The Ultimate Guide to Installing Windows 7
Planning the Installation
As with any OS installation, we must first plan the installation process. When you run the Windows 7 Setup program, you must provide information about how to install and configure the operating system. Thorough planning can make your installation of Windows 7 more efficient by helping you to avoid potential problems during installation. An understanding of the configuration options will also help to ensure that you have properly configured your system.
Here are some of the most important things you should take into consideration when planning for your Windows 7 installation:
- Check System Requirements
- Check Hardware and Software Compatibility
- Determine Disk Partitioning Options
- Complete a Pre-Installation Checklist
Microsoft states the minimum recommended specs for Windows 7:
- 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
- 1 GB of system memory
- 16 GB of available disk space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
- DVD-R/W Drive
- Internet access (to activate and get updates)
32-bit or 64-bit Version?
You need to decide whether to install the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7. The Windows 7 installation disc package includes both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7. Basically, the 64-bit version of Windows handles large amounts of random access memory (RAM) more effectively than a 32-bit system. So if you plan on using Windows 7 on a computer with more than 3 GB or RAM, I would strongly suggest to use the 64-bit version. Most programs designed for the 32-bit version of Windows will work on the 64-bit version of Windows, and if they don't, you can always use Windows XP Mode (read my "How to Install Windows XP Mode on Windows 7" article).
Note: Either way, you cannot use an existing 32-bit version of a previous OS to perform an in-place upgrade to a 64-bit version of Windows 7, and you'll need to format and install a fresh copy. Also, you cannot use an existing 64-bit version of a previous OS to perform an in-place upgrade to a 32-bit version of Windows 7.
Type of Installation
Basically, there are 2 approaches to installing Windows 7:
- Upgrade (In-place upgrade) - This option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, and keeps your files, settings, and programs in place on your computer.
- Custom ("fresh" installation) - This option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, but doesn't preserve your files, settings, and programs. It's sometimes referred to as a clean installation for that reason.
As always, a fresh installation is much better and I strongly recommend taking that track. Even if you've got an existing Windows XP/Vista OS on your computer, I would strongly recommend that you format it and install a fresh copy of the OS.
This article will focus on a fresh installation of Windows 7. Please read my "How to Upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7" and "Upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7" articles for more information on those paths.
Beginning the Installation Process
When installing on a physical computer insert your Windows 7 DVD media into your DVD drive and reboot your computer. If you're asked to press a key to boot from DVD or CD, press any key. A black window will appear momentarily while the DVD content is read.
Note: These screenshots are taken from a Windows 7 Ultimate installation performed on a virtual machine running on VMware Workstation. I will be using an .ISO file mounted on the VMs CD/DVD drive.
Next, a Starting Windows screen will appear.
Note: If the Windows installation page doesn't appear and you're not asked to press a key to start from DVD or CD, you might have to specify that your computer uses its DVD or CD drive as the startup device.
The Installation Process
Like in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, and unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 7 does not have a noticeable text phase of the setup process, and it will boot directly into the Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode.
After a few moments you will see the first prompt:
Click "Next" unless you want to change some regional settings for the installation process. Hebrew users should read my "Installing Hebrew on Windows 7" article.
Click on the "Install now" button.
Note: If you're using the installation media to repair an existing installation of Windows 7 you should also read my latest article on the Windows Recovery Environment.
Next, accept the license terms and click on "Next
Next, unless you're upgrading an existing Windows installation, press the Custom (Advanced) installation type button. Note that in this case, the Upgrade button is disabled because this specific installation if performed on a new computer without any previous operating system on it.
The next phase is to pick the installation partition. Since this computer has a new hard disk that hasn't been formatted before, you will only have the option to create a new partition on it.
If you don't want to specify a specific partition to install Windows on, or create partitions on your hard disk, click Next to begin the installation. If you already have another existing partition with enough free space and want to install the Windows 7 on that partition to create a multiboot configuration, select the partition you want to use, and then click Next to begin the installation. If you want to create, extend, delete, or format a partition, click Drive options (advanced), click the option you want, and then follow the instructions.
