to troubleshoot and resolve issues caused by hardware components, such as a malfunctioning keyboard or mouse. When a hardware component is not working properly, it can cause the computer to freeze or crash, and a cold boot can often fix the problem by shutting down the computer and restarting it with the malfunctioning hardware component.
  • Removing malware or viruses: Cold booting can be used to remove malware or viruses that have infected the computer. Some malware or viruses can cause the computer to crash or freeze, and a cold boot can be used to shut down the computer and restart it in a clean state, before the malware or virus has a chance to load.
  • Restoring BIOS settings: Cold booting can also be used to restore the computer's BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings to their default values. This can be useful when the computer is having difficulty booting up or if the system is behaving unexpectedly.

In general, cold booting is a crucial step in the boot process as it ensures that the computer is properly configured and has all the necessary files to start the operating system. It can help in resolving issues caused by software, hardware, malware, and power supply.