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TU TuhinSinharoy Created on November 26, 2019 Question Info

Windows 10 Booting process in Last updated May 21, 2022

details
Views 16,790
It will be really helpful if anyone can tell me the booting process of
windows 10 in detail. Details mean when all the binary files DLL files Applies to:
and registries are getting loaded and initialized in which step. And it
would be really helpful if you can tell me in the step by step process. Windows / Windows 10 /
Sleep and Power on, off
I m asking this thing only learning purpose.

Thank you

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Replies (2) 

DonnDon
Independent Advisor
Replied on November 26, 2019

Hi TuhinSinharoy!

I'm Donny and I'm a Windows 10 expert. I'd love to help

you out with your question.

First off, Windows 10 boot process on BIOS systems

comprises of four major phases. It starts from POST and
ends up in loading the Windows OS Loader or the
Kernel. Here is the list of stages it goes through:

1. PreBoot
2. Windows Boot Manager
3. Windows OS Loader
4. Windows NT OS Kernel

During every process, a program is loaded. Depending

on whether it uses Legacy BIOS or UEFI, the file paths
and files change.

1.) PreBoot: POST or Power-On Self-Test loads firmware

settings. It checks for a valid disk system, and if the
system is good to go for the next phase. If the computer
has a valid MBR, i.e. Master Boot Record, the boot
process moves further and loads Windows Boot
Manager.

2.) Windows Boot Manager: This step determines if you

have multiple OS installed on your computer. If yes, then
it offers a menu with the names of the OSs. When you
select the OS, it will load the right program, i.e.
Winload.exe to boot you into the correct OS.

3.) Windows OS Loader: WinLoad.exe loads important

drivers to kick start the Windows Kernel. The kernel uses
the drivers to talk to the hardware and do rest of the
things required for the boot process to continue.

4.) Windows NT OS Kernel: This is the last stage which

picks up the Registry settings, additional drivers, etc.
Once that has been read, the control is taken by the
system manager process. It loads up the UI, the rest of
TU
the hardware and software. That’s when you finally get to
see your Windows 10 Login screen.

When you run Windows 10 on a computer that supports

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), Trusted

2 of 4 5/28/22, 15:38
Windows 10 Booting process in details - Microsoft Co... https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all...

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), Trusted

Boot protects your computer from the moment you
power it on. When the computer starts, it first finds the
operating system bootloader. Computers without
Secured Boot simply run whatever bootloader is on the
PC’s hard drive. When a computer equipped with UEFI
starts, it first verifies that the firmware is digitally signed.
If Secure Boot is enabled, the firmware examines the
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 English
First (United States)
of all thanks DonnDon for helping me out but still
Sitemap it'sContact
not clear to me when
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important
of use DLL files like Safety & eco
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hal.dll
© Microsoft 2022 and bootvid.dll and even system32k.sys or other
files are loaded.
And I also search on some other websites they are telling
there are seven steps:
Which are-
1. PreBoot
2. Windows Boot Manager
3. Windows OS Loader
4. Windows NT OS Kernel
5. Session Initialization(SMSS.exe,Csrss.exe)
6.Winlogon Initialization(dwm.exe,wininit.exe)
7.Explorer InitializationI need information from Windows
NT OS kernel to explorer initialization. You already gave
me some information for Windows NT OS Kernel but I
need more.

Thank you.

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