You are reviewing the basics of a Windows computer startup w

You are reviewing the basics of a Windows computer startup with a new technician in your department. Of the following, what do you say is the first step in the Windows startup process?

A. Power-on self-test

B. Initial startup

C. Boot loader

D. Detect and configure hardware

Solution

A. The power-on self-test, or POST, is the very first step that occurs when a computer starts: a diagnostic testing sequence that a computer’s basic input/output system runs to determine if the computer keyboard, random access memory, disk drives, and other hardware are working correctly. The POST occurs in all computers and is not specific to Windows, since at this point, the operating system has not yet loaded.