Pronunciation: [kˈə͡ʊld bˈuːtɪd] (IPA) 
The correct spelling of "cold booted" is /koʊld ˈbuːtɛd/. The term refers to the process of starting up a computer system from a completely powered off state. The word "cold" is pronounced as /koʊld/ with a long "o" sound, while "booted" is pronounced as /buːtɛd/ with a long "u" sound. The use of the word "boot" in this context refers to the process of loading and initializing the system software during the startup process.
The term "cold booted" refers to the process of starting or rebooting a computer system from a completely powered-off or unpowered state. It describes the action of turning on a computer that has been shut down or powered off, resulting in a full initialization from scratch. During a cold boot, all system components, including the central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), and input/output devices, are powered up and initialized. The cold boot process includes running the computer's startup routines or firmware, loading the operating system, and bringing the system to an operational state.
When a computer is cold booted, it goes through a complete power-on sequence, which involves running various self-tests to ensure proper functioning of hardware components and establishing the necessary connections for communication between different hardware and software elements. This process may take a few moments, depending on the speed and complexity of the system.
The term "cold boot" is often used in contrast with the term "warm boot," which refers to the process of restarting a computer system while it is still powered on and running. Warm booting skips some of the power-on and initialization processes as the system is already partially active. In contrast, cold booting ensures a clean and fresh start, enabling the computer to fully initialize and load the operating system from a powered-off state.
The term "cold boot" or "cold booting" is derived from the concept of a computer being started or powered on from a completely turned-off or initial state, where the system undergoes a series of processes to initialize and load the operating system. This process is called "booting", which originates from the phrase "pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps". In the early days of computing, bootstrapping referred to a boot process used to load basic instructions or routines that would then load more complex software. term "cold booting" specifically emphasizes the "cold" aspect, referring to the computer being in a physically cold or unpowered state. In contrast, a "warm boot" or "warm reboot" refers to the process of restarting a computer without fully shutting it down. The term "warm" here implies that the system is already partially initialized and does not need to start from a completely powered-off state.
