In computer technology, user interaction with applications and hardware components is provided through the operating system (OS). Previously, to run programs, only a special interpreter was needed - a small file that converts the commands of programming languages into computer codes. Now the solution to this problem lies with the OS. Therefore, the installation of the operating system is vital for the operation of the entire computer. In today's article, we will look at some key points related to this process.
Installation of the operating system begins with the choice of OS. Currently, the market is divided between three OSs: Windows from Microsoft, Linux and a system from Apple. We give them in decreasing order of popularity. Suppose that the user has chosen Windows 7 or 8. In the case of a recently purchased computer, on the hard disk of which there is no valuable information, everything is simple - reinstalling the system does not require preparation. Otherwise, you may need to download from a pre-prepared LiveCD and save important data to some medium.
In general, installing the operating system is simple. You will need a disk with the OS installation distribution kit or a specially prepared flash drive with the system. While more popular discs. To start the download from the disk, the computer needs to point to the boot device. If a few seconds after turning on the computer, the device selection hint is visible at the bottom of the screen (for example, F12 - boot device), the installation of the operating system is simplified. Turn on the computer, insert the disk and quickly press F12 (it can be F8 or F9 - carefully read the prompts). In the list, specify the drive or flash drive. Download starts from this media. If the moment of pressing is missed, then you can use the Reset button on the system unit. Next, follow the prompts of the installation program.
In some cases, to select a boot device, you need to go into the BIOS and make changes to the configuration. That is, if there are no above prompts, then immediately after switching on we often press the Del (Delete) button - BIOS settings appear. Here you need to find the point that indicates the order of the boot devices, and specify the CD (do not forget to save the changes when you exit).
The first dialog box is the choice of language. Everything is intuitive. Next, you can select the recovery or installation mode. Recovery is necessary if the hard drive already has an OS, but for some reason it has stopped loading or some of its files are damaged. A running wizard will evaluate the state and try to return the system to a healthy state. Choose a complete installation.
The next dialog requires the user to make a choice of the partition (disk) where the OS will be installed. By clicking "Settings", you can reformat all partitions, delete them and create them again - the most basic functions for working with partitions are provided. Please note that formatting will destroy all data. It is optional.
Next, the process of copying system files to the hard drive begins. This process may take up to half an hour, depending on the hardware configuration. After the first reboot, you need to go into the BIOS and specify the hard drive as the first boot device (this is necessary if the drive was set in this way).
The operating system will boot and continue installation. The user needs to enter a name, create a password (you can leave it blank), enter a key block of numbers, if any. With updates, everyone decides individually: for a licensed system with fast unlimited Internet, updates should be used. For slow connections, you need to “postpone the decision”, because the amount of information downloaded from the Web is very impressive.
It remains to choose the time zone and begin to configure the operating system. Installing the OS is only a small part of the time spent.