# Adding OS to blank HDD



## dmm1976 (Oct 29, 2013)

My laptop wouldnt read the hard drive any longer. In BIOS it says there is no hdd. So i bought a replacement and installed it and great....it shows the new hdd in BIOS. 

Well now I can't find the windows rescue disk ugh. Windows new is $$$.

If I make a flash drive bootable ( using diskpart in dos or downloading a universal usb installer like rufus) and then download linux mint (or cinnamon) to the flash drive and then change the boot order of the laptop in bios to USB first. 

Then that should start tge install process for Linux...

Is it that simple?


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## dyrne (Feb 22, 2015)

Yes the big Linux distros have very straight-forward installers and you can simply select default partitioning and such for the hard drive. Manjaro which is arch based or Mint which is debian or ubuntu based depending on the version. Either should work fine and be a simple install... unless you run into a bug of some sort. You'll get dropped into a desktop environment and there will be an "install" icon or you can play around a bit to see if you like it prior to install. pretty simple.

I'd stick with one of the above (or Ubuntu) since that will give you the widest selection of packages.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Nothing is as easy as it should be. You can download fresh copy (minus activation code) of any currently supported version windows from the Microsoft website, free of charge. It wont have all the garbage apps that originally came on your laptop from the manufacturer. Oh and if you ever had win10 on your computer and it was activated, you dont need an activation number, when it goes online it will contact activation server and there will be a record of it having had win10. Has to be same (home, pro, etc as original).

As to linux, depends how easy depending if you want only linux or want to dual bood with windows, etc. Most win7 era or newer computers will have windows installed with UEFI and such. Now most, not all UEFI have option of legacy bios install. i have one that is UEFI and nothing else. You will be happier with legacy, but you cant mix and match. If you have UEFI for windows, you need a linux that supports such too. Ubuntu family definitely do. MOst of others are catching up for UEFI, but only few support Secure Boot.

If you are linux newb, you could do worse than Ubuntu. Its made to install and work without much knowledge. Personally if you are going for Ubuntu family, I would go Xubuntu or Lubuntu over full blown Ubuntu. Ubuntu is best support community of any linux distribution. You research any linux problem and usually get whole bunch of links to Ubuntu forum posts. Ubuntu natively supports both UEFI and Secure Boot. 

I have recently been using the LXDE spin of Debian 10 "Buster". This I like, not quite as much as Puppy, but if Puppy didnt exist, then Buster would be what I would use. Its not as newbie friendly and it has the Debian philosophy that they arent going to protect you from yourself. They assume you have your big boy pants on and will be responsible for anything you try to do with Debian.

Now I am also just trying Bionicpup64_8_CE, its an official release based on Ubuntu Bionic Beaver, though fully Puppified. Meaning it looks and acts like usual Puppy Linux release but can use Ubuntu software repositories. Has couple quirks but otherwise very nice. And there is going to be an offical version of Busterpup based on Debian 10, its still in beta. I also like unofficial LXpup, its Bionicpup with LXDE desktop. And Bionic Dog, its sort of a unofficial one-off thing, but sort of supported on Puppy forum though also has its own website. It offers apt-get rather than Puppy's native package manager. I like Bionic Dog mostly cause of apt-get. Just be aware not as much support if you have problems. And download the version with the firmware. Seriously.

Oh thinking about it, you might look at FatDog. Its an independent that started off as a take off of Puppy only with lot added software. Its 64bit only but does support both UEFI and Secure Boot. Its also supported somewhat in the Puppy forum and its actually quite popular. I havent tried it for some time so cant remember if it used apt-get, synaptic, or native Puppy pet system. 

Also mention AntiX linux. Its a smaller distribution, intended for older hardware. Its ok, like every distribution has its quirks. Good feedback on any questions posted to their forum. I would still take either Buster or some version Puppy over it. Oh and if you want a more mainstream looking version of AntiX, there is MXlinux, their kissing cousin. Supposed to be combo of AntiX and the old now defuct Mepis linux. I didnt try it, but imagine its ok. Really nice installer on AntiX by the way.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

dmm1976 said:


> Well now I can't find the windows rescue disk ugh. Windows new is $$$.


Windows 10 can be used unregistered indefinitely now, and the Windows 10 install media can be downloaded directly from Microsoft for free. Download from this link.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Click the 'Download tool now' button to burn the install media to a thumb drive or get the .iso file. After starting the install process it will ask for a product key, but just click the link in the bottom-right that says you don't have a key. The install will continue normally.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

why settle for a closed window when you can have a bionic pup....


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