How to Reboot an Operating System Disk
The longer your computer stays on, the more background programs can accumulate and the more RAM can get filled up, causing potential slowdowns, crashes and loss of your work. One way to restore optimal performance on your computer is by rebooting the operating system disk. When your operating system is rebooted, the disk it's installed on will also be rebooted, which will end all the background programs slowing down your computer. Rebooting the operating system disk is done from the main operating system menus on PCs and Macs.
Save any open documents on your PC and close all open programs.
Click the Windows orb and click on the right-pointing arrow in the right pane next to “Shut down.”
Click the “Restart” button. Your operating system disk shuts down and reboots automatically.
Save any open documents on your Mac and close all the programs visible in the dock.
Click on the Apple menu at the top left of the desktop.
Select the “Restart” option to shut down your operating system disk and reboot it automatically.
Daniel Hatter began writing professionally in 2008. His writing focuses on topics in computers, Web design, software development and technology. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in media and game development and information technology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.