How to Install Windows on Your Computer

Once you have chosen and purchased an operating system for your new computer build, the only thing you have left to do is to install the operating system and you will then have a working computer.

If you have been following along with my series of articles on how to build your own computer, then you are ready for the next step of installing the operating system. If you have missed any steps along the way, or just need to get caught up, the rest of my articles will walk you through the process of building your own computer. Once you have caught up and are ready to install an operating system, simply follow the steps listed below.

First, you will have to set up the bios screen of your computer to boot from the CD ROM drive or the multi drive that you have installed in your computer. Each bios screen will vary, but you should be able to find a section that allows you to change the boot order. Usually, the boot order will specify your hard drive as the first boot device. You must change this to set the CD ROM / Multi Drive as your first boot device. Once you have made this change, place your operating system disk in the drive, save you bios changes and restart the computer.

On the next computer boot, the CD will begin to spin and start loading. The installation process of the operating system is now underway. The first step asked will be what type of install you wish to perform. The disk will allow a repair install or a clean install. The clean install option will format the hard drive or drives and will be the option to choose for your new computer build.

The next step is to format the hard drive. You will be asked to create partitions at this time. I choose three partitions for my needs, however your needs will certainly vary. For a better understanding of the purpose and uses for partitions, consult the Internet. Once you have chosen how many partitions to create, you will need to follow the one screen directions. Formatting the hard drive will take a considerable amount of time. Do not choose the quick format option.