Which component gets things running until the operating system takes over?answerBIOSCPUMemoryFirmware

The component that gets things running until the operating system takes over is the BIOS.

Here's a step-by-step explanation:

1. When you first power on a computer, the Central Processing Unit (CPU) is not yet running the operating system (like Windows or MacOS). It doesn't know how to do anything beyond very basic operations.

2. The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a type of firmware. It is the first software to run when a computer is powered on. Its job is to initialize and test the system hardware components, and to load a bootloader or an operating system from a mass memory device.

3. The BIOS provides an abstraction layer for the hardware, i.e., a consistent way for application programs and operating systems to interact with the keyboard, display, and other input/output devices.

4. Once the BIOS has finished its 'POST' (Power-On Self Test) to check hardware components, it will then load and execute the bootloader. The bootloader, in turn, will load the operating system.

5. Once the operating system is fully loaded, and the user logs in, the operating system takes over control of the hardware from the BIOS.

So, in summary, the BIOS is the component that gets things running until the operating system takes over.