Technical Education and Skills Development Authority

Region 02
SOUTHERN ISABELA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TRADES
Santiago City

INSTALL AND CONFIGURE COMPUTER SYSTEM

 PC Disassembly and Assembly
Steps/ Procedure:
1. Confirm that the hardware works...
- Does your video monitor work?
Does your PC boot?
Do your floppy drive and CD/DVD drive work?
Does the hard drive work?
Do the keyboard and mouse functioning?

2. Turn OFF the system.

NOTE : read this entirety before you begin

1. Discharge yourself of all static electricity by touching the PC’s chassis (or the
ground screw on the receptacle.)
2. Safety NOTE!! Beware of sharp edges!!! The cheaper chassis have very sharp
edges that can cut you easily. Be very careful and take your time. Remember,
SAFETY FIRST.
3. As you remove each board and disk drive, document the information listed in the
attached Specifications document (note some parts of the spec sheets won’t apply
to this lab).

3. Disassemble the Unit

Remove the External I/O Systems:

1. Unplug all power cords, from the commercial outlet
2. Remove all peripherals from the system unit.
3. Disconnect the keyboard from the rear of the unit.
4. Disconnect the monitor power cable.
5. Disconnect the monitor signal cable (video cable) from the video adapter
card.

Do the following for each card and drive removed:

 Before removing a card, document any cables that are attached to the card,
noting where they go and their orientation.
 Store screws properly.
 Note the position of the colour strip (pin no. 1) on the cables and make a
mark for the pin no.1 if needed on the I/O card or Motherboard and on
the Floppy and the hard drive.

Remove the Storage Devices in the System Unit:

6. Remove the floppy drive.
7. Remove the hard drive.

Remove the Interface Cards (Adapter Cards):

8. Remove the video card from the expansion slot.
9. Remove other interface cards if exists.

 draw a picture of the card. The drawing should accurately show-->

 the shape of the board,

Page 2 of 56
  the connectors on the board, including the card edge connector,
 the number of pins on connectors,
 all jumpers and the jumper settings.
 label the board with any identification that appears on the card (chip
sets or manufacturer stamps, BIOS stamps, etc...).

4. Assemble the PC
- To assemble the PC, reverse the procedure above or follow the procedures
in the Assembling Computer System.

Procedure in Assembling Computer System

Introduction
 Computer assembly is a large part of a technician's job.
 Work in a logical, methodical manner when working with computer
components
 Improve computer assembly skills dramatically with practice

Open the Case

 Prepare the workspace before opening the computer case:
- Adequate lighting
- Good ventilation
- Comfortable room temperature
- Workbench accessible from all sides
- Avoid cluttering workbench
- An antistatic mat on the table
- Small containers to hold screws and other small parts
 There are different methods for opening cases. To learn how, consult the
user manual or manufacturer's website.

Install the Power Supply

Power supply installation steps include the following:
1. Insert the power supply into the case
2. Align the holes in the power supply with the holes in the case
3. Secure the power supply to the case using the proper
screws
Attach Components to the Motherboard
 As part of an upgrade or repair, a technician may need to
attach components to the motherboard, and then install
the motherboard.

CPU on Motherboard
 The CPU and motherboard are sensitive to electrostatic discharge so use a
grounded antistatic mat and wear an antistatic wrist strap. CAUTION: When
handling a CPU, do not touch the CPU contacts.
 The CPU is secured to the socket on the motherboard with a locking
assembly.
Page 3 of 56
Thermal Compound
 Thermal compound helps to keep the CPU cool.
 To install a used CPU, clean it and the base of the
heat sink with isopropyl alcohol to remove the old
thermal compound.
 Follow manufacturer’s
recommendations
about applying the
thermal compound.

Heat Sink/Fan Assembly

 The Heat Sink/Fan Assembly is a two-
part cooling device.
 The heat sink draws heat away from the
CPU.
 The fan moves the heat away from the
heat sink.
 The heat sink/fan assembly usually has
a 3-pin power connector.

Install CPU and Heat Sink/Fan Assembly

1. Align the CPU so that the Connection 1
indicator is lined up with Pin 1 on the CPU socket.
2. Place the CPU gently into the socket.
3. Close the CPU load plate and secure it by closing the load lever and moving
it under the load lever retention tab.
4. Apply a small amount of thermal compound to the CPU and spread it
evenly. Follow the application instructions provided by the manufacturer.
5. Line up the heat sink/fan assembly retainers to the holes on the
motherboard.
6. Place the heat sink/fan assembly onto the CPU socket, being careful not to
pinch the CPU fan wires.
7. Tighten the heat sink/fan assembly retainers to secure the assembly in
place.
8. Connect the heat sink/fan assembly power cable to the header on the
motherboard.

Install RAM
 RAM provides temporary data storage for the CPU while the computer is
operating.
 RAM should be installed in the motherboard before the motherboard is
placed in the computer case.
 RAM installation steps:

Page 4 of 56
 1. Align the notches on the RAM module to the keys in the slot and press
down until the side tabs click into place.
2. Make sure that the side tabs have locked the RAM module and
visually check for exposed contacts.

The Motherboard
 The motherboard is now ready to install in the computer case.
 Plastic and metal standoffs are used to mount the motherboard and to
prevent it from touching the metal portions of the case.
 Install only the standoffs that align with the holes in the motherboard.
 Installing any additional standoffs may prevent the motherboard from being
seated properly in the computer case.

Install Motherboard
1. Install standoffs in the computer case.
2. Align the I/O connectors on the back of the
motherboard with the openings in the back of
the case.
3. Align the screw holes of the motherboard with
the standoffs.
4. Insert all of the motherboard screws.
5. Tighten all of the motherboard screws.