Since I don't need to perform any additional task I will just click on the "Next" button. The installation process will then create a partition on all the available disk space, and format it.
Process could take a while depending on the type of hardware your computer uses. In my VM test sample I've used for this demo, the entire process finished before I could finish writing the previous 3 paragraphs, so it could be pretty quick.
The computer will reboot, and the next thing you'll see is the prompt to set the user's and computer's name. By default, the computer's name will be username-PC, where username is the username you've entered.
Note: The user you're creating will be the only user currently available on the system. Like Vista, the built-in Administrator's account is disabled. Read my article on how to enable the Windows 7 Administrator's account article for more information.
Click on "Next".
Enter the user's password. Remember this password, as it will be the ONLY user on the system, and unless you create an additional user or enable the built-in administrator account, if you forget this password you'll need to crack it to gain access to the system. The best option would be to choose a complex password made of at least 7 characters or more (something like Pssw0rd or MYpa$$w0rd). You must also enter a password hint.
Click on "Next".
Next, type in your product key. If you do not have the product key at hand you can still click "Next", and proceed with the installation. You will be asked to enter the product key after Windows is installed.
Choose what sort of protection your computer gets. The recommended settings are best for someone that doesn't plan to hide their computer behind a corporate firewall (and even then, in some cases, this would be the best option). If you plan to install a 3rd-party firewall later you can opt to be prompted later. Note that this setting will also have effect on how the computer uses the Microsoft Windows Update (Automatic Updates) features.
Choose your time zone and location and click on "Next".
Select your network location type. This setting can be changed later, but do note that choosing a profile will have effect on the Windows Firewall and sharing settings. Click on "Next".
Windows will finalize the settings and your desktop will appear.
This concludes the Windows 7 installation. Next, you would probably want to update your computer with the latest hotfixes and/or patches from Microsoft.
Install Windows XP
Most new computers come with Windows XP installed, so many people never have to install it. However, you may need to install Windows XP if:• You replaced your hard disk drive with a new hard disk drive that does not have Windows XP installed.
• You are reinstalling Windows XP on a computer because you want to clean off your hard drive and remove any unwanted programs, such as spyware.
• You purchased a computer without an operating system.
Fortunately, you do not need to be a computer expert to install Windows XP. Installing Windows XP is a straightforward process that takes between one to two hours. Of that time, you need to be present for only about 30 minutes.
• Pre-installation checklist
• Install Windows XP
Note: If you have a computer with an older operating system, such as Windows 98, Windows ME, or Windows 2000, you should upgrade to Windows XP instead of performing a clean installation.
Pre-installation checklist
Before you begin the installation process, use this checklist to make sure that you are prepared:
You have the Windows XP CD.
You have the product key available. The product key is located on your Windows XP CD case and is required to install and activate Windows XP.
Your computer hardware is set up. At a minimum, you should connect your keyboard, mouse, monitor, and CD drive. If available, you should connect your computer to a wired network.
You have Windows XP drivers available. Drivers are software that Windows XP uses to communicate with your computer’s hardware. Most new computers include a CD containing drivers. If you do not have drivers available, Windows XP may already include drivers for your hardware. If not, you should be able to download them from your hardware manufacturer’s Web site after you set up Windows XP.
If you are reinstalling Windows XP on an existing computer, you need a backup copy of your files and settings. The installation process will delete all of your files. You can use the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to store your files and settings on removable media and then restore them after installation is complete.
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Installation process
Installing Windows XP can take up to two hours. To make the process more manageable, it has been broken up into several sections. When you are ready, install Windows XP:
• Part 1: Begin the installation
• Part 2: Continue the installation
• Part 3: Complete the installation
Part 1: Begin the installation
1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer and restart your computer.
2. If prompted to start from the CD, press SPACEBAR. If you miss the prompt (it only appears for a few seconds), restart your computer to try again.
