global Laptop and motherboard repair tutorial | Page 19

Chapter 3
Installing Operating Systems on Laptops & Netbooks
To those of you who have never installed an operating system, I will explain the basic process
taken before going any further. Always remember that when reinstalling an OS, you will also need to
re-setup your Wi-Fi… So if this repair is not for yourself, you must ensure that the person you are
doing an Operating System Reinstall for knows their WEP or WAP key to be able to reinstall their
Network SSID and KEY.
There are a couple ways to start this process. First would be putting the OS install cd/DVD into
the optical drive. You must be powered on to eject the optical drive tray or to insert cd into slot.
Next you can try using your corresponding ―Fǁ key, such as F12 or F11 to tell the laptop to boot
from CD/DVD. Some laptop default BIOS splash startup screen settings will show you for a brief
second the correct ―Fǁ key to press to boot from CD, if not, you can power back off and on and try a
different F key until you find the one that takes you to the Boot menu choice screen. Another way to
start the OS install is to go into your BIOS Setup screen (usually F2 key will take you there, or ESC
key) where you can choose to set the CD/DVD as the laptops first boot choice. Doing this will allow
the laptop (once rebooted) to launch the CD/DVD auto start script and start the install of the operating
system.
If for some reason you can not get the laptop to boot to the CD, try using a different CD if able to.
If you can not boot to cd, you will need to troubleshoot why… Typically a cd/DVD rom drive will
not fail but on rare occasion they can and do. First, ensure the optical lens that is located directly on
the slide out tray is clean and free of dust or debris. Next you will reinsert the cd and watch for the
data light on the tray to see that it is blinking and that the actual cd/DVD is spinning. Next you would
check to see that the hard drive is working and that it is recognized. It will be present in the BIOS
setup screen list, usually in the advanced section. Also you will need to determine if the operating
system you are installing is able to be installed on that specific laptop. Some operating system NON
OEM cd’s will not come with the corresponding SATA drivers and therefor will not be able to
correctly associate the SATA drive that is indeed installed to be recognized.
Let’s move on to installing the Operating System now.
Word Of Warning!!! Do Not Reinstall Any Operating System Unless You Are Sure You
Have A Copy Of The Ethernet and or Wireless Corresponding Drivers… The OS Install itself
might not load drivers for either which will leave you with no internet capability until they are
installed.