install operating system on new hard drive laptop
Check the system requirements. If youâve decided that you want to install a new operating system, youâll first need to figure out which one you want to use. Operating systems have varying system requirements, so if you have an older computer, make sure that you can handle a newer operating system. Try to do this the night before you install the new operating system, as the install will be able to format the disk much faster. 2  This is especially true if you have an IDE disk that is over 40 gigabytes, or Serial ATA (SATA) disk that is over 500 gigabytes.