A bootloader is a special piece of software that allows your computer to initialize itself when you first turn it on. This process is known as "booting up." The bootloader will first identify all of the hardware components in your computer, then load the operating system from its storage location into memory. This process also includes loading any other required programs, such as drivers, utilities, and application software, that your computer needs to function properly.   Once the operating system has been loaded into memory, the boot loader will then transfer control of the computer over to the operating system kernel, which will be responsible for managing resources, scheduling processes, and allocating memory. In some cases, a boot loader can also be used to configure settings such as network connections or password protection before handing control over to the operating system kernel.   Working with a Bootloader  The way a bootloader works depends on what type of processor your computer has. Most modern computers use x86 processors, which require specific instructions for loading an operating system from storage media such as hard drives or USB flash drives into RAM (random access memory). On these types of systems, the instructions are stored in what is known as BIOS (basic input/output system), which is located on a chip on your motherboard.   In order for these instructions to be executed by the processor, they must be loaded into RAM by a piece of code known as firmware or BIOS extension code which is stored in non-volatile memory (such as ROM). This code instructs the processor how to perform basic operations, such as reading data from storage media in order to load an operating system into RAM so that it can begin executing applications and services.