WIN 7 Installation

WIN 7 Installation

~*Windows Seven*~

This is a step-by-step guide to installing a fresh copy of Windows 7. It includes screenshots of all the major elements and specific instructions on what choices to make when asked. This is as easy as it gets. If you want to install a fresh copy of Windows 7 and are looking for a step-by-step guide, complete with screenshots, you’re in the right place. Many Windows users have been waiting for Windows 7 for a while now but not everyone welcomes the installation process, however easy it may seem. So here is a step-by-step walkthrough of the installation process complete with descriptions of each step and screenshots so you can keep your bearings during the installation.


Step 1: Boot the computer from the Windows 7 installation DVD of your choice. Picking either the 32bit or 64bit depends on whether your hardware can support 

Step 2: Press any key when prompted.

Step 3 : Choose your preferred language from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: Click on the Install Now button unless you want to explore the other options.

Step 5: Check “I accept the license terms” box.

Step 6: Select the Custom (advanced) install option. The upgrade path is for those who want to upgrade an existing copy of Windows. You are of course free to do this, but it is much better to install a fresh copy, especially if using Windows 7 for the first time.

Step 7: So this is what you get after you click Custom on the previous screen. I suppose this could be a little confusing for the non geek installer, especially if there is a list of multiple partitions. Though by now I'm sure a lot of casual users have gotten somewhat of a grasp on what a hard drive is. I hope so anyway. I didn't go to the Advanced tab to do any partitioning or formatting, as I had one partition on this test I just clicked next.

Step 8: Alright, let the installation begin! Here setup copies archives over for extraction and installation on the hard drive.Step 9:The files copied over pretty fast, now on to the extraction process. This didn't take long at all, about 6 minutes.Step 10: OK, so files were extracted, now setup needs a restart to continue. No big deal, this part of the process went by quickly. Cue the boot images from the start of this blog.Step 11: OK, so here we are, after the reboot and right back at it. Windows 7 starts services to continue installation.Step 12: A quick glance back over to Windows 7's installation progress bar. I think really just to see the "Completing Installation" text. Cute.Step 13: Alright, if my new Windows 7 wants a restart before it shows me my desktop goodness, then a restart it gets! Cue the boot screen shots again...

Step 14: Right to action! I love it, at this point I can almost feel Windows 7 running through all 4GB of RAM and both cores. So here we go, lets pick a username! (and password if you want, Windows 7 is good like that)Step 15: A change from Vista, here on the Windows 7 installation it asks for the product after Windows is installed, for both systems though you can hit next without putting in a product key, this will install Windows 7 in a 30 day trial mode.Step 16: It's always good to set the clock! Windows 7 needs to know what time it is! You can really leave this as anything, just set your time zone and date. Once Windows 7 loads you can click on the clock and update from the Internet. Though I'm sure most people have previously set the time on their PCs, so Windows 7 should have that here already - just might need to change the timezone.Step 17: Picking the network location. Just as in Windows Vista, Windows 7 wants to know where you are, this determines how the OS will set file sharing and network discovery settings.Step 18: And here Windows 7 sets those settings for file sharing and network discovery. If you can remember the misery of setting up a network adapter in Windows 3.x or Windows 95, you might get a feeling of satisfaction at this screen. I know I did.Step 19: Cool new feature for a Home group. This feels like setting up a Media Extender. I like the idea, even more security for your networked files, and with an 1-2-3 setup like just entering a network code in to Windows 7 to automatically join together it's even easier than setting up Windows shares and editing network properties, like a workgroup.Step 20: At this point - I can taste it! It just feels like it's almost done and I can't wait. Windows 7 here we come!Step 21: Yes, Windows 7 welcomes me! I can feel it, I'm only seconds away from my full glory of Windows 7 beta 1 installed and running!Step 22: Nice, Thanks Windows 7 - I always like having a nice prepared desktop! (Curious though, as after Vista they did away with all the desktop icons - though most OEMs put them back. Really folks, try to get rid of the icons, you're using your desktop and don't need to minimize a window to get to something you access from the start menu - think intuitively)Step 23: And I'm in! Windows 7 sets up a few things super fast and...Final Step: My Windows 7 beta 1 desktop is here! Ready to go! Overall a pretty easy installation really. This would be a breeze to walk someone over the phone with, and most some-what savvy computer people can surely do this on their own. I didn't need any special computer knowledge, or really any knowledge beyond reading to understand this. A good installation in my book, even installing Linux these days is just as simple, as is OS X.