Boot
The process by which a computer is started up and its operating system kernel is loaded into RAM is called the boot, or bootstrap, process. The basic steps are the:
- Execute a hardware self-test.
- Look in a predefined place for the boot sector and load this code.
- Execute the boot sector program to load other programs.
- Execute these programs to load still other programs or to configure the operating environment.
- Repeat the previous step as often as dictated by the programs being loaded and by their initialization code.
It is configurations file that specifies how a diskless workstation can boot the operating system in order to access the network.
It is a ROM (read-only memory) chip used in diskless workstations to enable these machines to boot and connect to a network.
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