INSTALLING AN OPERATING SYSTEM

Decide what you would
like to do. Are you going to reinstall your
operating system
because of problems,
upgrading your
current version, or
are you installing an operating system on
a new computer?
Make sure that you
have the new
operating system
install program. Windows and Mac
require that you
purchase a CD or DVD
Rom(s). Ubuntu and
other Linux are free
and can be installed from a flash drive
too. Back up your data . If you are
reinstalling your
operating system, it
is likely that you
will need to wipe
the disk. Back up your data before
doing so, as
everything on the
disk will be
destroyed. If you
are simply upgrading, it is okay
to skip this step, but
it is advisable to save
at least the most
important files on
your computer. Completely wipe
all information
from the hard
disc . This will ensure that you do not
carry problems over
into the new install.
For instructions on
how to do this
watch the video at http://
www.youtube.com/
watch?
v=OfICZMMr0JM New installations
of Windows and
Linux offer to
replace all data on
your entire hard
disk. So completely
wiping it prior to
installation is
unnecessary. Boot up . Turn on your computer and
quickly enter the
boot menu. The
owner's manual for
your computer or
motherboard should have instructions on
how to do this. It
will show on the
screen for a brief
moment too. Select
the drive that contains the setup
disk (and be sure
you have inserted
it). Save the setting
and exit. Start the
installation . It may take the install
program a few
minutes to load, this
is normal. Once it has
loaded, follow the
onscreen instructions. If you
are installing a new
operating system on
a new computer or
reinstalling due to a
problem, wipe the disk. Be sure you
have saved
everything that you
would like to save
before starting this
process. Sit back and relax . The installer may ask
you for some
information while
it's installing, but for
the most part, just
waiting is okay. Near the end of the
installation, the
installer will ask you
for last-minute
information, like
your name, the name of the
computer, sign in
name, password,
time zone, etc. Do
not be alarmed by
this, none of this information can be
used to identify you,
it's all for personal
preference. Enter the product
ID. If you are installing a consumer
operating system
like Windows, it will
probably require
you to enter a
product ID. Look at the back of the CD
case for the product
ID or, indeed, on the
case of the computer
if the computer came
with an OEM version of Windows. If you
are installing Linux,
this will not apply to
you if it is an open
source variant of
Linux (for example: BackTrack, Ubuntu,
Fedora), but will if it
is a closed source
variant of Linux (for
example: Red Hat,
HPUX, SuSE etc). Reboot . Once you reboot, the
computer will
finalize everything
and log you in. At
this point, you may
need to install drivers. Insert any
disks that came with
your computer or
it's parts that are
NOT an operating
system, and allow the drivers to be
installed (if
necessary). Allow updates . This is especially
important in
Windows. Allow the
computer to seek
updates and install
them. Look for a "top 10 things to do"
list for that
operating system. Install antivirus
software . If you are using Windows
without antivirus
software while on
the web, you are
extremely
vulnerable to all kinds of malicious
programs. Before
you do anything,
even installing
Firefox, install
antivirus. If you don't have any, look
for avast! Antivirus,
it's free. Use it ! You're done, now what you do is
totally up to you.
Set a password,
install programs,
customize, create
user accounts, etc. If you have any files
you backed up, you
may restore them
now. Or, just enjoy
the clean slate and
redo everything, whatever you like.