Can you do anything with no OS installed? =/

[daweinah]

All the parts for my new computer are here, but I don't have Windows XP yet, lol. Is there any point to setting it all up now? What can I do without the OS?

 

[P0ldy]

Make sure it POSTS and your hardware is functional, play with Linux live CDs...

 

[JC]

You could d/l a linux distro and run that in the meantime

 

[rmrf]

a knoppix or ubuntu live disc would let you at least boot the machine and let you surf the internet.

you could also use those same discs to run memtest to check your memory stability.

as P0ldy said, put the machine together and make sure it posts and there are no quirks with the hardware.

edit: added links.

 

[rmrf]

oops.

 

[spyordie007]

Yeah, you could install an OS (Windows, Linux or other)

 

[Seeruk]

I think the answer is in your questions

Operating System

 

[drag]

You could install Freedos and find out what old dos games are like at 2ghz.

 

[spherrod]

Put it together, test it - use a linux CD

 

[Brazen]

As others have said, don't just let it set. Put it together and make sure it posts. You don't want to piddle around waiting for your Windows CD and then find out you have a bad piece of hardware.

 

[halw]

Originally posted by: rmrf
a knoppix or ubuntu live disc would let you at least boot the machine and let you surf the internet.

you could also use those same discs to run memtest to check your memory stability.

as P0ldy said, put the machine together and make sure it posts and there are no quirks with the hardware.

edit: added links.

Where to you find memtest on linux to run it?

 

[Nothinman]

Where to you find memtest on linux to run it?

Most of them have it as as seperate boot image on the disc.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: JC
You could d/l a linux distro and run that in the meantime

From the web browser built into bios!

 

[Nothinman]

From the web browser built into bios!

A friend of mine has a ThinkPad that's recovery partition had a copy of Opera installed.

 

[scottws]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: JC
You could d/l a linux distro and run that in the meantime

From the web browser built into bios!

Well I think the assumption is that he could download and burn a CD from another PC.

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Where to you find memtest on linux to run it?

Most of them have it as as seperate boot image on the disc.

yep, normally, if you just type memtest (or some variation) at the boot: prompt, it will bring up memtest for you.

I know ubuntu has it built into the grub menu, so you can memtest your machine anytime you like, without sticking a disc in. I haven't rebooted my debian machine in a while, so I couldn't tell you whether or not it is available there.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: scottws

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: JC
You could d/l a linux distro and run that in the meantime

From the web browser built into bios!

Well I think the assumption is that he could download and burn a CD from another PC.

Oh,

In that case go use the other PC in the meantime. :roll: