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Getting my new computer parts in a week and a half, have some questions.

J

Jittles

Golden Member
Here is what I am getting:
1.2GHz 266 Tbird
Epox 8k7a
512MB Crucial PC2100 DDR
60GB IBM 60GXP
Globalwin CAK38
GeForce MX400.

I have never put together a computer before, the only thing I have done is install a new motherboard/cpu/ram. My main question is the harddrive. Everything will come with instructions on how to set up my OS and everything right? And should I partition at all? I will be playing games and doing some dv video editing. Should I go with Win2k or 98se? I need full compatibility with my games and stuff. Would it be easier to use a utility and install the new harddrive on my old computer and format and install the OS then put the hd in my new computer?
I just don't want to screw anything up.

new thought, I will be getting winXP when it comes out, which OS would be easier to upgrade from, or will I be formatting anyway?

Thanx in advance.
 
<< Everything will come with instructions on how to set up my OS and everything right? >>

No. Just stick the CD in your drive and bootup, making sure to enable the CDRom drive as a bootable device in your BIOS.

<< should I partition at all? >>

I would do 1 partition (2-3gigs) just for the OS, then partition it how you like, either 1 more big partition for apps/games and another for data, or just one more partition on the rest of the drive.

<< Should I go with Win2k or 98se? >>

Win2k

<< Would it be easier to use a utility and install the new harddrive on my old computer and format and install the OS then put the hd in my new computer? >>

Nope, it'd probably be harder that way to be honest.

<< new thought, I will be getting winXP when it comes out, which OS would be easier to upgrade from, or will I be formatting anyway? >>

Windows2000 will be easier to upgrade from, but you should really reformat and do a fresh install.
 
Okay, everyone in here is going to tell you to go to Windows 2000, but I have no experience with that (I am on Windows 98 and Windows Me, if any one has a way I can get Windows 2000 for free, I'd love to hear it) so I won't comment there except to say it is easier to work with what you know. Since you have replaced a motherboard, you have done basically the whole thing. If you got a retail boxed hard drive then there will be instructions telling you what to do with it and a disk to help you format and partition it. If you got an OEM drive then those things are not available but you can get the stuff that would be on the disk online at the manufacturers websites most of the time. So what you will be missing is the instructions. Hard drives, however, are easy to install. You just screw it into a hard drive bay, plug in the power and ide cables and set the master/slave jumper and you are set to start formatting/partitioning. As far as whether you should partition ot not I will refer you to the FAQ section of Anandtech. There is a good article in there about that. See the first thread in these posts for more information. The OS installation is easy once you have the drive partitioned and formatted. Just boot with a floppy and put in your OS CD and run startup - it will take you through the whole process. I would advise you to install the new hard drive in the new computer and load the OS there so that it will be ready to detect all your devices. Otherwise you will be doing all of that over again when you put it in the new machine.
 
Ok, so let me get this straight.
First, after I hook everything up, I start from a boot disk and FDISK and partition the drive, then I format the partitions, then I install the OS on the small one?(I am going to go with the 2-3gig for OS and one big one for the rest route)
 
By the lack of response, I will assume I am correct?

I will have time tonite to read the FAQ, just tryin to get an answer real quick here.

Thanks for all the help.
 
I wouldn't neccessarily suggest you create a small partition for your OS. I know I will get flamed for saying that, but that's why I referred you to the article before. There really isn't a good benefit for doing that. They say when you have a problem you only have to reformat that little partition and then reinstall the OS and you are good to go, but if you reformat that partition and that is where it keeps all the information for your start menu and registry keys and startup files and the like, then you will have to reinstall all that stuff anyway so it won't save you anything really. Anyway, to answer your question, it sounds like you have the idea down. Boot to a floppy. Fdisk to create the partitions, and then format.
 
If you are going with Win2K, you won't have to do any bootdisk, fdisk, and stuff like that. The bootable Win2K CD will take you through the partitioning and formatting.
 
actually i find most games are fine in 2k, and they can't take the system with them if they crash. the only one i've had problems with is Unreal Tournament.
 
When it comes to video editing you really should partition a section just for that purpose...nothing else. It is often recommended to defrag often and reformat (like scrub) as well. You sure wouldn't want to do this in a large drive that is cluttered with other odds and ends.

I have my os and other prog on first partition then I have a partition for my dvd rips and dv camcorder dumps then I have a finished section with mp3s, divx mpeg4 files,pictures and other multimedia files where I organize to burn from. 20-30 gigs for that dv editing section is large enough...
 
OK, I'll probably go with the separate partition for the OS + games and apps, then one for DV video, then one for my movie and mp3 files and stuff. For a 60GB drive, 20GB for DV, 15GB for mp3, 25GB for OS + games?
I don't have that many MP3s....at the moment I only have a 6GB hard drive now so this is a big deal. I really don't know how much I will need. I'm sure I will find plenty to fill the drive with 🙂
 
That MX 400 is going to slaughter your 3D performance in any modern games. Your T-Bird will be napping while it waits for the MX to draw stuff...
 
Right now I have approximately 5.0 gigs of mp3s, 1.5 gigs of dvd trailers I encoded to divx, 1.0gig of music videos I have gotten off of dvd's or web in either divx or mpeg, 6gigs of divx movies (some dv home movies) to be split and burned on disc...so my 20 gig partition fills fast when I fall behind in burning...

I have 60 gigs of space and I am running currently 55-60 percent full...
 
yea i would spend a lillllllllllll x-tra money and get a GTS... that way it will keep up with your T-bird a little more! 🙂
 
Right now I have a GeForce 256 SDR that is acting wierd but still works fine. The MX400 is temporary till I can get a GeForce 3 or Radeon 2 then the MX goes in my old machine to replace the 256. I won't have it for longer than a month I hope.
 
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