How to Program a Hard Drive

Program your hard drive through the BIOS.

You can program a hard drive by formatting the drive and then installing an operating system, such as Windows, Mac OS or Linux. You format the hard drive by running a software program on the drive that assigns instructions for reading and saving data to the drive. Then you copy operating system files to the hard drive. Once the operating system is installed, you can install other applications on the computer. Computers are shipped with the option to boot from CD or another device, such as a USB drive. Using this option, you can program the hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Operating system boot and installation CD, DVD or USB drive
• Computer with new or empty hard drive

Instructions

1. Insert the CD, USB drive or other bootup device into the corresponding slot or drive on the computer.

2. Reboot the computer. As the computer boots up, press the correct function key or key combination to enter the BIOS. On a standard keyboard, function keys are located across the top of the keyboard and are annotated with an "F" in front of a number. Check your computer's user manual for the correct key. You can also find the correct function key or key combination for your computer's BIOS online (see Resources).

3. Select the “Boot Order” page in the BIOS.

4. Select the CD or USB drive as the first boot device, and set the hard drive as the second boot device.

5. Save the settings and exit the BIOS according to the onscreen instructions (e.g., “Press F10 to Save and Exit”). The computer will restart and boot from the CD or USB drive. The first step will be to format the hard drive.

6. Follow the onscreen instructions to format and partition the hard drive. After the hard drive is formatted, the installation routine for the operating system will begin.

7. Follow the onscreen instructions for the operating system installation. When the operating system is installed, the computer will reboot into normal operational mode.

8. Install applications that are compatible with the operating system and use the computer.

References

• Microsoft: Install, Reinstall or Uninstall Windows
• White Canyon: How to Format a Hard Drive and Reinstall Windows

Resources

• Michael Stevens Tech: BIOS Manufacturers and Function Keys