Operating System, No Disc, New Computer

[ianfry]

Hey there, so I have just brought a new computer from PC Specialist, and opted out of the Operating System as I can get the OS free as I am part of msdna. However I have just realised that I will have no OS on the new computer, and I won't have a disc to put in as I believe you simply download the files from the website.

How will I be able to start my system? Am I able to use the computer without an OS just to access the internet to download the OS files?

I'm pretty confused.

Thanks in advance

 

[vanthus]

You would need to use another computer to download the files.

 

[Wozza63]

if you are talking about downloading windows, then id recommend getting ubuntu (free OS) and downloading it via that, then when it installs you can just delete it after

EDIT: if i remember rightly, PCS put a starter package for windows 7 on all PCs so you may be able to use this, you would need to phone for a confirmation on this though

 

[pr1s0ner]

Live boot Ubuntu and you dont need to uninstall anything

 

[rosgor]

I ordered my computer without any OS, but it came with a free 30 day trial of Windows 7 Home premium which i activated with my key i already had.

 

[vanthus]

Lol,sorry ianfry,I forgot an OS would aready be installed,
my bad.

 

[Frenchy]

Also Ubuntu would not work in this case either.

MSDNAA (academic allience) requires a windows system since it uses an exe to download the files, it also requieres some other windows stuff which prevents you from using any form of windows emulation on linux.

 

[ianfry]

I have a laptop installed with Windows 7. I also have access to msdna to download the Windows 7 OS. The thing is I have brought a new computer, but it has no operating system already installed. How will I install an OS on the new computer without a disc.

Do I download the OS onto an external HardDrive, and then plug that into my new computer when it loads up the boot screen?

 

[Frenchy]

I have a laptop installed with Windows 7. I also have access to msdna to download the Windows 7 OS. The thing is I have brought a new computer, but it has no operating system already installed. How will I install an OS on the new computer without a disc.

Do I download the OS onto an external HardDrive, and then plug that into my new computer when it loads up the boot screen?

Youll need to download onto your laptop, this will download an .iso file. Once you have this youll need to write this to a dvd, then boot from this dvd on your new computer. If you don;t have a DVD writer, you could always create a USB boot drive using a USB stick.

 

[ianfry]

Cheers for your help, so when I copy the file onto the disc, do I simply insert the disc when the boot screen comes up for the first time and it will find the .iso file on there?

 

[NMEBowen]

iso files are just Cd`s so when you write it to disk its pretty much the same as installing off a official windows OS CD.

 

[Frenchy]

Cheers for your help, so when I copy the file onto the disc, do I simply insert the disc when the boot screen comes up for the first time and it will find the .iso file on there?

You dont actually copy the iso onto the disk. The iso file is actually an image of the disk.. This means that when you use a program such as Nero or other dvd burning software it will create a disk with all the files in correct places based on that iso image. So as Bowen says it will essentially be the same as an official retail disk.

 

[ShadowBlaze]

yeah just burn the .iso image to the cd then stick it into your computer and it boot the image straight away if not then check the boot settings, here is a free cd burner software http://cdburnerxp.se/en/home i have used this myself and can say it worked greatly