Cold boot - Definition

Computing

A hard reboot (also known as a cold reboot) is when power to a computer is cycled (turned on and off) or a special reset signal to the processor is triggered (from a front panel switch of some sort). This restarts the computer without first performing the usual shut-down procedure. (With many operating systems, especially those with disc caches, after a hard reboot the system may well be in an "unclean" state, and require that checks and repairs to on-disc filesystem structures be performed before normal operation can begin.) It may be caused by power failure, be done by accident, or be done deliberately as a last resort because nothing else to retrieve the system from a "hung" state works.

Personal Digital Assistants

A hard reboot is a full restore of a handheld computer (or PDA) to its factory settings. It entails deleting all information stored in the handheld. This is essentially the same as reformatting a hard drive. A hard reboot may become necessary from time to time on a PDA which has too many unreliable programs on it, thus restoring integrity to the system. It should be used with caution, as it destroys all data stored in the unit.

See also

• Booting
• Soft reboot