A clean install of Windows 7 uses Microsoft's Interactive Setup wizard. The install process has been vastly improved from previous versions of Windows for the most streamlined install process yet. Follow these steps to install Windows 7 as a clean install:
Insert the Windows 7 DVD in your system's optical drive and boot the system (or reboot). Depending on your basic input/output system (BIOS) settings, you may need to press a key to change the boot order, so the machine boots from the DVD; or you may get a message to press any key to boot from CD or DVD; or you may not get a message at all and see a black screen with a pulsating Windows logo and the "Starting Windows" text.
The initial setup windows will appear showing Windows 7 and three options. This is where you may select the language, time, and currency format, and keyboard input type. These options are only for the setup but also for the actual Windows 7 installation as an administrator may install Windows 7 in different language than the end user. Select Next when the correct options have been selected.
This window will give you the main option to install and two other options. Selecting Install now will do just that. Selecting What to know before installing Windows will pop up a document that provides general information that you should know before installing Windows 7, including the difference between an upgrade and custom install. Selecting the Repair your computer will bring up the Windows Recovery Environment, which includes Startup Repair. Select Install now to continue the installation.
A Setup is starting… window will appear briefly, depending on your hardware. The next window that requires interaction is the Microsoft End User License Agreement, also known as the EULA. It is recommended that you read this agreement before agreeing to it. In actuality, the end user should also read this. Administrators know this rarely occurs, but for legal purposes we must recommend you read this. If you accept the agreement, check the check box stating I accept the license terms and click Next.
The following screen allows the selection of installation type. As we are performing a clean install, the Custom installation option will be selected. Note that Microsoft reiterates that this option does not keep your files, settings, and programs and includes a recommendation to back up files before proceeding. As this is a clean install to a new hard drive or computer, there should not be data that needs to be backed up. Select Custom and proceed.
In the next window, you will select where to install Windows 7. This screen varies depending on how many physical hard drives and partitions are configured in your system. This screen also gives you Drive options (advanced) to configure your physical disks and partitions. A new system with a blank hard drive will display Disk 0 Unallocated Space and Next may be selected if you do not want to partition the disk and want to let Windows Setup handle it.
If there is more than one physical drive, then Disk 0, Disk 1, and so on will display for the number of physical discs. If there is more than one partition on a disk, then Disk 0 Partition 1, Disk 0 Partition 2, and so on will appear for each partition on a physical disc. You may select the disk and partition where you want to install Windows 7 and click Next, but clicking Drive options (advanced) will provide more options.
Selecting Drive options (advanced) allows for more options than just selecting where to install. Here you may delete a partition, format a partition, create a partition, and extend a partition if the physical disk has unallocated space. It is recommended that the partition where you plan to install Windows 7 be formatted before continuing. Once the disk and partition for Windows 7 install is highlighted, select Next.
If a disk drive does not show up, it could be because Windows Setup does not have the driver for it. A Load Driver option is available to load the driver for the drive. This can be found in the hard disk manufacturer's Web site or provided with the drive and/or card used in the system. This may occur if Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID), Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI), or a new type of disk drive is used. Select Load Driver and follow the wizard so the drive appears or select Browse to manually assign it. Refresh can be clicked to refresh the list.
Once Next is selected from the Where do you want to install Windows? screen, Windows 7 will install on your system. A progress window will appear warning of several restarts. Depending on the hardware on this system, this process will take from as little as 10 min up to 45 min; allow more time for slower systems.
A few reboots, screen flickers, and other hard work by your system will finish with a final reboot and a greeting welcoming you to Setup Windows. The system will reboot and Windows will ask you for a user name and computer name. These two criteria are very important.
The next screen is to set a password for the account originally created. Next to Type a password is a (recommended) inference. This is absolutely necessary. Recall the user name created previously has administrative privileges. For that user, please create a password that is complex and that only you and/or a limited number of administrators have access to.
After setting a password, you may or may not be asked for a product key. This depends on the version and media used to install. If you are prompted for a product key, you may enter it now and select to automatically activate Windows after getting online. You may opt out of entering the license key at this point but will only have 30 days to input it later. The following screen will ask whether to enable automatic updates. The following are the three options to choose from:
The next window will ask for the time zone and setting the correct time. It is a best practice to choose the correct time zone and time for administrative purposes. If Windows 7 detected and installed your network hardware drivers correctly and detects a wired or wireless network, the following windows may appear:
Wireless Network Setup – If a wireless network is in range, this window will appear. Here you may select the wireless network to connect to as well as provide the security key if it has one. Select your computer's current location - This window will pop up every time the user connects to a new network. It is very important that the end user be trained to select the correct network type the system is connecting to. Depending on this selection, certain networking and security features are configured.
The Windows 7 desktop should now be visible and some of the above steps may have been skipped.
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Articleinput.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
Note: This article was sent to us by: Dean Raphord at 10042010
1. How to create a bootable VHD in Windows 7
All articles are property of their respective authors. Please read our Privacy Policy!
© 2009 ArticleInput.com.
Partners: Damenmode