**what now**?? After turning on a custom built PC for the FIRST TIME

[dunn]

Ok, can someone please write me the steps to follow after turning on a custom built computer for the first time. I already have the windows boot disk made.
Basically, i am asking for a guideline to follow after i build my PC. which drivers to install, which drivers to get first, etc.... Help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Bozz]

(1) Apply power
(2) If no smoke then press Power button
(3) If no smoke then check if POST screen comes up
(4) Press DEL to enter setup
(5) Configure system
-If no HDD detected then reverse cable and/or check jumper settings
-If FDD light on continuously then reverse cable
(6) Insert boot disk and partition HD with FDISK
(7) Reboot and format HD "format c: /u/s/autotest"
(8) Install CDROM drivers -
Config.sys:
DEVICE=C:\GSCDROM.SYS /D:MSCD000

Autoexec.bat:
MSCDEX /D:MSCD000
(9) Reboot and install Winblows

BTW If smoke came out then perhaps something went wrong mooohahahhahahahaha

 

[mcveigh]

if it powers up ok set up the bios and set it to boot from the cdrom, most systems I build anymore I don't have to load any drivers from the floppy. put the windows cd in and see what happens.

or if you're brave put openBSD in

disclaimer
( i'm not that brave yet )

 

[nortexoid]

via chipset systems (north and southbridge):
install video drivers (since configuring a system in 640x480 is trash)
reboot
install via 4-in-1 drivers
reboot
install all other device drivers

via southbridge + amd northbridge:
install video drivers
reboot
install AMD AGP gart driver
reboot
install via bus master drivers (no other ones - deselect them in the setup)
reboot
install all other device drivers

intel chipsets:
install video drivers
reboot
install all other device drivers


then there's sis and ali chipsets i'm not too familiar with, but they probably follow guidelines similar to via chipset systems except substituting ali/sis chipset drivers instead of the 4-in-1s...

 

[MrBond]

Bozz made some good suggestions (especially about the floppy drive), but if you're using the Win98 boot disk, you can skip the installation of CDRom drivers. You should only have to Fdisk, the drive, then install. One partition is fine for most people, so create the maximum sized primary dos partition, set it active, then power down. Turn the PC on, put the floppy disk in the drive, and boot with CDROM support. When it comes up to the a: prompt, switch to your new drive (c and type md win98. Then, switch to your CDRom, type cd win98. Then type copy *.* c:\win98. It will then copy all the cab files and the setup.exe to c:\win98. When the copy is finished, you can take out the CD, switch to c:\win98, and install from there. It will install a little faster, and in the future, when you make a change to windows, it won't ever ask for the CD (which is really nice).

Now if you're installing Win2k, you should be able to skip Fdisk completly, put the CD in right after the initial configuration in the BIOS, and tell it to boot from CD. Win2k will format/configure the drive for you.