Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide to Master Your Certification!

The system initialization process of macOS (formerly known as OSX) involves several key stages that prepare the system for operation when powered on or restarted. The process begins with firmware, which is the first step and is responsible for hardware checks and initializing the system as it transitions from a powered-off state. The next step is the bootloader, or booter, which loads the operating system into memory. Finally, the kernel is loaded, which is the core part of the operating system responsible for managing system resources and facilitating communication between hardware and software.

Drivers, on the other hand, are crucial components that allow the operating system to communicate with hardware devices. However, they are not part of the initial system initialization process; instead, they are loaded later when the operating system is running and needs to interact with specific hardware.

In summary, while firmware, the bootloader, and the kernel are integral parts of the initialization process, drivers are loaded subsequently and do not play a role in the initial stages. This distinction identifies drivers as the step that is not part of the system initialization process.