Okay, it is time to install your operating system. This is the final step necessary to make your new PC a fully workable PC.
There are many operating systems on the market today, but for the sake of this tutorial, we are assuming you will be using Microsoft Windows. There are, of course, other OSes out there including many varieties of Linux, and you are certainly welcome to try those other operating systems if you wish. As things stand now, though, simple statistics will show that an overwhelming majority of PC users make use of some version of Windows. For that reason, we are focusing on the Windows operating system in this step.
Your first step is to buy your Windows operating system. The first thing you will notice is that Microsoft distinguishes between “full versions” and “upgrades”. The upgrade is cheaper, but it will ask for and check to make sure you have a previous version of Windows installed before proceeding. Often you do not need to have a prior version installed physically to get it to work, but you must have a prior version available on floppy diskette or CD-ROM, because whether it checks your hard drive or a removable medium, it will check for a prior version. A full version, of course, is designed to be installed when no other version is there or when you have no valid license to a prior version.
TIP: Instead of installing Windows from a CD, some people prefer installing directly from the hard drive itself. The basic reason is speed. Hard drives are many times faster than a CD drive, and since the Windows install procedure will be moving a lot of data from the CD to the hard drive anyway, many people prefer to simply skip the bottleneck and do everything from the hard drive. Basically, this is done by copying the entire Windows setup from the CD to the hard drive before installing anything and then running Setup directly from the hard drive. Just copy the whole CD over to a directory on your hard drive, and then run Setup from that directory. This is also helpful later down the road if you need to install a Windows component and cannot find your Windows CD.
NOTICE: The full installation procedures for Windows 95, 98, 2000 and XP are included in the Build Your Own PC e-book.
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Hi, firstly thanks for the detailed guide. Onto the problem… I have an executable file of Windows Vista OS that I got from my school for a discount that I have saved onto an external hard drive. I wish to install that OS onto the new computer that I’m building currently. How do I do that? (I’ve been told I need to burn it onto a DVD, but I’m not really sure how to burn a executable DVD, since I’m guessing those are the only kinds that will be recognized without an OS). Thx for all the help.
All you have to do is take everything off of your external hard drive and move it to a different computer, then put the setup back on the external hard drive, then go into bios and change the boot order to your external hard drive first.
hope this helped
Hi
Your guide was very helpful and I just put my first computer together. Only problem so far I can’t get my wireless set up going. I know I can log on to the internet I just can’t do it wireless for some reason not sure what the problem is. Thanks
please you can check on pc upgrade and tutiorals and it will help you identify where your problem lies since it begins with pre-installation.
its your problem ..not the pc’s
KC…you need a Wireless PCI Adapter…you can buy one easy enough and install it in no time.
my question is when i build my pc can i use my hard drive that i have now with vista installed allready or do i need to reinstall vista or will it just boot up and accept all the new things i put in it like new motherboard video card etc
Hi, i followed everything.. but i got stock to a point where the pc is not recognizing the OS bootable cd.. it boots up BIOS and gives the POST message and all.. but when the part where it should say “press any key to boot cd”, i only get a black screen with a blinking underscore thing.. its a new vista cd.. and its working and booting on my laptop.. but its not doing anything on my new pc.. i configured the boot sequence already.. i even isolated the problem.. i used another DVD rom just to check and still its not working.. not a problem on the cd, the DVDrom and the boot sequence.. all led lights are working.. what do you think i missed?? could it be from the pc requirements or compatibility? i hope you could answer me back.. i badly need this pc done.. and thanks for the tutorial btw.. it sure did help me a lot..
hey..i’m having the same problem as yours..i don’t know why..??Someone solve our problem!!!
It depends on what operating system you mean. Windows, for instance, involves buying a CD and putting it into your computer, and following the instructions. You will have to either format your hard disk or choose a partition to install it to, which will likely have to be formatted. You will then set the options for the computer, including system time and user account information, and wait for the installation to complete. If you are installing Linux, most distributions will have a tool for you to resize any other partitions on the hard disk to make space for Linux without any loss of data, whereas Macintosh and Windows operating systems have no such option.
Thanks for the tutorial. I followed everything and was successful using the XP Prof. O/S. Only one problem: On the first boot the keyboard doesn’t work. It works when I restart the computer until I switch-off. Then it doesn’t work on the first start until I restart it again. Appreciate your help.. Thanks
I have windows xp os in an iso file. How do I use an iso to install the operating system?
Thanks
The iso files must be burned on DVD/CD before you can install on your pc.
i have a problem about my pc… i need some reply and a person who can fix it..
You must add some details if you want help.How can someone help if they don’t know your problem?
If you have a xp OS then you need the xp cd to install in your computer.You need to boot your computer from CD-ROM or DVD then follow the screen instructions.
hey how are you there so i have the probleme about how to install 2operating systems in my cp
for example MS WindowsXP and MS DOS
hello,
I ,chittaranjan mishra is very keen to work on unix operating system.But no idea how to install it
I have already tried once but failed.
so can you give me any doccumentation about how to install unix please.
I have bcd unix 5.2.1 version with me.
regards
chittaranjan mishra
software engineer.
Well, I built my computer and everything seems to be working fine. I’m amazed because I really knew nothing about computers before I started this project. And it was so much fun….
BUT… there is one concern that I have. On the front of the computer box, above the green light showing the computer is on, there is a little red flashing light that looks like it is in the shape of a battery. Why is this flashing at me?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
thats your hard drive led … it tells you that data is being read or written on your hard drive. nothing to worry about compleatly normal activity
Please send me how to boot the computer from cd-rom.
Put the CD in CD-ROM restart your computer,before the windows welcome screen shows press F12 key fot temporary boot device,highlight CD-ROM drive and hit enter,then the computer will ask you to press any key to boot the CD,then follow the screen instructions.
it’s not always f12 check your computer when it boots and press the button assigned to your computer.
I am installing windows on my computer and when I go to install it always shuts off my keyboard. It works until the part where it says press enter to install or R for repair. Anyone have any suggestions??
I have my pc with ms window vista ready installed by manufacturer(eMachine),my problem is, failure to open many programs.what should i do?
If you have a xp OS then you need the xp cd to install in your computer.You need to boot your computer from CD-ROM or DVD then follow the screen instructions.
What DVD decoding software do you use? i used Dell PowerDVD with my last comp but since i built my new comp it will not run PowerDVD. Hopefully there is something free out there, if not please provide a recommendation. Thanks
Hello
I get the “blue screen of death” does anyone know how to bypass that or fix it? I’ve Followed the steps, still nothing!!! I was wondering….Do I put the motherboard disc in before installing the OS or after…
HELP ME!!!
bill
BSoD happens for alot of reasons …anything from bad driver for something u recently installed to destroyed RAM… the screen tells you what could be causing the problem and is usually something like IRQL 0×00000000 (bla bla) take that message and search it on a working computer … it will tell u more about what u need to do to correct it.
> hi<
… please help how to install operating system to my computer, slowly tnx
Hi there
When i insert the win xp cd i get the following
TRAP 0000006==========Exeption=============
tr=0028 cr0=0000011 cr2-000000 etc…….
Please can some help,im in a panic need to get the pc running asap.
I inserted the win xp cd,booted from cd/dvd and get the following
TRAP 000006==============EXCEPTION=================
tr=0028 cr0=00000011 etc…..
Could someone help me out here.thanks