Often, a novice user has some difficulty understanding computer terminology. That becomes a kind of obstacle in the general process of interaction "man - computer." However, the most important and, by the way, the main point when using a computing device is the installation of software. Well, a distribution is a form of software distribution. Due to certain properties of this “strange” file, the computing device is equipped with an operating system. However, let's move on to a more detailed discussion of the voiced issue and dispel the veil of the "inexplicable."
"Organizer" of the installation process
A distribution kit is a kind of “software conductor” under whose control digital data is harmoniously located on the computer’s hard drive. If you do not resort to allegory, then on the fingers you can explain this as follows: before the direct process of installing this or that software begins, a special installation wizard is launched. As a result, the files are copied to the hard drive of your computer. It is worth noting that the data obtained in this way are placed on the hard drive in strictly defined folders, and corresponding entries are made in the OS system log that contain information about the parameters and initial settings of the implemented software. As you understand, the distribution kit is not the program itself, but a certain software tool that performs the installation process in the most correct way.
What OS starts with
To date, the most common operating system for computers of various modifications (referring to the classic concept of this definition) is the OS from Microsoft. By the way, often in user circles she is referred to as "Windows." So, depending on which version of the Windows system the user wants to install on his computer, he chooses the distribution he needs. This, so to speak, is a unique identifier of a software product. It is worth noting that during the installation of the OS, the initial hardware of the PC is initialized, and in the case when the PC configuration does not match any software parameters, the installation stops. A corresponding service message is displayed on the impossibility of further "machine" operations with files.
How can I use the Windows 7 distribution
The main purpose of the installation disk is to directly install the operating environment on the computer’s hard drive for later use. However, in the event that an unforeseen emergency occurs, the OS distribution can be used as a recovery environment. It is worth noting that a self-created installation disk must have boot properties that are achieved as a result of using various specialized programs. For example, Rufus or Ultra ISO.
What you need to know about operating extensions
As a rule, the licensed distribution of Windows 7 is distributed on optical DVD-drives. If you open such a disk on your PC to view its contents, you will see many folders and various data, among which the most important is the “Setup” or “Install” file with the extension “* exe” or “* msi”. It is after activating one of them that the installer starts.
However, the most widely used archive, or image-based, distribution method of the OS distribution. That is, the installation disk is packaged in a "zip" container or has the extension "ISO", less often - "image". The last two figurative formats (the first, by the way, also needs to be unpacked), require some software processing before it is directly involved. Let's make this point in more detail.
How to create a boot disk with OS
Let's say you have a downloaded XP distribution with the ISO extension. Depending on what kind of media you want to use, a specific recording tool is selected. In the case when a method for installing the OS from a USB disk is provided, the Rufus utility is used. A fairly simple and intellectually clear interface of the application does not require specialized knowledge from the user. By default, the utility automatically selects a removable disk connected to the PC, and in the checkbox, next to the "disk" icon, is set to "ISO-image". Next, you need to activate the adjacent button and specify the path to the OS distribution.
Press "Start" and wait for the completion of the recording process. If you want to burn the image onto a disc, then you can use the Ultra ISO program. Click on the “File” tab, then select “Open” from the context menu. In Explorer, locate the image you want to install. The distribution is ready to record! It remains only to activate the icon in the form of an ignited disk and set the necessary parameters for burning. Only after the above manipulations, you can click on the "Record" button.
How to install Windows XP distribution on PC
The most simple, and at the same time being the record holder of its kind, the XP version is installed as follows:
- The user enters the BIOS program on his computer and assigns a CD / DVD drive (or USB drive) from the list of boot devices.
- After saving the changes, the PC restarts.
- As a rule, the inscription “Press any key ...” should appear on the initial screen (above), which is a kind of invitation to agree to the download method.
- After you press any key on the computer keyboard, the process of checking the configuration of the equipment will follow.
- This will be followed by the download of the files that the distribution of Windows XP has.
At the initial stage of installation, the user will need to prepare the selected partition of the hard drive where the OS will be installed. Upon completion, specify the language settings and configure the system time. If desired, you can set a password to log into the system. For the most part, the installation process takes place automatically and does not require any participation from the user.
Unix-like operating systems
Despite the generally recognized “openness” of the Linux kernel, not all Linux distributions are publicly available for free. The most attractive version of the OS is Ubuntu. This operating environment has different types of assemblies: minimal and server.
Perhaps one of you, dear reader, has used the so-called Live CD / USB emergency disks at least once, but not everyone knows that they work under the guidance of the GNU / Linux OS. Due to the incredible flexibility of the system, and given the ever-growing trend of its development, the popularity of the Tux penguin is only gaining momentum. At the same time, Linux distributions continue to replenish their ranks with newer and more functional versions.
Instead of an afterword
Often, a novice user, wanting to install specific software, downloads a small (only a few MB) installer file. Realizing that the true size of the program is much larger than the amount of data received, often an unlucky user simply removes the “suspicious” object. However, when you activate such an installation file, the process of downloading the main software packages usually begins. Therefore, you should never rush to conclusions. Perhaps you installed Google Chrome and saw how its distribution works, this is the same case. By the way, never forget to check downloaded files with an antivirus program. Have a good mood and correct installations!