käynnistyslähdetä

Käynnistyslähde, often translated as boot source or boot device, refers to the hardware or software location from which a computer loads its operating system. When a computer is powered on, its basic input/output system (BIOS) or unified extensible firmware interface (UEFI) first checks for a bootable device to initiate the operating system loading process. This process involves reading the boot loader, a small program stored on the boot source, which then takes over and loads the main operating system files into memory.

Common boot sources include hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), USB flash drives, optical discs (CDs/DVDs), and network interfaces for network booting. The order in which the computer checks these devices is determined by the boot order or boot priority settings, which can usually be configured in the BIOS/UEFI setup utility. For instance, a user might set their computer to boot from a USB drive to install a new operating system or a CD/DVD for diagnostic purposes. Understanding the käynnistyslähde is crucial for troubleshooting boot issues, performing system installations, and managing computer startup configurations. In some cases, the boot source can also be a virtual device within a virtual machine environment.