Plus what would happen if you put all the components together and wsitched it on if windows wasnt installed? Could I buy a hard drive with windows already installed on it?
2006-09-21 19:55:46 · 13 answers · asked by bruvvamoff 5 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Other - Hardware
No you can't buy preinstalled windows hard drives. If you were to turn your computer on without an operating system then it would post the bios and then just site as it needs an operating system in order for it do anything.
Just pop the cd into the cd drive and reboot the computer or turn it on. This will take you to setup. Just follow they instructions on the screen - they are self explanatory. It is really quite easy.
2006-09-21 19:59:12 · answer #1 · answered by doyler78 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most of the answers are right but not clear, so here you go:
- All components to work together they need a central command center: The operating system
- Without the operating system, in this case Windows, the components would not know what to do and what else is there to collaborate.
- A boot CD or disk will instruct the computer to start up and search for an operating system.
- If there is no operating system you should install it so the components can talk to each other and send data/information.
(The following will answer your last question)
- Even if you have the operating system, i.e. Windows, it may be the case that Windows does not know much about a component that is on board.
- It is possible to buy a pre-installed hard drive and the computer will recognize it and start up with Windows.
- In that case Windows XP is clever enough to ask you that it does not recognize it and suggests that you install a program called, driver.
- Drivers communicate with Windows on the characteristics of the component, such as a modem or a video card.
- Sometimes though the components are built similarly and carry common features just enough to get them working but without the exact driver you will not be able utilize all the features of the components. For example the monitor will work but with a lower resolution.
Good luck and you gotta chose this as the best answer now :-) (no, actually it's up to you).
2006-09-22 03:39:23 · answer #2 · answered by cannadoo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you just put all components together and switch on the PC with no installed Operating System like Windows, then you will not be able to use it. It might as well be a brick, albeit an expensive one.
You need to have Windows installed, but if you know as little about computers as you appear to, then I'd advise you to let it be installed by a professional.
2006-09-22 03:02:58 · answer #3 · answered by Walter W. Krijthe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You may need a boot disk...it is a 3.5 floppy disk that has info on it that your comp needs to install windows.
Otherwise, insert the windows disk you have and switch the computer on...it should check for registries on your floppy drive, then your CD drives and then check the hard drive if it doesnt find any in the other spots. (If it doesnt check these other places, email me, there is a setting you will need to change).
It would say something like "boot disk error" if you didnt have an operating system installed.
You can get whole computers with windows installed but I dont think they do that with just the HDD.
2006-09-22 03:04:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignore the comment about a floppy - who uses them, especially on a new build?? Come on be sensible. All of the other answers are pretty much right, however if you slip me a lady godivar and a cup of tea I'll come around and do it for you. If you get a version of XP you should just be able to put it in and set BIOS to boot from CD and then you just pretty much wait an hour and it's done with very little input.
PS. If you pick mine as the best answer I will give you 10p and a bunch of grapes. ;P
2006-09-22 03:46:40 · answer #5 · answered by JamesB99_1999 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to turn it on for the first time to install an operating system! When your system boots, put your op sys cd in and reboot. If the bios boot sequence is set to boot from cd first (which most new mobos are) installation will begin (if you put it together right!). If the system doesnt boot from cd, you will have to watch your screen as it boots and look for a command to setup the bios. Its usually the delete key. You can then set the boot sequence.
2006-09-22 03:02:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
switched on with no windows
you will get an error like "o/s not found" and nothing useful will happen
hard drive with windows:
No, because it needs to be configured to your machine.
to many combos of parts out there for a one size fits all
to install windows xp:
boot from the xp cd.
( change the setting in the cmos to boot from the cd first)
and follow all directions
have your serial number standing near by)
if you don't own xp,
either buy it,
or go with a different os such as linux.
2006-09-22 03:01:41 · answer #7 · answered by papeche 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you don't want to buy windows, try linux - it's free... and there's hundreds of versions to choose from. Check out ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ - or check out http://www.distrowatch.org and find another version to try - popular ones include Debian, Fedora, Suse, Mandriva, and Gentoo.
2006-09-22 03:07:26 · answer #8 · answered by lwcomputing 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why windows? When you can have Mac?
Mac has had only 3 reported viruses in its entire history, one of which was a hoax.
It doesn't advertise that it is online, making it almost impossible to hack.
2006-09-22 03:23:35 · answer #9 · answered by Elite117 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Would have thot if you can build them you could put on windows
2006-09-22 10:49:11 · answer #10 · answered by FLOYD 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