Riavvio

Riavvio is the process of restarting a computer or device, closing all running programs and refreshing the operating state. It is commonly referred to as reboot or restart in English. Riavvio is used to apply software updates, recover from errors, clear memory, or reinitialize hardware.

There are two broad categories: riavvio a freddo (cold reboot) and riavvio a caldo (warm reboot). A riavvio a freddo powers the device off completely and then starts it again from a powered-down state. A riavvio a caldo restarts the system without a full power cycle, typically initiated by the operating system. A riavvio forzato (hard reboot) may be required when the system is unresponsive, often using a hardware button.

Methods include OS-level commands such as restart or shutdown, keyboard shortcuts (for example, Ctrl+Alt+Delete on many desktops, or Alt+F4 to close sessions on some systems), or physical actions like pressing a reset button. In servers or data centers, remote reboot is common via management interfaces such as IPMI, iLO, or iDRAC.

Effects and considerations: a riavvio terminates processes and may cause unsaved data loss. If a disk write is interrupted, file systems can become corrupted; modern systems use journaling and automatic checks (fsck) during boot. Planned reboots are scheduled during maintenance windows and coordinated with users and backups. Unplanned reboots can indicate hardware faults, software bugs, or power problems.

In Italian computing, riavvio contrasts with avvio (boot), and the term derives from the notion of starting again. See also reboot, reset, and power management.