How Computers Work · Course 2
Starting Up
What your computer does between the power button and sign-in.
- 1What Happens When You Press Power9 min · The six steps a computer takes between the button and sign-in.
- 2BIOS, UEFI and Secure Boot10 min · The program that runs before Windows, and how it blocks fake startup code.
- 3TPM and Windows 119 min · The tiny security chip that guards your keys, and why Windows 11 needs it.
- 4Safe Mode and Recovery11 min · The repair tools Windows keeps ready for when startup goes wrong.
- 5Challenge: The Update That Went Wrong12 min · Help a neighbor whose laptop won't start properly after an update.
Hands-on
Do it on the practice computer
Lessons have labs you can try in your browser, plus questions that earn points toward the Boot Watcher badge.
Start lesson 1