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Aim / Objective

To prepare a bootable USB installation media, configure motherboard UEFI/BIOS boot options (GPT vs MBR, Secure Boot), perform a clean installation of an Operating System (Windows 11 / Ubuntu Linux), configure disk partitions, and complete initial system setup.

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Hardware & Software Requirements

Hardware Components

✓ Target PC with 64-bit processor, >= 4GB RAM, and >= 64GB SSD/HDD storage
✓ USB Flash Drive (minimum 8GB capacity for Windows, 4GB for Linux)
✓ Host PC connected to high-speed Internet for downloading OS ISO images
✓ Keyboard, Mouse, and Display Monitor

Software, OS & Tools

✓ Windows 11 64-bit ISO or Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 / 24.04 LTS ISO
✓ Bootable USB Creation Tool: Rufus (Windows) or Ventoy or BalenaEtcher
✓ Disk Partitioning utilities (`diskpart`, `gparted`)

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Teacher's Lab Delivery Guide

Essential briefing notes, pedagogy, and setup tips for lab instructors

Faculty Exclusive

⏱ 5-Minute Pre-Lab Lecture Briefing:

Explain the two modern boot paradigms: Legacy BIOS with MBR (Master Boot Record, max 2TB partitions, 4 primary partitions) versus Modern UEFI with GPT (GUID Partition Table, supports >2TB drives, 128 partitions, Secure Boot). Teach how Rufus configures partition schemes matching target motherboard firmware.

📝 Key Concepts to Write on Whiteboard:

UEFI vs Legacy BIOS firmware modes
GPT (GUID Partition Table) vs MBR (Master Boot Record)
Creating bootable installation media with Rufus / Ventoy
Boot priority hotkeys (F12, F11, F9, Esc) and Secure Boot / TPM 2.0 settings
Disk partitioning: EFI System Partition (FAT32, ~100MB), MSR, Windows OS Partition (NTFS), vs Linux Root `/`, Swap, and `/boot/efi`
Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) setup

⚙ Pre-Class Lab Setup:

Prepare 5-10 pre-flashed USB installers with Rufus to save lab class bandwidth. Ensure student lab computers have non-critical drives where re-partitioning can be practiced without data loss.

⚠ Common Student Pitfalls & Fixes:

Students often accidentally boot in Legacy MBR mode on a GPT formatted disk, causing the error "Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style". Explain how to match UEFI with GPT.

🛡 Lab Safety & ESD Precautions:

Remind students that partition deletion (`clean` in diskpart) irreversibly erases all existing data on that drive. Double-check disk numbers before proceeding.

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Step-by-Step Practical Procedure

1

Download OS ISO Image and Prepare Bootable Flash Drive

Insert USB flash drive into host PC. Launch Rufus. Select the target USB device and browse to the downloaded ISO. Choose Partition scheme: "GPT" and Target system: "UEFI (non CSM)". Click Start to write the bootable installation files.

Command / Action:

Rufus Settings: Partition Scheme = GPT | File System = NTFS / FAT32

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Ventoy is an alternative open-source tool that allows copying multiple ISO files directly onto a single USB stick without re-formatting.

2

Configure Motherboard BIOS / UEFI Boot Priority

Plug the bootable USB into the target PC. Power on the machine and immediately tap the Boot Menu Key (typically F12, F11, F8, or Esc depending on manufacturer: Dell=F12, HP=F9, Lenovo=F12, ASUS=F8). Select "UEFI: [USB Drive Brand Name]" from the boot list.

Command / Action:

Hotkey: Repeatedly press F12 / Del at the OEM splash screen

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Ensure Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 (Intel PTT / AMD fTPM) are enabled in UEFI settings if installing Windows 11.

3

Launch OS Setup & License Agreement

Select language, time zone, and keyboard layout. Click "Install Now". When prompted for product key, select "I don't have a product key" for lab evaluation. Choose edition (Windows 11 Pro / Education or Ubuntu Minimal/Full installation). Accept the EULA terms.

Command / Action:

Selection: Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Always choose Custom (Advanced) for a clean installation rather than Upgrade.

4

Drive Partitioning and Formatting

In the drive selection window, select unallocated disk space. Click "New" and specify partition size. Windows Setup will automatically create the required supporting partitions: Recovery, EFI System Partition (ESP), and Microsoft Reserved (MSR). Select the Primary partition and click "Next".

Command / Action:

Disk Structure: Partition 1: ESP (100MB) | Partition 2: MSR (16MB) | Partition 3: OS (NTFS)

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: For Linux: Create an EFI partition (`/boot/efi`, 512MB, FAT32), a Swap partition equal to RAM size, and allocate remaining space to Root (`/`, ext4).

5

File Copying, First Reboot & Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)

Allow installer to copy files, expand features, and install updates. Remove USB drive when the system restarts so it boots from the internal SSD. Follow the on-screen prompts to set computer name, create local user account, choose privacy settings, and land on desktop.

Command / Action:

Windows Bypass Network prompt (if offline): Shift + F10 -> OOBE\BYPASSNRO

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Teacher Note / Pro-Tip: Unplugging the USB on first reboot prevents the system from looping back into the USB installer.

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Interactive Hands-On Lab Simulator

Practice and test concepts virtually before or after performing on physical lab equipment

Live Interactive

Loading simulator...

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Observations & Student Lab Record

Students are required to record the following measured parameters, hardware specifications, and output status into their physical lab journals:

Installation Phase	Parameters Configured	Observed Duration	Result Status
Boot Media Creation	Rufus 4.x, GPT Partition Scheme, UEFI Target	4 - 6 Minutes	Completed (FAT32/NTFS UEFI Bootable)
UEFI Boot Sequence	Secure Boot: Enabled, Boot Mode: Pure UEFI	10 Seconds	Booted straight into Windows/Linux PE Setup
Partition Table	GPT Partitioned 256GB NVMe SSD	1 Minute	Created ESP (100MB), MSR (16MB), OS (238GB)
File Expansion & Install	Copying Windows Files & Features	8 - 12 Minutes	Files unpacked 100% without read errors
First Desktop Boot	Local Account Created, Display Resolution Native	2 Minutes	Successful landing on Desktop, OS operational

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Conclusions & Learning Outcome

A clean operating system installation was successfully executed using a GPT/UEFI bootable USB drive. The system drive was appropriately partitioned into EFI System Partition, Reserved, and Main OS partitions. The machine booted into the desktop with native UEFI security features and full file system integrity.

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Oral Exam & Viva Questions with Answers

Essential questions asked by external examiners and lab evaluators (Accordion UI)

Answer:

MBR (Master Boot Record) supports a maximum of 4 primary partitions and drives up to 2 Terabytes. GPT (GUID Partition Table) is part of the UEFI standard, supports up to 128 partitions in Windows, can handle disks up to 9.4 Zettabytes, and stores backup partition tables at the end of the disk for redundancy.