What does warm booting refer to?

Warm booting refers to the process of restarting a computer that is already running without completely shutting down the power. This action allows the operating system to reload and can resolve issues such as software glitches or performance problems without requiring a full shutdown, which is known as a cold boot. In warm booting, the hardware remains powered on, enabling a faster and smoother restart process compared to cold booting. This method is commonly initiated through commands within the operating system, like selecting 'restart' from the menu.

The other options describe different actions; for instance, completely shutting down power to a computer is known as cold booting. Powering up a computer for the first time is also not considered warm booting because the system is going from an off state to an on state, rather than restarting. Finally, performing a factory reset erases all data and returns the system to its original settings, which is distinct from the function of warm booting that preserves the current data and state.