Installing an Operating System

The Operating System provides a foundation of services for your computer. This foundation includes: <--

• A friendly user interface (which makes it easier for the user to interact with the system)
• A foundation for running applications (which is why you use computers!)
• A foundation of hardware services which allow you to interact with hardware devices
• A foundation for printing which includes a Print Engine that handles all printing functions
• A file system which allow us to create/edit/copy/rename/move/delete and organize files
• Support for networking (ability to share folders and devices & useful networking protocols)
• A layer of Security in the form of user accounts, systems policies, firewall and more)

The Operating System gets put onto the hard drive which then allows you to start your computer <--
from the Hard Drive… this HD with the OS system files is known as a ‘bootable disk’.

The hard drive must be prepared before it can have the OS installed: <--
1. Low Level Format (this is done at the factory)
2. Partitioning which allows you to make one or more sections of storage space called
‘partitions’ (formerly done with DOS FDISK but now is done from the CD or DVD)
3. High Level Format (in the past the formatting of the hard drive was done with the FORMAT
command but now is built into the software on the installation DVD or ISO image)
4. Operating System files are installed onto the HDD to make the disk ‘bootable’.

Once the OS is installed some final preparations must be carried out:

Note: this procedure is for Windows OS. Linux and Apple Mac have different procedures.

• Turn on Automatic Updates so that the system can be properly receive security updates
• Install any Service Packs if they are not already installed (this provides previous updates)
• Look for missing Device Drivers: Use Device Manager to check that all drivers are installed
• Install anti-virus (updatable anti-virus protects against known threats and future threats)
• Turn on the firewall (this provides an additional layer of security)
• Check basic network connectivity by attempting to connect to the Internet)
• Attempt to download and install a program such as Adobe Reader (this further checks the
network connectivity and checks the ability to install applications onto the OS)
• You are now ready to use you system and install the application that you use every day.