Install Internal Drives

Drives that are installed in internal bays are called
internal drives.
 A hard disk drive (HDD) is an example of an
internal drive.
 HDD installation steps:
1. Position the HDD so that it aligns with the 3.5-
inch drive bay.
2. Insert the HDD into the drive bay so that the
screw holes in the drive line up with the screw
holes in the case.
3. Secure the HDD to the case using the proper
screws.
Install Drives in External Bays
 Drives, such as optical drives (CD and DVD) and floppy
drives, are installed in drive bays that are accessed from the
front of the case.
 Optical drives and floppy drives store data on removable
media.
 Drives in external bays allow access to the media without
opening the case.

Page 5 of 56
Install Optical Drive
 An optical drive is a storage device that reads and writes information to CDs
or DVDs.
 Optical drive installation steps:
1. Position the optical drive to align with the 5.25 inch drive bay.
2. Insert the optical drive into the drive bay so that the optical drive screw
holes align with the screw holes in the case.
3. Secure the optical drive to the
case using the proper screws.

Install Floppy Drive

 A floppy disk drive (FDD) is a storage
device that reads and writes information to a floppy disk.
 FDD installation steps:
1. Position the FDD so that it aligns with the 3.5 inch drive bay.
2. Insert the FDD into the drive bay so that the FDD screw holes align
with the screw holes in the case.
3. Secure the FDD to the case using the proper screws.

Install Adapter Cards

 Adapter cards are installed to add functionality to a
computer.
 Adapter cards must be compatible with the expansion slot.
 Some adapter cards:
1. PCIe x1 NIC
2. PCI Wireless NIC
3. PCIe x16 video adapter card

Install the Network Interface Card

(NIC)
 A NIC enables a computer to connect to a network.
 NICs use PCI and PCIe expansion slots on the motherboard.
 NIC installation steps:
1. Align the NIC to the appropriate slot on the
motherboard.
2. Press down gently on the NIC until the card is seated.
3. Secure the NIC PC mounting bracket to the case with
the appropriate screw.

Page 6 of 56
Install the Wireless NIC
 A wireless NIC enables a computer
to connect to a wireless network.
 Some wireless NICs are installed
externally with a USB connector.
 Wireless NIC installation steps:
1. Align the wireless NIC to the appropriate
expansion slot on
the motherboard.
2. Press down gently on the wireless NIC until the card is
fully seated.
3. Secure the mounting bracket to the case with the appropriate
screw.
Install the Video Adapter Card
 A video adapter card is the interface between a computer and a display
monitor.
 An upgraded video adapter card can provide
better graphic capabilities for games and
graphic programs.
 Video adapter card installation steps:
1. Align the video adapter card to the
appropriate expansion slot on the
motherboard.
2. Press down gently on the video
adapter card until the card is fully
seated.
3. Secure the video adapter card
PC mounting bracket to the case
with the appropriate screw.

Connect Internal Cables

 Power cables are used to distribute electricity from the power
supply to the motherboard and other components.
 Data cables transmit data between the motherboard and
storage devices, such as hard drives.
 Additional cables connect the buttons and link lights on the
front of the computer case to the motherboard.

Connect Power Cables

Motherboard Power Connections
 The Advanced Technology Extended (ATX) main power
connector has either 20 or 24 pins.
 The power supply may also have a 4-pin or 6-pin
Auxiliary (AUX) power connector that connects to the
motherboard.
 A 20-pin connector will work in a motherboard with a
24-pin socket.

Page 7 of 56
Connect Power Cables
 ATA Power Connectors use a 15-pin connector to
connect to hard disk drives, optical drives, or any
devices that have a SATA power socket.
 Molex Power Connectors are used by hard disk
drives and optical drives that do not have SATA
power sockets. M
 CAUTION: Do not use a Molex connector and a SATA SA
ol
power connector on the same drive at the same time.
 4-pin Berg Power Connector supplies power to a floppy
B TA
ex
drive. e
Power Connector Installation Steps r
1. Plug the SATA power connector into the HDD.
2. Plug the Molex power connector into the optical drive. g
3. Plug the 4-pin Berg power connector into the FDD.
4. Connect the 3-pin fan power connector into the appropriate fan
header on the motherboard, according to the motherboard manual.
5. Plug the additional cables from the case into the appropriate connectors
according to the motherboard manual.

PATA Cables
 Drives connect to the motherboard using data cables.
 Types of data cables are PATA, SATA, and floppy disk.
 The PATA cable (sometimes called a ribbon cable) is wide and flat and can
have either 40 or 80 conductors.
 A PATA cable usually has three 40-pin connectors.
 If multiple hard drives are installed, the master drive will connect to the end
connector. The slave drive will connect to the
middle connector.
 Many motherboards have two PATA cable
sockets, which provides support for a maximum
of four PATA drives.
SATA Cables
 The SATA data cable has a 7-pin connector.
 One end of the cable is connected to the motherboard.
 The other end is connected to any drive that has a SATA data connector.

 Floppy Drive Cables

Page 8 of 56
  The floppy drive data cable has a 34-pin connector and it has a stripe to
denote the location of pin 1.
 One connector at the end of the cable connects to the motherboard. The
other two connectors connect to drives.
 If multiple floppy drives are installed, the A: drive will connect to the end
connector. The B: drive will connect to the middle connector.
 Motherboards have one floppy drive controller which provides support for a
maximum of two floppy drives.

Install Data Cables

1. Plug the motherboard end of the PATA cable into the motherboard socket.
2. Plug the connector at the far end of the PATA cable into the optical drive.
3. Plug one end of the SATA cable into the motherboard socket.
4. Plug the other end of the SATA cable into the HDD.
5. Plug the motherboard end of the FDD cable into the motherboard socket.
6. Plug the connector at the far end of the FDD cable into the floppy drive.

Re-attach Panels, Connect External

Cables

 Now that all the internal components

have been installed and connected to
the motherboard and power supply,
the side panels are re-attached to the
computer case.
 The next step is to connect the cables
for all computer peripherals and the
power cable.

