Käivitusmeediumina

Käivitusmeediumina is an Estonian term that translates to "boot medium" or "bootable media" in English. It refers to any storage device from which a computer can load its operating system or other essential software. This can include hard drives, solid-state drives, USB flash drives, CDs, DVDs, or even network locations.

When a computer powers on, its BIOS or UEFI firmware looks for a bootable device according to a predefined boot order. Once it finds a device containing a bootable operating system, it transfers control to that system, initiating the startup process. This allows users to install new operating systems, repair existing ones, or run specialized diagnostic tools.

Common uses for bootable media include installing Windows, macOS, or Linux, performing system recovery operations, and running antivirus or disk management utilities without loading the main operating system. The creation of bootable media typically involves formatting the storage device and copying the necessary bootloader and operating system files onto it. This process can often be accomplished using specialized software utilities provided by operating system vendors or third-party developers. The concept of a käivitusmeediumina is fundamental to computer operation and maintenance.