Hard ware and software must be compatible with Windows 2000/XP. Check the Microsoft Website to verify compatibility with Windows 2000/XP before beginning an installation. If you need to flash BIOS, do it before you begin the installation.
(page 542 Comptia A+ 6th edition)
Hardware And Operating System
The hardware requirements are what the Operating System designers have determined as the MINIMUM hardware to be able to run the Operating system. There are no minimum or suggested Software requirements for an operating system since the operating system IS the software.
The operating system (OS) controls the hardware. A successful computer system will have hardware and an operating system. Application software is not required. All operating systems have a low level, or machine language to run the operation system and control all hardware.
The Operating System (OS) connects the user, applications, and hardware together.
The operating system communicates to the computer hardware using the GUI program.
An operating system coordinates the activities of computer hardware
The user is responsible for interacting the operating ststem with the hardware.
Operating System
The OS, Operating system, controls everything that is software and major hardware based. From applications to handling inputs and running the hardware in a correct manner.
Operating System have a major component called KERNEL that is designed to interact with hardware .Kernel acts as an interface between OS Shell & Hardware.
Sun's Solaris OS supports the ZFS file system natively.
All operating systems interact with hardware.