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POST routines are part of a computer's pre-boot sequence. If they complete successfully, the bootstrap loader code is invoked to load an operating system . In IBM PC compatible computers, the main duties of POST are handled by the BIOS or UEFI .
Restarting a computer also is called rebooting, which can be "hard", e.g. after electrical power to the CPU is switched from off to on, or "soft", where the power is not cut. On some systems, a soft boot may optionally clear RAM to zero. Both hard and soft booting can be initiated by hardware such as a button press or by a software command.
Num Lock or Number Lock (⇭) is a key on the numeric keypad of most computer keyboards. It is a lock key, like Caps Lock and Scroll Lock. Its state affects the function of the numeric keypad commonly located to the right of the main keyboard and is commonly displayed by an LED built into the keyboard.
BIOS interrupt calls perform hardware control or I/O functions requested by a program, return system information to the program, or do both. A key element of the purpose of BIOS calls is abstraction - the BIOS calls perform generally defined functions, and the specific details of how those functions are executed on the particular hardware of the system are encapsulated in the BIOS and hidden ...
The scroll-lock key with an activated indicator light on an IBM Model M keyboard. Scroll Lock (⤓ or ⇳) is a lock key (typically with an associated status light) on most IBM-compatible computer keyboards. Depending on the operating system, it may be used for different purposes, and applications may assign functions to the key or change their ...
A boot menu such as the textual menu of Windows, which allows users to choose an operating system to boot, to boot into the safe mode, or to use the last known good configuration, is displayed through BIOS and receives keyboard input through BIOS.
In the past, consumer electronics manufacturers would emblazon radios and television sets with "Instant On" or "Instant Play" decals. In series filament sets, instant-on was accomplished by adding only a silicon diode across the power switch to keep tube filaments lit at 50% power; the diode was placed such that the typical half wave rectifier of the day was reverse-biased.
Most of the computer peripherals are offline, and the only ways to exit this screen are to power off or reset the computer. The "It's now safe to turn off your computer" screen in Windows NT 4.0. Unlike Windows 9x and later NT releases, most of the essential computer peripherals are working normally, so the user can opt to restart instead of ...