2

Possible Duplicates:
how does reboot work ?
WinXP: Difference between Log Off and Restart

Is there any difference in the way restart and shutdown + start are handled by a machine?

If it is OS specific, then consider Windows and Fedora.

1

3 Answers 3

2

There is usually no difference between warm and cold boots. When an application calls for a reboot, it usually doesn't care if you restart or shut your computer all the way down and then start. It's probably more BIOS specific than OS specific.

Notable exceptions are hyperthreading and virtualization changes at the BIOS level1. Often, they require a full, unpowered shutdown after committing the changes to take effect.

(1) At least as I've observed with Intel processors.

2
  • I'm also not sure which category the hardware-reset button falls in.
    – hyperslug
    Aug 22, 2010 at 16:33
  • Reset depends on the button and motherboard. Mine is a warm restart, but I have seen ones that make it cold.
    – ssube
    Aug 22, 2010 at 19:53
1

for the OS there is no difference whatsoever. sometimes the BIOS might do something different if it is power cycled instead of just restarted.

0

I believe it only changes the way the power/electricity (from the socket or battery) is handled. Everything else till the BIOS (including BIOS) is turned off and then on again in both cases.

The BIOS comes into play BEFORE the OS when powering on, so it is not OS specific.

I am, however not aware of how exactly power is handled, and whether it is handled in the PSU (Power Supply Unit) or on the motherboard.

I am certainly no expert on this, so don't consider this an answer, I'm just posting to say it is not OS specific.

2
  • Actually, the OS could differentiate between them, as it's the one handling the button presses.
    – Hello71
    Aug 23, 2010 at 0:38
  • The OS does differentiate between the button presses. I didn't say it doesn't. But what I said was that it is not OS SPECIFIC. No matter which OS it is that you have, windows or linux, it will have to send the same signal to the actual hardware (BIOS, PSU, or whatever it is, i'm not sure) to signal a restart/shutdown.
    – TJKV
    Aug 24, 2010 at 1:58

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .