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What's the difference between a 'cold boot' and a 'warm boot'?

Asked by Frank Okonkwo — Jul 26, 2025 — Computers & Internet Open

My tech-savvy friend told me to do a 'cold boot' to fix my computer problem. I just restarted it but he says that's a warm boot and it's different. What's the difference between the two? Why does it matter which one I do? When should I use each one?

2 Answers

Alice Hartwell — Jul 27, 2025

I'd post this on the Tom's Hardware or AnandTech forums with your full system specs — CPU, RAM, motherboard, the works. People can't really help without knowing what you've got. The more detail you give, the better the answers.

3
admin — Jul 27, 2025

Honestly at some point a clean reinstall of Windows fixes more than any amount of tinkering. XP gets crufty after a couple years. Back up your files, find your product key, and do a fresh install. It'll feel like a brand new machine.

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