Re-attach Side Panels

 Most computer cases have two panels, one on each side.
 Once the cover is in place, make sure that it is secured at all screw
locations.
 Refer to the documentation or manufacturer’s website if you are unsure
about how to remove or replace your computer case.
CAUTION: Handle case parts with care. Some computer case covers have sharp or
jagged edges.

Connect External Cables

 After the case panels have been re-attached, connect the external cables to
the back of the computer.
 External cable connections include:
 Monitor USB
 Keyboard Power
 Mouse Ethernet

Page 9 of 56
 CAUTION: When attaching cables, never force a connection.

NOTE: Plug in the power cable after you have connected all other
cables.

Connect External Cables

1. Attach the monitor cable to the video port.
2. Secure the cable by tightening the screws on the connector.
3. Plug the keyboard cable into the PS/2 keyboard port.
4. Plug the mouse cable into the PS/2 mouse port.
5. Plug the USB cable into a USB port.
6. Plug the network cable into the network port.
7. Connect the wireless antenna to the antenna connector.
8. Plug the power cable into the power supply.
Boot Computer for the First Time
 The BIOS is a set of instructions stored in a nonvolatile memory chip.
 When the computer is booted, the basic input/output system (BIOS) will
perform a power-on self test (POST) to check on all of the internal
components.

 A special key or combination of keys on the keyboard is used to enter the

BIOS setup program.
 The BIOS setup program displays information about all of the components
in the computer.
Identify Beep Codes
 POST checks to see that all of the hardware in the computer is operating
correctly.
 If a device is malfunctioning, an error or a beep code alerts the technician
that there is a problem.
 Typically, a single beep denotes that the computer is functioning properly.
 If there is a hardware problem, the computer may emit a series of beeps.
 Each BIOS manufacturer uses different codes to indicate hardware
problems.
 Consult the motherboard documentation to view beep codes for your
computer.

Page 10 of 56
 Portable Bootable Devices
Learning Objective:
After reading this INFORMATION SHEET, YOU MUST be able to be familiar and
use the Portable Bootable Devices properly.

Portable Bootable Devices

A live USB is a USB flash drive or a USB external hard disk drive containing a full operating
system that can be booted. Live USBs are closely related to live CDs, but sometimes have
the ability to persistently save settings and permanently install software packages back onto
the USB device. Like live CDs, live USBs can be used in embedded systems for system
administration, data recovery, or the testing of operating system distributions without
committing to a permanent installation on the local hard disk drive. Many operating systems
including Mac OS 9, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows XP Embedded and many of
the Linux and BSD distributions can also be used from a USB flash drive. Windows 8 is also
capable of running from a USB drive, with Windows To Go.

How to Make a USB Bootable

Have an old USB drive lying around that you don't use anymore? Turn it into an operating
install disk for Windows, Linux or Mac, or a diagnostic tool for your PC.

Follow this guide to learn how.

1. Open the Command Prompt. You will need to run Command Prompt as an
Administrator. Right-click on it and select Run as Administrator. You may need to
enter the Administrator password.
 This method will create a USB drive that is bootable. You can then copy the
contents of an operating installation disc onto the drive to create a portable
installation drive.
 This method only works in Windows Vista, 7, and 8.

Page 11 of 56
 2. Open the disk management
utility. This can be opened by
entering the command disk part.

3. Display the connected

disks. Type the command list
disk to show a list of all the drives
connected to your computer. Your
USB drive should be listed here
as well. Make note of the number
next to your USB drive.

Select the USB drive. Enter the

command select disk #, replace “#” with
the number from the previous step.

4. Clean the flash drive. Enter the

command clean to have the disk
management utility verify the
integrity of the USB drive, and erase
all data.

5. Create a bootable partition. Once

the USB drive is clean, type
in create partition primary. You
will see a message saying that
the operation was successful.

Page 12 of 56
6. Select the new
partition. Enter the
command select
partition 1 and press
Enter. Once you receive a
confirmation message,
type active and press
Enter. This will activate
the partition.

7. Format the USB drive. Input the

command format fs=fat32. When you
press Enter, the program will work for
a few minutes (if it is a small USB, e.g.
32Gb could actually take hours to
SLOW format), and the progress will
be displayed as a percentage.

8. Assign the USB a drive letter. Enter the

command assign to give the thumb drive a
letter designation. Type exit to end the
disk management program.

Page 13 of 56
 9. Copy the operating system. Once the USB drive has been made bootable, you can
copy over the installation files for the operating system you want to install. You can
do this by dragging and dropping using your preferred file manager/explorer.

 Copy over any drivers you might need during the operating system installation to make the
process much smoother.

Note: You can also create a bootable USB Drive using a third party software.

Like: Rufus. PowerIso and others.

Page 14 of 56
 BIOS CONFIGURATION
Steps/ Procedure:
- Start the computer and press ESC, F1, F2, F8 or F10 during the initial startup screen.
Depending on the BIOS manufacturer, a menu may appear.
- Choose to enter BIOS setup. The BIOS setup utility page appears.
 On the Main tab, find general product information, including BIOS type, processor,
memory, and time/date.
 In advance Tab find Configuration information for the CPU, memory, IDE, Super IO,
trusted computing, USB, PCI, MPS and other information.
 To change boot priority options:
- Use the arrow keys to select the BOOT tab. System devices appear in order of priority.
- To give a CD or DVD drive boot sequence priority over the hard drive, move it to the first
position in the list.
- To give a USB device boot sequence priority over the hard drive, do the following:
o Move the hard drive device to the top of the boot sequence list.
o Expand the hard drive device to display all hard drives.
o Move the USB device to the top of the list of hard drives.
- Save and exit the BIOS setup utility. (Press F10)
- The computer will restart with the changed settings.