3. Windows XP Setup begins. During this portion of setup, your mouse will not work, so you must use the keyboard. On the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.
4.On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement page, read the licensing agreement. Press the PAGE DOWN key to scroll to the bottom of the agreement. Then press F8.
5.This page enables you to select the hard disk drive on which Windows XP will be installed. Once you complete this step, all data on your hard disk drive will be removed and cannot be recovered. It is extremely important that you have a recent backup copy of your files before continuing. When you have a backup copy, press D, and then press L when prompted. This deletes your existing data.
6. Press ENTER to select Unpartitioned space, which appears by default.
7.Press ENTER again to select Format the partition using the NTFS file system, which appears by default.
8. Windows XP erases your hard disk drive using a process called formatting and then copies the setup files. You can leave your computer and return in 20 to 30 minutes.
Part 2: Continue the installation
9.Windows XP restarts and then continues with the installation process. From this point forward, you can use your mouse. Eventually, the Regional and Language Options page appears. Click Next to accept the default settings. If you are multilingual or prefer a language other than English, you can change language settings after setup is complete.
10.On the Personalize Your Software page, type your name and your organization name. Some programs use this information to automatically fill in your name when required. Then, click Next.
11.On the Your Product Key page, type your product key as it appears on your Windows XP CD case. The product key is unique for every Windows XP installation. Then, click Next.
12. On the Computer Name and Administrator Password page, in the Computer name box, type a name that uniquely identifies your computer in your house, such as FAMILYROOM or TOMS. You cannot use spaces or punctuation. If you connect your computer to a network, you will use this computer name to find shared files and printers. Type a strong password that you can remember in the Administrator password box, and then retype it in the Confirm password box. Write the password down and store it in a secure place. Click Next.
13. On the Date and Time Settings page, set your computer’s clock. Then, click the Time Zone down arrow, and select your time zone. Click Next.
14.Windows XP will spend about a minute configuring your computer. On the Networking Settings page, click Next.
15.On the Workgroup or Computer Domain page, click Next.
Part 3: Complete the installation
16. Windows XP will spend 20 or 30 minutes configuring your computer and will automatically restart when finished. When the Display Settings dialog appears, click OK.
17.When the Monitor Settings dialog box appears, click OK.
18.The final stage of setup begins. On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows page, click Next.
19.On the Help protect your PC page, click Help protect my PC by turning on Automatic Updates now. Then, click Next.
20.Windows XP will then check if you are connected to the Internet:
• If you are connected to the Internet, select the choice that describes your network connection on the Will this computer connect to the Internet directly, or through a network? page. If you’re not sure, accept the default selection, and click Next.
• If you use dial-up Internet access, or if Windows XP cannot connect to the Internet, you can connect to the Internet after setup is complete. On the How will this computer connect to the Internet? page, click Skip.
21. Windows XP Setup displays the Ready to activate Windows? page. If you are connected to the Internet, click Yes, and then click Next. If you are not yet connected to the Internet, click No, click Next, and then skip to step 24. After setup is complete, Windows XP will automatically remind you to activate and register your copy of Windows XP.
22.On the Ready to register with Microsoft? page, click Yes, and then click Next.
23.On the Collecting Registration Information page, complete the form. Then, click Next.
24. On the Who will use this computer? page, type the name of each person who will use the computer. You can use first names only, nicknames, or full names. Then click Next. To add users after setup is complete or to specify a password to keep your account private, read Create and customize user accounts.
25.On the Thank you! page, click Finish.
Congratulations! Windows XP setup is complete. You can log on by clicking your name on the logon screen. If you’ve installed Windows XP on a new computer or new hard disk drive, you can now use the File and Settings Transfer Wizard to copy your important data to your computer or hard disk drive.
After logon, take a few minutes to validate your copy of Windows. Validation gives you access to hundreds of free downloads from the Microsoft Download Center. To learn about the new features Windows XP provides, click the Start button, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Tour Windows XP.
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