Final answer:
The first step in the boot process is Loading the BIOS, which initializes the system's hardware components before proceeding to the POST and eventually booting the operating system.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the boot process, the first step that occurs is Loading the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System). When the computer is powered on, the BIOS is the first software to run. It initializes and tests the system hardware components and ensures that the hardware is functioning correctly before starting the process of loading the operating system. This step is critical for the successful booting of a computer.
After the BIOS is loaded, it runs the POST (Power-On Self-Test), which is a diagnostic testing sequence that checks the hardware components such as the RAM, hard disk, and other peripherals. If the POST completes successfully, the BIOS will look for and identify the bootable device from which to load the operating system. Once identified, the BIOS will hand over control to the operating system's bootloader, which completes the process of booting the computer by loading the operating system into memory.