Page 15 of 56
 INSTALL OPERATING SYSTEMS

How to Install Windows 7

When you make the decision to upgrade your current OS to Windows 7, there are a couple
of ways to go about it. The most hassle free is a complete clean installation. This method will
save you lots of headaches down the road. Follow this guide to help make your transition to
Windows 7 as smooth as possible.
Changing your OS to Windows 7
Install Windows 7
Step 1
Check your specs. In order to run Windows 7 you must have at least a 1 gigahertz (GHz)
processor, 1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM (2 if installing 64-bit), 16 GB of hard disk space (20 if
installing 64-bit), and a DirectX 9 graphics card with WDDM 1.0. [1] Different programs will
have different system requirements.

To check your system specs in Windows Vista, open the Start menu and right-click Computer.
From the menu, select Properties. The screen that opens will provide you with your
computer’s specifications.
To check your system specs in Windows XP, open the Start menu and right-click My
Computer. From the menu, select Properties. This will open the System Properties window.
In the General tab, your system specifications will be listed under the Computer heading.

Step 2
Backup your data. If you are upgrading from
another OS, you will lose all of your files and
programs. The programs can’t be backed up;
they will need to be reinstalled. Any files—
including documents, music, pictures, and
videos—that you want to save need to be
copied to a backup location.
You can use DVDs, CDs, external hard
drives, flash drives, or the cloud, depending
on how much data you have to backup

Page 16 of 56
Step 3
Set your BIOS to boot from CD. To do this, restart the computer and enter the setup screen
when the manufacturer logo appears. The key to do this will be displayed, and varies by
manufacturer. The most common keys are F2, F10, F12, and Del.
Once in the BIOS menu, select the Boot menu. Change the order of devices so that your
computer boots from CD before booting from the hard drive. Save your changes and exit.
Your computer will restart.
If you are installing from a flash drive, then you will need to set the BIOS to boot from
removable storage.

Step 4

Begin Setup. If the CD has been inserted and the BIOS is set correctly, you will see a
message telling you to “Press any key to boot from CD…” Press a key on the keyboard and
the setup process for Windows 7 will launch.
Your system may automatically launch the setup program without asking you to press any
key.

Step 5

Page 17 of 56
Watch the Windows files load. After completion, the Windows 7 logo will appear. No files
have been altered on your computer yet. Your data will be deleted in later steps.

Step 6
Choose your preferences. You will be prompted to confirm your Language, Time & Currency
format, and Keyboard or input method. Select the appropriate options for you and click Next.

Step 7

Click Install Now. Do not click repair computer, even if you are repairing a computer by
reinstalling Windows. Once clicked, Setup will begin loading the files it needs to continue.

Step 8

Read and accept the terms. In order to advance, you must indicate that you have read and
agree to Microsoft’s terms of use. Be sure to read through it so that you know your rights and
limitations as a user.
Page 18 of 56
Step 9
Choose Custom install. This will allow you to perform a clean installation. Even if you
are upgrading a previous version of Windows, it is highly recommended that you perform a
clean install. Performing an Upgrade will often lead to devices and programs not operating
efficiently and effectively.

Step 10

Delete the partition. A window will open asking where you would like to install
Windows. In order to perform a clean install, you need to delete the old partition and start
with a clean slate. Click “Drive options (advanced).” This will give you the ability to delete and
create partitions.
Select the partition of your existing operating system and click the Delete button.
If you are installing an operating system for the first time on this hard drive, then there will be
no partitions to delete.
If your hard drive has multiple partitions, be sure to delete the correct one. Any data
on a deleted partition is lost for good.
Confirm the deletion process.

Page 19 of 56
Step 11
Select the Unallocated Space and click Next. There is no need to create a partition before
you install Windows 7, this is done automatically.

Step 12

Wait while Windows installs files. The percentage next to Expanding Windows files will
steadily increase. This part of the process can take up to 30 minutes.
Windows will automatically restart your computer when finished.
Setup will launch again, and a message will tell you that Setup is updating registry
settings.
Setup will then configure your computer’s services. This happens every time you start
Windows, but will happen in the background next time.

Page 20 of 56
 A window will open letting you know that Windows is completing the installation. Your
computer will restart again when this is complete.
Setup will now load drivers and check video settings. This part does not require any input
from you.

Step 13
Enter your user name and computer name. Your username will be used to log in to the
computer and personalize your account. Your computer name is the name that your computer
will display on the network.
You can add more users later through the Windows 7 control panel.
Windows will ask you for a password. This is optional but highly recommended, especially if
the computer will be accessible by users other than yourself. If you’d rather not have a
password, leave the fields blank and click Next.

Step 14

Page 21 of 56
Enter your product key. This is the 25-character key that came with your copy of Windows.
Check the “Automatically activate Windows when I’m online” to have Windows automatically
verify your key the next time it is connected to the internet.

Step 15

Select your Windows Update option. To make sure that your copy of Windows runs securely
and stably, it is highly recommended that you choose one of the first two options. The first
option will install all updates automatically, the second option will prompt you when important
updates are available.

Step 16

Select your date and time. These should be correct already as they are linked to your BIOS,
but you can change them now if they are not. Check the box if your area observes Daylight
Savings.

Step 17

Page 22 of 56
 Select network preferences. If your computer is connected to a network, you will be
given an option to identify that network. Most users will select Home or Work network. If your
computer is being used in a public place, select Public network. Mobile broadband users
should always select Public network.
Windows will now attempt to connect your computer to the network. This process is
completely automated.

Step 18
Explore your desktop. After one final loading screen, your new Windows 7 desktop will
appear. Installation is now complete.
After Installing

Page 23 of 56
Step 19

Run Windows Update. If you selected not to update automatically, you should run Windows
Update as soon as possible. This will ensure that you have the latest security and stability
fixes. If you chose to automatically update, your computer will start downloading and installing
updates as soon as it is connected to the internet.

