<P> On modern general purpose computers, the boot up process can take tens of seconds, or even minutes, and typically involves performing a power - on self - test, locating and initializing peripheral devices, and then finding, loading and starting an operating system . The process of hibernating or sleeping does not involve booting . Minimally, some embedded systems do not require a noticeable boot sequence to begin functioning and when turned on may simply run operational programs that are stored in ROM . All computing systems are state machines, and a reboot may be the only method to return to a designated zero - state from an unintended, locked state . </P> <P> In addition to loading an operating system or stand - alone utility, the boot process can also load a storage dump program for diagnosing problems in an operating system . </P> <P> Boot is short for bootstrap or bootstrap load and derives from the phrase to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps . The usage calls attention to the requirement that, if most software is loaded onto a computer by other software already running on the computer, some mechanism must exist to load the initial software onto the computer . Early computers used a variety of ad - hoc methods to get a small program into memory to solve this problem . The invention of read - only memory (ROM) of various types solved this paradox by allowing computers to be shipped with a start up program that could not be erased . Growth in the capacity of ROM has allowed ever more elaborate start up procedures to be implemented . </P> <P> There are many different methods available to load a short initial program into a computer . These methods reach from simple, physical input to removable media that can hold more complex programs . </P>

Where did the term boot up come from
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