What are the steps immediately after you build a PC?

JohnJSal · 12-10-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [-0MEGA-]

You should be able to just install the OS right after booting it up for the first time.

I personally go into the BIOS and make some tweaks, then load the OS.

Hmmm, I'm not familiar at all with what I'll be seeing when I start up a computer without an OS on it. How do I go into the BIOS? Will there be a small window of opportunity to get into like when Windows boots, or does it just wait for me to go into it?

And how in the world will I know how to set and disable all those types of things?

paratwa · 12-10-2007, 07:39 PM

As soon as you hit the power button, start hitting the Delete button. That will get you into your BIOS. Your motherboard manual should tell what each setting is. Follow that and you will be fine.

Set your boot order settings as CD, Harddrive, floppy. Once you do that, shut down and put your OS cd in and follow the directions. At the beginning it will load some drivers and if you are using a SATA drive and XP you will have to load some drivers for SATA. Once you get past that it will ask you if you want to format a partition, say yes and it will format your harddrive.

Once the format is done it will ask you if you want to install windows on that partition, say yes, then sit back and watch windows load and fill in the information it asks for. Then your set!

JohnJSal · 12-10-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paratwa

As soon as you hit the power button, start hitting the Delete button. That will get you into your BIOS. Your motherboard manual should tell what each setting is. Follow that and you will be fine.

Set your boot order settings as CD, Harddrive, floppy. Once you do that, shut down and put your OS cd in and follow the directions. At the beginning it will load some drivers and if you are using a SATA drive and XP you will have to load some drivers for SATA. Once you get past that it will ask you if you want to format a partition, say yes and it will format your harddrive.

Once the format is done it will ask you if you want to install windows on that partition, say yes, then sit back and watch windows load and fill in the information it asks for. Then your set!

Thanks! I'll be comfortable when I get to the formatting/Windows installation step, but working with just a BIOS screen seems a little intimidating, even though I've done it before (but within the safe confines of having Windows as my OS

But it shouldn't be too hard to set the drive order. I'll be sure to check the mobo manual too.

zeppelin03 · 12-10-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diduknowthat

I usually go into the bios, set all the boot devices, disable the floppy disk drive, set the temperature alarm and shutdown temperature and check the voltages. Then I reboot and install the OS.

What temps and voltages do you usually look for

diduknowthat · 12-10-2007, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeppelin03

What temps and voltages do you usually look for

I check the CPU temp and set the alarm, usually at 70ºC. And I look for the CPU and RAM voltages.

Garethman!!` · 12-10-2007, 11:58 PM

I always do a check of cabling, then I check 1 final time. Once its on, I install the operating system, all the drivers, then my games and have a blast!

JohnJSal · 12-11-2007, 04:19 AM

Ok, here's an example of something I would never have known to do. I read this in my book. It says first you start up the system to see if it boots at all, then turn it off. Then it says to set the jumper on the mobo to Configure mode, restart the computer, go into the BIOS and do things, then turn it off again. Put the jumper back to Normal mode, then restart and install the OS.

So....I'm sort of worried. I'd like to know if these steps are necessary, or if things will just work normally as they are without any BIOS tweaking, etc. Or is there some website that goes into this step of the process?

Right now I feel like I can build the thing, but then be stranded not knowing what to do next.

oscaryu1 · 12-11-2007, 12:29 PM

No, I don't think those steps will be needed

The origional CMOS configuration doesn't need to be changed except boot order.

JohnJSal · 12-11-2007, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oscaryu1

No, I don't think those steps will be needed

The origional CMOS configuration doesn't need to be changed except boot order.

Ok, I'll try to stop worrying about it.

paratwa · 12-12-2007, 02:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnJSal

Then it says to set the jumper on the mobo to Configure mode,

Never heard of configure mode! What book are you reading?

12-10-2007, 11:58 PM	#16 (permalink)
Garethman!!` Diamond Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: UK and USA Age: 18 Posts: 1,060	I always do a check of cabling, then I check 1 final time. Once its on, I install the operating system, all the drivers, then my games and have a blast! __________________ CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q9450 / AMD Athlon 64 X2 TK-53 1.70GHz RAM : 8GB DDR2 PC6400 / 2GB DDR2-667 PC5300 A-DATA HDD : 750GB SATA Seagate Barracuda/ Western Digital Scorpio 250GB 7200RPM GPU : Radeon HD2900XT 512MB / Radeon Xpress 1150 128MB OS : Windows Vista Ultimate x64 / Windows Vista Home Premium PSU : Hiper 730W ATX / 80W Dell Laptop Power Brick

12-11-2007, 12:29 PM	#18 (permalink)
oscaryu1 VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 13 Posts: 10,038	No, I don't think those steps will be needed The origional CMOS configuration doesn't need to be changed except boot order. __________________ Core 2 Duo E2140 1.6GHz @ 3.04GHz GA-P31-DS3L pqi Turbo CL4 DDR2-800 2GB Sapphire HD3850 256MB Sony Writemaster DVD Burner EIDE Seagate Barracuda 80GB 7200.9 8MB SATII

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12-10-2007, 07:39 PM	#12 (permalink)
paratwa Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,969	As soon as you hit the power button, start hitting the Delete button. That will get you into your BIOS. Your motherboard manual should tell what each setting is. Follow that and you will be fine. Set your boot order settings as CD, Harddrive, floppy. Once you do that, shut down and put your OS cd in and follow the directions. At the beginning it will load some drivers and if you are using a SATA drive and XP you will have to load some drivers for SATA. Once you get past that it will ask you if you want to format a partition, say yes and it will format your harddrive. Once the format is done it will ask you if you want to install windows on that partition, say yes, then sit back and watch windows load and fill in the information it asks for. Then your set!

12-11-2007, 04:19 AM	#17 (permalink)
JohnJSal Platinum Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Hoboken, NJ Age: 28 Posts: 527	Ok, here's an example of something I would never have known to do. I read this in my book. It says first you start up the system to see if it boots at all, then turn it off. Then it says to set the jumper on the mobo to Configure mode, restart the computer, go into the BIOS and do things, then turn it off again. Put the jumper back to Normal mode, then restart and install the OS. So....I'm sort of worried. I'd like to know if these steps are necessary, or if things will just work normally as they are without any BIOS tweaking, etc. Or is there some website that goes into this step of the process? Right now I feel like I can build the thing, but then be stranded not knowing what to do next.