Step 20

Check you devices and drivers. Windows 7 should install most if not all of your devices
automatically. Some older devices may not be initially supported, however. You will need to
find the correct drivers from the device’s manufacturer’s website.

Page 24 of 56
Step 21
Reinstall your programs. Because you did a clean install, none of your old program
will be available. You will need to reinstall everything you want to use again. This includes
word processors, web browsers, games, and more.
Not all old programs are compatible with Windows 7. Check for updates from the
program’s manufacturer, or take a look at our guide on running old programs in Compatibility
Mode.

Step 22

Be sure to install a good antivirus program. This is especially important if your computer is
connected to an always-online internet connection.

Page 25 of 56
The complete guide to a Windows 8 clean installation

Backup your data

Of course, before you get started, you should back up your data. You can use Windows 7's
Backup and Restore to create a backup or you can simply copy your data files over to an
external hard disk. You might even want to do both operations. After all, you really can't have
too many backups, can you?
Getting started

After booting from the DVD installer, the first thing you encountered was the new light blue
Windows logo on a black background, as shown in Figure A. This image remained on the
screen for a few moments while Setup was initializing. I was kind of hoping that the flag would
be animated, but the only animation was the dots spinning in a circle.

Figure A

The new light blue Windows flag is introduced.

After a few minutes, you'll see the Windows Setup screen shown in Figure B and you will
specify your language settings before clicking Next. When you do, Setup will perform some
more initialization tasks in the background.

Figure B

The first step in the installation is to specify your language settings.

As soon as the initial steps are taken care of, you'll see the Windows Setup screen shown
in Figure C and will click the Install Now button.

Page 26 of 56
Figure C

To get started, just click the Install now button.

Collecting Information
Once you click the Install now button, you'll see the beginning of the information collection
phase of the installation procedure. As you can see in Figure D, the first step here is to
input the Windows 8 product key.

Figure D

You'll enter your product key to start the information collection phase of the installation procedure.

The next step is to acknowledge that you accept the license terms, as shown in Figure E. If
you take the time to read through them, you will see that Microsoft has indeed radically
overhauled EULA as Ed Bott over at ZDNet wrote about in a recent column.

Page 27 of 56
Even if you don't take the time to read the license terms during the installation, once you have
installed Windows 8, you can find the Microsoft Software License Agreement in the Windows
Help and Support system - just search with the term License. Not only is the license shorter
in length, but it is also much clearer and easier to read.

Figure E

The new EULA is much easier to read that previous versions.

When you are prompted to choose which type of installation you want to perform, as shown
in Figure F, you'll choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) type in order to perform
a clean install of Windows 8.

Figure F

In order to perform a clean install of Windows 8, you'll select the Custom option.

When you are prompted to choose where you want to install Windows, as shown in Figure
G, you'll see a list of any partitions that are currently on your hard disk. As you can see in my
example system there are actually four separate partitions. You may have a different
combination depending on your system.
Page 28 of 56
As I mentioned, performing a clean install means blowing away all existing partitions. The
first partition in this list is labeled System Reserved and it was created automatically during
the Windows 7 installation. A new System Reserved partition will be created by Windows 8,
so you can remove existing one. The partition labeled Recovery contains the OEM recovery
for Windows 7. I created the recovery DVDs soon after I got the new system. It won't do me
any good going forward with Windows 8 anyway, so I will remove that partition too. The
partition labeled WIN7 contains the Windows 7 installation that I am replacing, so it is
definitely going. The partition labeled DATA contains all of my data that I copied to an external
hard disk, so it is safe to blow that one away too.

Figure G

On you example system there are four partitions that I will be blowing away.

To begin blowing away partitions, you start by clicking Drive options (advanced). When you
do so, you'll see a list of commands for managing partitions, as shown in Figure H.

Figure H

When you click Drive options (advanced), you'll see a list of commands for managing partitions.
Now, you'll select each of the partitions, one by one, and select the Delete
command. When you do, you'll see a confirmation prompt like the one shown in Figure I.
Just click OK to delete the partition.

Page 29 of 56
Figure I

As you delete each partition, you'll be prompted to confirm the operation.

Once you delete each of the existing partitions, you'll see that all of the space will be
combined together in one chunk labeled Unallocated Space, as shown in Figure J. While
you could create a new partition and format it, you don't have to. Windows 8 will
automatically take care of that in the next step. So just go ahead and click Next.

Figure J

All of the space will be combined together in one chunk labeled Unallocated Space.

Installing Windows
When you click Next, Setup creates the partition, formats it, and then instantly moves into
the Installing Windows phase which begins with copying and getting files ready for the
installation, as shown in Figure K. This process will take a while to progress though, so you
can sit back and relax a bit.

Page 30 of 56
Figure K

The Installing Windows stage begins with copying files from the DVD to the hard disk.

When this phase of the process is complete, Windows will alert you that it is going to restart
in order to continue, as shown in Figure L. If you are really impatient and really quick, you
can click the Restart now button.

Figure L

Windows will restart after the first part of the process is complete.
Upon restarting you'll see the black screen with the blue Windows logo and see that Setup
is getting devices ready, as shown in Figure M. As soon as that part of the process is
complete, Windows will alert you that it is going to restart again, as shown in Figure N.

Page 31 of 56
Figure M
Windows Setup will get all installed devices ready to work with Windows 8.

Figure N

Windows will restart again.

Configuring Windows
When the system restarts, you'll be prompted to choose a color scheme for Windows 8 and
a PC name, as shown in Figure O. I chose a light blue color scheme for now. I can change
it later.

Page 32 of 56
Figure O
You can choose a color schema and name your computer.
When the Settings screen appears, as shown in Figure P, you can choose to customize
these settings or you can allow Windows to use the express settings. If you are unsure, you
can click the Learn more link and get more details. I chose to use the express settings. I
can change any or all of these setting later if I want.

