~Lesson 4~	Next Page
Turning the Computer On & Off

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A "Turning the Computer On & Off" PowerPoint show and a handout are also available.

Booting Up

Booting Up is a term used to describe turning on a computer and loading the Operating System.

Rebooting

Rebooting is restarting the computer without physically turning the computer off. The Operating System is reloaded.

Operating System or O/S

The Operating System or O/S is a program that loads when the computer is turned on or rebooted. The Operating System gives the computer basic instructions on how to manage files and programs. The computer cannot function without an O/S. Example Operating Systems include Windows 98, Windows ME (Millennium Edition), Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP.

Shut Down

Shut Down is a term used to describe the process the computer uses to unload the Operating System so that the computer can be physically turned off.

When turning a computer ON, turn it on in this order:

Note: Make sure there are no disks in the Floppy Disk or "A:" Drive.

1.	Turn on the wall outlet.
2.	Turn on the extension cord or surge protector, if there is one.
3.	Turn on the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), if there is one.
4.	Turn on the hard disk drive (usually the largest button on the front or top).
5.	Turn on the monitor.
6.	Turn on any attached devices such as speakers, printer, etc.
7.	After the computer is turned on, wait until the operating system finishes loading before starting any work. If the mouse pointer has an hourglass next to it, wait until the hourglass disappears before starting.

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