Abstract: Methods for facilitating the rapid startup or booting of a computer system is disclosed. Configuration data for a computer system may be collected and stored in nonvolatile memory. The collection of configuration data may be performed by a computer program that is stored on an external computer medium. The configuration data may include device data for the various hardware devices and memory that is typically identified and configured by a standard BIOS program. The collected configuration data may be stored in nonvolatile memory. Upon a power on or reset event, the configuration data may be read from nonvolatile memory and written directly to memory and the various hardware devices. After the configuration data is written to the various devices, the normal boot sequence of loading and executing the operating system may be resumed.