Figure P

You can customize the settings or just go the express route.

On the next screen, you'll choose how you want to sign on to Windows 8, as shown inFigure
Q. While you can choose to sign in with a local account, I would recommend that you use an
existing Microsoft (email) account, such as a Hotmail.com or a Live.com account. If you don't
have a Microsoft account, you can sign up for one or you can use any email address that you
want and Windows 8 will create an account for you.
Page 33 of 56
Figure Q
It will be to your advantage to use an existing Microsoft account or to create one.

The advantage of using an existing Microsoft account or creating one is that you will
be able to instantly use the Windows Store, will be able to easily sync settings between
multiple Windows 8 computers, and be able to easily take advantage of other Windows 8
features. I already have a Microsoft account, so I entered it here.
After filling the details of your account on the next couple of screens, you'll eventually
see a screen that changes color as it alerts you the Setup is getting your PC ready. The green
version of this screen is show in Figure R.

Figure R

While this screen changes color often, it will remain for a few minutes while Setup works in the background.
As you may know, Windows 8 comes with a host of native apps for the Start screen interface
that replace and add to the group of applications that used to come with previous versions of
Windows. The screen shown in Figure S indicates that Setup is installing those apps.

Page 34 of 56
Figure S
As the last step in the installation, Windows 8 installs its set of native apps.

Once the apps are installed, you'll see the Start screen, as shown in Figure T, and can
begin using Windows 8.

Figure T

The Start screen appears when the installation procedure is complete.

Page 35 of 56
How to install Ubuntu
The Ubuntu Installation Guide

– Install from CD
– Install with Wubi
– Install in EXT3 Partition
– Install from USB
When it comes to installing popular Linux flavor Ubuntu, there are so many useful snippets
of information on blogs and guides all over the internet. If you Google “How to install
Ubuntu”, you’ll see what I mean.
For an Ubuntu beginner or curious Windows intermediate user however, there’s no single,
simple source of information when it comes to trying out your first Ubuntu installation. One
thing I have noticed is that there’s a lot of technical jargon and sometimes unnecessary
terminal commands in lengthy forum posts, but no simple “how to” guides, which I think
might put some people off! A shame, when you think about how easy Ubuntu is to install, use
and tweak to look really cool!
This post will talk you through your first Ubuntu installation, hopefully teaching you
everything you need to know to give Ubuntu a try without breaking or removing your existing
Windows installation. The end result will be a “vanilla” Ubuntu Installation running
simultaneously with your Windows installation using either the GRUB bootloader, or WUBI,
depending on how far you’d like to go on your first Ubuntu experience.
I hope my guide makes installing Ubuntu an enjoyable, simple experience. By the end of the
guide you should have a dual boot Windows / Ubuntu machine that happily plays music,
video, and acts as a perfectly usable home office computer with Openoffice 3.0. For the really
adventurous you could even run Windows XP inside Virtualbox, which is linked to later on in
the guide. The Ubuntu OS is unique and seriously cool, so, enjoy the trip.

If you’re planning on installing the latest version of Ubuntu (Jaunty Jackalope 9.04)
you can install Ubuntu straight from the CD inside Windows or from a USB stick and the
install process can takes care of formatting your hard drive partition for you. You might not
yet have a spare partition to do this, so I’ve covered shrinking your existing Windows partition
to make space for Ubuntu here.
How to install Ubuntu from CD
1) Download the Ubuntu ISO from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download and save to
your desktop
2) Burn the ISO image to a blank CD using Roxio CD creator or similar:
Page 36 of 56
3) Run the CD from “My Computer” – the CD should ask permission to run at which point
you’ll see this option screen:

Install Ubuntu with Wubi

4) If you’d like to install Ubuntu using Wubi, select “install inside Windows” and follow the
instructions. Installing with WUBI is ideal for a first taste of Ubuntu as you can remove from
add/remove programs in Windows later on. This install process is really easy but you don’t
get the same performance as if Ubuntu had a separate partition running on its EXT3 file
system. The following screens are all based on the Wubi installer process, so you can follow
the rest of the instructions below.
If you’d like to install Ubuntu separately to Windows, then skip to point 7) below.
Here’s what you see next:

Page 37 of 56
If you’ve got the space on your hard drive, go for 30gb or more for the installation size.
5) Now configure your installation using the simple settings options. You can specify the
location of the Ubuntu installation on your Windows partition, the size of the Ubuntu
installation, the Ubuntu flavour (Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, etc), your preferred language,
and a username and password for the Ubuntu system.

When you click install, you’ll see this screen:

As soon as the files have finished downloading, you’ll see this:

Page 38 of 56
6) That’s it! Click reboot now, and select “Ubuntu” on the startup screen. You now have a
fully functional dual boot Windows / Ubuntu machine.

Install Ubuntu on a single (EXT3) partition (separately to Windows)

7) Click “Demo and full installation” and your computer will restart and boot into Ubuntu.

It’s worth saying at this point that you’re about to install Ubuntu on an entirely separate drive
partition. That means, you need to make sure you have enough space on your computers hard
drive to accomodate the new setup. Keir Thomas found that a partition less than 4gb would
lead Ubuntu to crash during install in his first look at Ubuntu 9.04 over at Lifehacker.
Here’s a guide on how to resize or shrink your Windows Vista partition. Follow those instructions
before you reboot into the live version of Ubuntu and you’ll have a really easy time during the
following steps. Maybe you’d like to install from a USB? Let’s have a quick look at the process
of installing from a USB before we continue:
Here’s how to install Ubuntu on a USB drive from Windows Vista:

8) Format your USB stick with a FAT32 partition from Windows. You can get to the format
dialogue by opening My Computer and right mouse clicking the removable drive icon. Click
“Format” and follow the settings in the image below. You need a minimum 2gb USB stick.

