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Boot device facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A boot device is something a computer uses to start up. Think of it like a car needing a key to turn on its engine. The word "boot" comes from "bootstrap," which means to use something simple to get something more complex working. It's like pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps!

Before your computer can do anything cool, it needs instructions called an operating system. This system tells the computer how to do basic things, like showing you things on the screen or letting you click with your mouse. A boot device's main job is to load this operating system into the computer's memory.

What is a Boot Device?

A boot device is any piece of hardware that can hold and deliver the first set of instructions a computer needs to start. Without these instructions, a computer wouldn't know what to do! It would just be a bunch of silent parts.

Why Do Computers Need Them?

Computers are amazing machines, but they don't know anything when they are first turned on. They need a special set of instructions to wake up and get ready. This process is called booting up. The boot device provides these crucial first instructions. It loads the operating system into the computer's memory, allowing it to become fully functional.

Types of Boot Devices

Most boot devices are often called boot disks or boot drives. Here are some common types:

  • Hard Drives: These are the most common boot devices today. Your computer's hard drive usually stores the operating system.
  • Floppy Disks: Older computers used floppy disks to boot up. These were small, flexible disks.
  • CDs/DVDs: Sometimes, computers can boot from a CD or DVD, especially when installing a new operating system or fixing problems.
  • USB Drives: Many modern computers can boot from a USB flash drive. This is handy for portable operating systems or repairs.
  • Network Boot: Some computers, especially in schools or offices, can get their operating system over a network. This means they don't need their own hard drive to start.
  • Boot Chips: Smaller devices like web phones use special "boot chips" to connect to their networks and start up.
  • Boot Cards: Imagine a special card you can plug into a computer to start it up with your own settings and programs. This is what "boot cards" aim to do, offering more privacy.
  • Boot Boards: These are like permanent "boot cards" that are built into a computer, often used for specific tasks.

Sometimes, people just call the boot device a "boot." Other devices that just store files are called "data devices." The computer's operating system is what really tells the difference between them.

Images for kids

  • Flow-diagram-computer-booting-sequences

    omputer booting sequence

  • Eniac

    Switches and cables used to program ENIAC (1946)

  • IBM1130CopyCard.agr

    Initial program load punched card for the IBM 1130 (1965)

  • System3

    IBM System/3 console from the 1970s. Program load selector switch is lower left; Program load switch is lower right.

  • Digital pdp8-e2

    PDP-8/E front panel showing the switches used to load the bootstrap program

  • Intel 2708 1KB EPROM

    An Intel 2708 EPROM "chip" on a circuit board.

  • Windows To Go USB Drive

    Windows To Go bootable flash drive, a Live USB example

  • Bootloader Android HTC Pico

    An unlocked Android bootloader, showing additional available options

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Boot device Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.