The term “boot file” can actually refer to two different things:
-
Files Used During Booting: These are system files, essential for your computer to boot up. They are stored on your hard drive and loaded by the bootloader, a small program that initiates the booting process. These files contain instructions to start the operating system and other critical components.
-
InstallShield Boot Files: These files have the extension “.BOOT” and are used by the InstallShield program, a tool for creating software installation setups. These .BOOT files are simply plain text files that store installation settings for InstallShield.
It’s important to distinguish between these two types based on the context. If you’re referring to booting your computer, the boot files are hidden system files. If you’re dealing with software installation, the .BOOT file likely contains configuration settings.