Page 39 of 56
9) Download UnetBootin. UNetbootin allows for the installation of various Linux/Ubuntu
distributions to a partition or USB drive, so it’s no different from a standard install, only it
doesn’t need a CD. The coolest thing about the application is that it’s a “portable” app. You
don’t need to install it into Windows meaning UNetbootin will run on your Windows PC
without “admin” privileges.

The new version of Ubuntu isn’t in the Distribution list supplied with UNetbootin yet, so use
the downloaded Ubuntu ISO from earlier on. Add the ISO using the “Diskimage”, make sure
your USB drive is selected below and click OK.

The ISO transfers to the USB pretty quickly, so soon after you click OK you’ll see this
screen:

Page 40 of 56
10) That’s it – when the installation process is complete, restart your computer and make
sure it’s set up to boot from USB. On my HP Laptop, pressing F9 on the boot screen shows a
boot order menu. Selecting “USB Hard Drive” follows a black screen, an Ubuntu logo, and
finally, your new Ubuntu desktop appears.

Completing your Ubuntu installation, step by step

Installing Ubuntu is so easy that it requires very little effort past this point. If you’ve
managed to repartition your hard drive and restart your computer you’ll sail through the
next few steps:

11) Click “install” on the live desktop (top left)

12) Choose your language in the welcome screen

Page 41 of 56
13) Choose your location

14) Choose your keyboard layout

Page 42 of 56
15) Set up your disk partition. This is probably the most “technical” part of the installation.
When I shrunk my Windows Vista drive volume, I never formatted the new partition, which
means the “use the largest continuous free space” option works nicely:

16) Choose your username and password:

17) Migrate your Windows documents and settings

Page 43 of 56
18) You’re now ready to install your new Ubuntu installation

19) When the installation has finished, restart your computer (you’ll be instructed to remove
your cd rom or USB drive). You’re now ready to begin using Ubuntu!

Page 44 of 56
How to Install Windows Server 2008
Installing Windows Server 2008 is pretty straightforward and is very much like
installing Windows Vista. For those of you who have never installed Vista
before, the entire installation process is different than it used to be in previous
Microsoft operating systems, and notably much easier to perform.

Using Vista’s installation routine is a major benefit, especially for a server OS.
Administrators can partition the system’s hard drives during setup. More
importantly, they can install the necessary AHCI or RAID storage drivers from a
CD/DVD or even a USB thumb drive. Thus, error-prone floppies can finally be
sent to the garbage bin.

Note: Windows Server 2008 can also be installed as a Server Core installation,
which is a cut-down version of Windows without the Windows Explorer GUI.
Because you don’t have the Windows Explorer to provide the GUI interface that
you are used to, you configure everything through the command line interface
or remotely using a Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The Server Core can
be used for dedicated machines with basic roles such as Domain
controller/Active Directory Domain Services, DNS Server, DHCP Server, file
server, print server, Windows Media Server, IIS 7 web server and Windows
Server Virtualization virtual server.

To use Windows Server 2008 you need to meet the following hardware
requirements:

Component Requirement

• Minimum: 1GHz (x86 processor) or 1.4GHz (x64

processor) • Recommended: 2GHz or faster Note: An
Intel Itanium 2 processor is required for Windows
Processor Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems

• Minimum: 512MB RAM • Recommended: 2GB RAM or

greater • Maximum (32-bit systems): 4GB (Standard)
or 64GB (Enterprise and Datacenter) • Maximum (64-
bit systems): 32GB (Standard) or 2TB (Enterprise,
Memory Datacenter and Itanium-based Systems)

Available Disk • Minimum: 10GB • Recommended: 40GB or greater

Space Note: Computers with more than 16GB of RAM will

Page 45 of 56
 require more disk space for paging, hibernation, and
dump files

Drive DVD-ROM drive

• Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor

Display and • Keyboard • Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing
Peripherals device
Upgrade notes:
I will not discuss the upgrade process in this article, but for your general
knowledge, the upgrade paths available for Windows Server 2008 shown in the
table below:

If you are currently running: You can upgrade to:

Full Installation of Windows Server

2008 Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003 Standard Full Installation of Windows Server
Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or 2008 Enterprise Edition
Service Pack 2)

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise

Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Full Installation of Windows Server
Service Pack 2) 2008 Enterprise Edition

Windows Server 2003 Datacenter

Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Full Installation of Windows Server
Service Pack 2) 2008 Datacenter Edition
Follow this procedure to install Windows Server 2008:

1. Insert the appropriate Windows Server 2008 installation media into your
DVD/flash drive. If you don’t have an installation DVD/flash for Windows Server
2008, you can download one for free from Microsoft’s Windows 2008 Server
Trial website.
2. Reboot the computer.

Page 46 of 56
3. When prompted for an installation language and other regional options,
make your selection and press Next.

4. Next, press Install Now to begin the installation process.

5. Product activation is now also identical with that found in Windows Vista.
Enter your Product ID in the next window, and if you want to automatically
activate Windows the moment the installation finishes, clickNext.

Page 47 of 56
If you do not have the Product ID available right now, you can leave the box
empty, and click Next. You will need to provide the Product ID later, after the
server installation is over. Press No.

6. Because you did not provide the correct ID, the installation process cannot
determine what kind of Windows Server 2008 license you own, and therefore
you will be prompted to select your correct version in the next screen,
assuming you are telling the truth and will provide the correct ID to prove your
selection later on.

Page 48 of 56
7. If you did provide the right Product ID, select the Full version of the right
Windows version you’re prompted, and click Next.

8. Read and accept the license terms by clicking to select the checkbox and
pressing Next.

Page 49 of 56
9. In the “Which type of installation do you want?” window, click the only
available option – Custom (Advanced).

10. In the “Where do you want to install Windows?”, if you’re installing the
server on a regular IDE hard disk, click to select the first disk, usually Disk
0, and click Next.

