How To Change The Operating System On Your Computer

Windows 11 — 64-bit 1 gigahertz (GHz) dual-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB or larger hard drive, UEFI, Secure Boot capable, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2. 0, DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2. 0 driver, 9" HD (720p or greater) display with at least 8-bit color, Internet connection. [1] X Research source Window 10 — 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor, 1 GB RAM for 32-bit processors or 2 GB RAM for 64-bit processors, 16 GB hard drive space for 32-bit processors or 20 GB hard drive space for 64-bit processors. DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1. 0 driver, 800 x 600 or greater display. [2] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source Linux Ubuntu — 2 gigahertz (GHz) dual-core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 25 GB Hard drive space, VGA display with at least 1024x768 resolution, CD/DVD ROM or USB port, Internet connection. [3] X Research source Linux Mint: 2 GB or RAM (4 GB Recommended), 20 GB hard drive space (100 Recommended), 1024 x 768 (or higher) resolution. [4] X Research source Linux Fedora: 2GB RAM, 25 GB hard drive space, Dual-core processor, Bootable media. [5] X Research source Arch Linux: 512 MB of RAM, 2 GB hard drive space, 64-bit (x86_64) processor, internet connection. [6] X Research source Arch Linux is a stripped-down, lightweight version of Linux, but it also has a complicated installation process. Arch Linux is not recommended for beginners. macOS — macOS is designed to run on Apple computers only. While it is possible to install macOS on a non-Mac computer, it is a long and complex process, and it requires your PC to have very specific hardware. macOS simply will not run on many PCs.

If you are installing the operating system alongside your existing one, you most likely will not have to delete any data. It is still wise to back up important files just in case. You cannot backup programs; they will need to be reinstalled once you have finished installing your new operating system.

An ISO file is a disc image that needs to be burned to a disc or copied to a bootable USB drive. Alternatively, Windows 10 and 11 allow you to download a media creation tool you can use to create a bootable USB drive, instead of downloading an ISO file. When upgrading Windows, you can only upgrade to your current edition. This means that if you have Windows 10 Home Edition, you can only upgrade to Windows 11 Home Edition. If you want to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro, you would need to purchase a license to download it. You can download various operating system ISO files from the following websites: {https://www. microsoft. com/software-download/windows11 Windows 11], Windows 10, Linux Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Linux Fedora, OpenSUSE, Arch Linux

Alternatively, If you are creating a bootable CD or DVD, insert a blank disk in your CD/DVD RW drive. Then right-click the ISO file you downloaded and click Burn Disk Image.

Rufus will erase all data currently stored on your USB drive when it writes the ISO file to the USB drive. Make sure you back up any files and data on the drive you want to keep.

Click the Windows Start button. Click the Settings/Gear icon. Click System (Windows 11) or Update & Security (Windows 10) Click Recovery. Click Restart Now below “Advanced Startup. " Click Restart Now. Click Troubleshoot. Click UEFI Firmware Settings. Click Restart.

Generally, you will use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate the BIOS menu. Press Enter to select an option.

If you are installing Linux Ubuntu, it gives you the option to try Ubuntu before installing it. You can select this option if you want to try Ubuntu first. Then click the icon that says Install Ubuntu in the lower-right corner of the desktop when you are ready to install Ubuntu.

If you don’t have a product key, you can click I don’t have a product key at the bottom. This will allow you to select which edition of Windows you want to install and continue the installation process. You will be required to purchase a product key later on.

It’s recommended you install updates and third-party software for your graphics hardware and Wi-Fi.

If you are installing Linux, you will be given the option to install alongside your existing operating system (Windows), or to erase the disk and install Linux by itself. If you already have Linux installed, you can choose if you want to reinstall Linux, or erase the drive and install Linux again. Choose the option that best meets your needs. If you choose to install alongside Windows, you will be given the option to choose how much hard disk space you want to designate for Linux.

If you are installing Linux, the partition needs to be formatted in the Ext4 format. If you have more than one disk drive or drive partition, make sure you are careful which partition you select to install the operating system on.