OS help

[metallica7]

Hi, i'm workin on puttin together an old computer from parts i have around. i put it all together but theres no OS on the HDD. I thought i might download ubuntu and just use that since i don't want to pay for an OS. But i need help putting some kind of OS on a disk that i can use for a boot disk. I really don't care what OS it is i just need one to put on there. If someone could tell me how to make a boot disk of an OS that i don't have to pay for.. it'd be much appreciated.

thanks

 

[chibicitiberiu]

Download Ubuntu or any linux distro you want from the website(s), burn to a CD and Voila!
That's all you have to do. After booting from that disk, (Ubuntu) you will see a menu where you are asked to do choose what to do next. Just select the first option and wait until it loads. You will be able to use it from the disk, without having to install it. You have to launch the installer which is on the desktop to install it on the hard drive and always boot from it.

It's much easier than windows.

 

[metallica7]

well i burned a cd of unbuntu and put it in and started it up but it still says operating system not found. Any ideas?

 

[chibicitiberiu]

well i burned a cd of unbuntu and put it in and started it up but it still says operating system not found. Any ideas?

Make sure CD-ROM is the first in the boot order from BIOS settings, or access the boot menu and select CD-ROM.

 

[metallica7]

ya..might have a problem.. when i start it it flashes a blue hp screen for like a second, then goes to a black screen... didn't see a place to get a boot menu or anything

 

[metallica7]

help?

 

[speedyink]

It's much easier than windows.

I don't know if easier is the word...

metallica, press either f1 or f2 when the blue hp screen shows up, then the bios menu should appear. In there, change the boot order to boot the cd rom first.