Page 50 of 56
If you’re installing on a hard disk that’s connected to a SCSI controller, click
Load Driver and insert the media provided by the controller’s manufacturer.

If you’re installing in a Virtual Machine environment, make sure you read the
“Installing the Virtual SCSI Controller Driver for Virtual Server 2005 on
Windows Server 2008”
If you must, you can also click Drive Options and manually create a partition on
the destination hard disk.

11. The installation now begins, and you can go and have lunch. Copying the
setup files from the DVD to the hard drive only takes about one minute. However,
extracting and uncompressing the files takes a good deal longer. After 20
minutes, the operating system is installed. The exact time it takes to install server
core depends upon your hardware specifications. Faster disks will perform much
faster installs… Windows Server 2008 takes up approximately 10 GB of hard drive
space.

The installation process will reboot your computer, so, if in step #10 you
inserted a floppy disk (either real or virtual), make sure you remove it before
going to lunch, as you’ll find the server hanged without the ability to boot (you
can bypass this by configuring the server to boot from a CD/DVD and then from
the hard disk in the booting order on the server’s BIOS)

12. Then the server reboots you’ll be prompted with the new Windows Server
2008 type of login screen. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to log in.

Page 51 of 56
13. Click on Other User.

14. The default Administrator is blank, so just type Administrator and

press Enter.

15. You will be prompted to change the user’s password. You have no choice
but to press Ok.

Page 52 of 56
16. In the password changing dialog box, leave the default password
blank (duh, read step #15…), and enter a new, complex, at-least-7-characters-
long new password twice. A password like “topsecret” is not valid (it’s not
complex), but one like “T0pSecreT!” sure is. Make sure you remember it.

17. Someone thought it would be cool to nag you once more, so now you’ll be
prompted to accept the fact that the password had been changed. Press Ok.

Page 53 of 56
18. Finally, the desktop appears and that’s it, you’re logged on and can begin
working. You will be greeted by an assistant for the initial server
configuration, and after performing some initial configuration tasks, you will
be able to start working.

Page 54 of 56
Updating Your Drivers and Operating System
Out-of-date drivers and operating systems can cause a variety of issues, and are
one of the first things to check when a game is having problems. The instructions below will
help you check and update your drivers.
Even new computers can have out-of-date drivers and operating systems because
updates are released routinely.
Some games and programs might run fine on a system with old drivers, but outdated
drivers can still create technical issues with specific games or programs.
Check our supported video cards articles for our driver recommendations:
 World of Warcraft
 Hearthstone
 StarCraft II
 Diablo III
 Heroes of the Storm

Refer to the steps below to update drivers and software for your operating system.

Video Card Drivers

 Press Windows + R.
 Type DxDiag and click OK.
 After the DirectX Diagnostic Tool loads, click the Display tab.
 The video card's name and manufacturer are listed in the Device section.The current
driver version is listed in the Driver section.
 Visit the driver manufacturer's website to obtain the most up-to-date driver. Contact
the driver manufacturer for assistance with updating the driver. If the computer is
under warranty, contact the computer manufacturer.

Sound Card Drivers

 Press Windows + R.
 Type DxDiag and click OK.
 After the DirectX Diagnostic Tool loads, click the Sound tab.
 The current driver version is listed in the Driver section.
 Visit the driver manufacturer's website to obtain the most up-to-date driver. Contact
the driver manufacturer for assistance with updating the driver. If the computer is
under warranty, contact the computer manufacturer.

Network Card Drivers

 Click Start (Windows Key + Q in Windows 8).
 Click Control Panel. If there is an option to Switch to Classic View, do so.
 Click System.
 Click the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.
 Expand the Network Adapters category. Make note of the network card name and
model listed.
 Double-click the network card listed.
 Click the Driver tab and make note of the driver date and version.
Visit the driver manufacturer's website to obtain the most up-to-date driver. Contact the driver
manufacturer for assistance with updating the driver. If the computer is under warranty,
contact the computer manufacturer.
Direct X
 Press Windows + R.

Page 55 of 56
  Type in DxDiag and click OK.
 Click System.
 In the System Information section, look for the DirectX Version that corresponds to
your operating system.

OPERATING SYSTEM VERSION

Windows XP DirectX 9.0c

Windows Vista DirectX 11

Windows 7 DirectX 11

Windows 8 DirectX 11

1. If your version of Windows does not match the version of DirectX listed in Step 4,
you must update it to play World of Warcraft properly.

Motherboard Chipset Updates

Experienced users can download and install the latest motherboard chipset drivers to
help resolve rare issues caused by outdated motherboard chipset drivers. Although it
is out of the Scope of Technical Support for Blizzard to assist, you can search on your
own for a program that will tell you what type of motherboard you have, then visit the
manufacturer’s website for the update
Windows OS Updates
Run Windows Update . The Windows Update link works best with Internet Explorer.
Note: The newest service packs may not automatically install when you run Windows Update.
You must manually choose to install new service packs in Windows Update.
After the updates have been installed, check if there are additional Windows Updates
available

What is Windows Update?

There's an easy, free way to help keep your PC safer and running smoothly. It's called Windows Update. All
you have to do is turn it on, and you'll get the latest security and other important updates from Microsoft
automatically.

Setting up Windows Update is simple. If you've already got automatic updating turned on, Windows Update in
Control Panel will open and show your update status. If it's not yet turned on, you'll be guided through the steps
to do so. After that, all the latest security and performance improvements will be installed on your PC quickly
and reliably.

It's (mostly) automatic

When you turn on automatic updating, most updates will download and install without you having to lift a finger.
But sometimes Windows Update will need your input during an installation. In this case, you'll see an alert in
the notification area at the far right of the taskbar—be sure to click it. If you don't respond to a Windows Update
alert, your PC might end up missing an important download.

We recommend that you use automatic updating—but if you choose not to, be sure to check for updates at least
once a week.

Page 56 of 56