Hard drive install
- Thread starter Greeny
- Start date
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I
Igorian
An operating system and drivers would be a good start.
J
joinerjohn
Yep, some sort of OS would be a very useful starting point. 
I loaded the OS disk, the display was very bold and odd looking??
My wireless Internet wouldn't work either?
Is it the "drivers and utilities" disk that you mean? I put this disk in but it didn't load anything more of an info disk on what is installed on the laptop.
My wireless Internet wouldn't work either?
Is it the "drivers and utilities" disk that you mean? I put this disk in but it didn't load anything more of an info disk on what is installed on the laptop.
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I
Igorian
You might find the drivers are in individual folders on the CD. They (usually) have some setup application you will need to manually run.
J
joinerjohn
You have to install an operating system first. Windows XP (Vista I'd leave out) Win 7 (you'll have to pay for these though), or if your feeling bold, have a look around the internet for a Linux OS (Ubuntu, Xbuntu Ubuntu Studio etc etc(all these last ones are free, as in , you don't have to pay for them.)
Even though you've changed the hard drive, your computer should load up enough generic drivers to install an OS (eg, your keyboard and mouse will work, as should the CD or DVD drive and USB should work.
If you have Win XP or Win7 on a disk, inserting it into your dvd drive should be enough to make the dvd autorun, then just follow the instructions to install (you'll also need the licence code off the dvd cover at some point)
Usually an OS installation is fairly idiot proof. All you do is follow on screen prompts. Your computer may re-start several times during a Windows install.
IF you decide to go the open source OS route (Ubuntu etc) you can download Ubuntu onto a usb stick (you'll have to google this first though) follow the download instructions to the letter, to create a bootable usb. Insert the usb into it's slot on the computer and when you start the computer, you have to get into the bios screen or boot menu and set usb as the first install device (this is where your computer will look for an OS to boot from.) If it's set to boot from the hard disk first, it will obviously find the hard disk, but no operating system and won't go any further, which is why you would have to set it to boot from usb first.
Ubuntu will load from a usb and this alone is enough to get you back online . It includes Firefox web browser and an email client amongst other programs. Steep learning curve, but amazingly fast boot up times (I go from 0 to blazing the internet in less than 30 seconds, whereas with Windows, I'd have enough time to make a cup of tea after I'd switched my computer on)
Even though you've changed the hard drive, your computer should load up enough generic drivers to install an OS (eg, your keyboard and mouse will work, as should the CD or DVD drive and USB should work.
If you have Win XP or Win7 on a disk, inserting it into your dvd drive should be enough to make the dvd autorun, then just follow the instructions to install (you'll also need the licence code off the dvd cover at some point)
Usually an OS installation is fairly idiot proof. All you do is follow on screen prompts. Your computer may re-start several times during a Windows install.
IF you decide to go the open source OS route (Ubuntu etc) you can download Ubuntu onto a usb stick (you'll have to google this first though) follow the download instructions to the letter, to create a bootable usb. Insert the usb into it's slot on the computer and when you start the computer, you have to get into the bios screen or boot menu and set usb as the first install device (this is where your computer will look for an OS to boot from.) If it's set to boot from the hard disk first, it will obviously find the hard disk, but no operating system and won't go any further, which is why you would have to set it to boot from usb first.
Ubuntu will load from a usb and this alone is enough to get you back online . It includes Firefox web browser and an email client amongst other programs. Steep learning curve, but amazingly fast boot up times (I go from 0 to blazing the internet in less than 30 seconds, whereas with Windows, I'd have enough time to make a cup of tea after I'd switched my computer on)
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