Build Your Own Cheap Computer
Guide to Partitioning and Formatting Hard Drive

Step 16: Partition and Format Hard Drive

After you build your own cheap computer, you need to partition and format the hard drive to install the Operating System.

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You will require a Windows Operating System disk.

Partitioning a hard drive means that you are creating the boot sector as well as dividing the hard drive into other logical drives (C, D, E, etc.).

You need to think about the number of partitions that you intend to make on your hard drive or if you want one large partition for the complete drive.

With a modern operating system (such as Windows XP or Windows Vista) you should use the NTFS file system.

You are now ready to start!

Firstly, you need to have your system booting from the CD ROM drive. To enable CD ROM as the first boot drive, you will need to enter the system BIOS by tapping the relevant key during the boot process.

Insert the operating system CD in the CD drive and reboot computer. After a brief moment, you will be taken to the "setup" screen.

Carefully follow the on-screen prompts to install the operating system. During installation, individual input will be required from time to time. Also, your PC will re-boot many times - this is normal. Do not panic!

Formatting will be performed during this period with a choice of FAT32 or NTFS. I recommend NTFS formatting because of its advanced features such as greater security and ability to process larger files.

During this period, you can partition the drive if you so desire. Follow the menus to create either a single partion for the whole drive or multiple partitions. The first partition must be made active to make it bootable.

Sit back and allow your PC to complete the operating system installation.

New systems now come with an operating system such as Windows XP or Vista preloaded.

The above instructions are for self-built systems or in cases where re-installation of the operating system becomes necessary. Older systems with floppy drives used "boot disks" with the "FDisk" and "Format" commands to partition and format the hard drive in preparation for the installation of the operating system.

After sometime, some "boot disks" came with support for CD ROM drives to enable easier installation of the operating system.

Gone are the days of the "faithful floppy drive"! PCs now come without floppy drives and operating system CDs or DVDs are now bootable.

After completion of the installation, you will have 30 days to activate Windows.

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Build Your Own Cheap Computer tutorial

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