Used Hard drive issue

[just_a_girl]

They said i couldnt do it but i did it, i managed to make a brand new computer out of some old box that someone gave to me, i am quite chuffed really because everybody told me that i couldnt do it. All the parts in my computer are new except the hard drive which is a used 60gb hard drive. It goes to the BIOS screen when i hit delete, everything correct and great there! but it is the next stage that confuses me, the used hard drive has windows as its operating system installed onto it i want to discard all of this so i can start fresh but when i exit BIOS the next screen asks me what version of windows i would like to run and there is no way out. What can i do from here to resolve this so i can install my own operating system? Please help me!!:confused:

[ghost2003]

You'll need to change the boot order of your devices in the BIOS so that your cd drive comes before your hard drive. Once that's done you can put the OS cd in your drive and it should ask you "press any key to boot from CD" at some time during the startup where you will be able to boot from your OS cd.
What OS are you trying to install?

[just_a_girl]

Hello!

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking about just using xp, but I don’t have the software :( i know there is alternatives on the market and my next question was going to be "can anybody recommend a good os?"

[tempus]

Hello!

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking about just using xp, but I don’t have the software :( i know there is alternatives on the market and my next question was going to be "can anybody recommend a good os?"
Are you comfortable with using Linux? I looked at Ubuntu and it seems fairly straightforward. Another is Suse linux.
And Ubuntu is free to download.

[just_a_girl]

Hmm, I’m not sure, to be honest, I’ve been thinking about using Linux since i started building. I’ve been looking at http://www.linux.org/ and have noticed that there is many different downloads to choose from. I know nothing about Linux fro example would it support my devices/software i.e. USB, DVD PCI - etc? or is that a stupid question (remember I’m an enthusiastic novice that wants to know everything!) :)

Laura xx

[rjfvillarosa]

Ubuntu is very easy to use and supports quite a lot of hardware, have you read any of the threads in the "alternative operating system board" on this forum?

[just_a_girl]

ok, so i tried ubuntu for 24h, its a good os but i just couldn’t get the any mpg/video etc to work and I’ve been pulling my hair out trying to understand how to install an alternative video player.

all this "Terminal" talk is driving me round the twist why is it not as simple as clicking on <filename.exe> ? Am i doing something wrong? & if i have no overall joy with ubuntu is there a better alternative before I give in to William and his cronies?

ps, just a quick scan of the new operating system i noticed that the USB devices dont seem straight forward to get going neither (USB keyboard/mouse/cam)

All my love,

Laura xx

[Dangermouse1]

Have a look here http://www.ubuntuguide.org/