Distribution is what? How to use the distribution of Windows and other operating systems

Often, a novice user has some difficulties with understanding computer terminology. That becomes a kind of an obstacle in the overall process of human-computer interaction. However, the most important and, by the way, the main point in using a computing device is the installation of software. Well, the distribution kit is a form of software distribution. It is due to certain properties of this "strange" file that the computing device is equipped with an operating system. However, let's move on to a more detailed examination of the voiced question and dispel the veil of the "inexplicable".

"Organizer" of the installation process

Distribution is a kind of "software conductor", under which digital data is harmoniously located on the hard disk of the computer. If you do not resort to allegory, then "on the fingers", you can explain this in the following way: before the immediate process of installing a particular software starts, a special installation wizard is launched. As a result, the files are copied to the hard disk of your computer. It should be noted that the data obtained in this way are placed on the hard drive in strictly defined folders, and corresponding entries are made in the OS system log that contain information about the parameters and initial settings of the software being implemented. As you understand, the distribution kit is not the program itself, but a software product that performs the installation process in the most correct way.

How does the OS start?

To date, the most common operating system for computers of various modifications (meaning the classic concept of this definition) is the operating system from Microsoft. By the way, often in user circles it is referred to as "Windows". So, depending on what version of the Windows-system the user wants to install on his computer, he chooses the distro needed by him. This is, so to speak, a unique identifier of the software product. It is worth noting that during the installation of the OS the initial initialization of the hardware of the PC is performed, and in the case when the configuration of the PC does not correspond to any parameters of the software, the installation stops. The corresponding service message on the impossibility of further "machine" operations with files is displayed on the screen.

How can I use the Windows 7 distribution?

The main purpose of the installation disk is to directly install the operating environment on the computer hard disk for later use. However, in the event that an unforeseen emergency occurs, the OS distribution can be used as a recovery environment. It should be noted that the self-created installation disk must have loading properties, which are achieved as a result of the application of various specialized programs. For example, Rufus or Ultra ISO.

What you need to know about operating extensions

Typically, the licensed distribution of Windows 7 is distributed on optical DVD-media. If you open such a disk on the PC to view its contents, you will see a lot of folders and various data, among which the most important is the "Setup" or "Install" file with the extension "* ehe" or "* msi". It is after activation of one of them that the installer is launched.

However, archival, or image-based, way of distributing the OS distribution is most widely used. That is, the installation disk is packed in a "zip" container or has an "ISO" extension, less often - "image". The last two figurative formats (the first, by the way, also needs to be unpacked) require some software processing before their immediate use. Let's specify this point in more detail.

How to create an OS boot disk

Let's say you have a downloaded XP distribution with an ISO extension. Depending on what kind of media you want to use, a certain software for recording is selected. In the event that the method of installing the OS from a USB drive is provided, the Rufus utility is used. A fairly simple and intelligently understandable application interface does not require specialized knowledge from the user. By default, the utility automatically selects a removable disk connected to the PC, and in the checkbox next to the "disk" icon, the value is set to "ISO image". Next, you need to activate a nearby button and specify the path to the distribution of the OS.

Click "Start" and wait for the recording process to finish. If you wish to burn an image onto a blank, you can use the Ultra ISO program. Click the "File" tab, then select "Open" from the context menu. In the explorer, find the image you want to install. The distribution kit is ready for recording! It remains only to activate the icon in the form of an inflamed disk and set the necessary parameters for burning. Only after the above manipulations can you click on the "Record" button.

How to install the Windows XP distribution on a PC

The simplest, and at the same time, the record holder of its kind, the XP version is installed as follows:

• The user enters the BIOS program on his computer and assigns a priority CD / DVD-drive (or USB-drive) from the list of boot devices.
• After saving the changes, the PC restarts.
• As a rule, the inscription "Press any key ..." should appear on the initial screen (at the top), which is a kind of invitation to agree with the download method.
• After you press any key on the computer keyboard, the process of checking the hardware configuration will follow.
• Next, you will download the files that the distribution of Windows XP has.

At the initial stage of the installation, the user will need to prepare the selected hard disk partition, where the OS will be installed. At the end - specify the language settings and configure the system time. If desired, you can set a password to log on to the system. For the most part, the installation process is automatic and does not require any user involvement.

Unix-like operating systems

Despite the universally recognized "openness" of the Linux kernel, not all Linux distributions are generally available for free. The most attractive version of the OS is Ubuntu. This operating environment has different types of assemblies: minimal and server-side.

Perhaps one of you, dear reader, at least once used the so-called Live CD / USB emergency disks, but not everyone knows that they work under the guidance of the GNU / Linux OS. In view of the incredible flexibility of the system, and given the growing trend of its development, the popularity of the penguin Tux only grows. At the same time, Linux distributions continue to replenish their ranks with newer and more functional versions.

Instead of an afterword

Often a novice user, wanting to install a specific software, downloads a small (just a few MB) installer file. Realizing that the true size of the program is much larger than the amount of data received, quite often the unlucky user simply deletes the "suspicious" object. However, when you activate such an installation file, it usually starts the process of downloading the main software packages. Therefore, one should never rush to conclusions. Perhaps you installed Google Chrome and saw how its distribution works, - this is the same case. By the way, never forget to check the downloaded files with an antivirus program. Have a good mood and correct installation!