Making Final Preparations

Before you begin the installation, you should take a few more steps:

• Clean up the server's disk by uninstalling any software that you don't need and removing any old data that's no longer needed. This step is especially important if you're converting a computer that has been in use as a client computer to a server. You probably don't need Microsoft Office or a bunch of games on the computer after it becomes a server.

• Do a complete backup of the computer. Operating system setup programs are almost flawless, so the chances of losing data during installation are minimal. But you still face the chance that something may go wrong.

• If the computer is connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) that has a serial or USB connection to the computer, unplug the serial or USB connection. In some cases, this control connection can confuse the operating system's Setup program when it tries to determine which devices are attached to the computer.

• Light some votive candles, take two Tylenol, and put on a pot of coffee.