Installing Windows 7

Step by Step Guide to Installing Windows 7

     Windows 7 is perhaps the best Microsoft operating system to date and is very easy to install compared to windows XP.

Before starting the installation we should make sure that the computer meets all the Hardware requirements for installing Windows 7.

Minimum Hardware requirements:

• 1 GHz 32 bit processor.
• 1Gb RAM for good performance
• Graphics adapter that supports Direct x 9 graphics. Minimum 512 Mb of Graphics memory.
• 20 GB free Hard disk space.

Different Editions in Windows 7:

• Windows 7 starter
• Home basic
• Home premium
• Professional
• Enterprise
• Ultimate

The steps to install Windows 7 operating system are as follows:

1. Start your computer. Press f2 or delete at start up to enter the bios menu. Select First boot device as ‘CD ROM’ if you installing from DVD ROM. Second boot device as ‘Hard Disk’ so that the computer boots from Hard disk if OS is not in DVD ROM. Press f10 to save your settings and select yes to restart your computer.
2. Insert the installation disc for Windows 7 and start your computer. The computer will ask you to ‘Press any key to boot from CD/DVD’. Press any key on your keyboard and it will start loading the operating system from the CD. 
3. After loading windows 7 successfully, it opens an install window. Enter the Language time & currency format and keyboard or input method. Click ‘Next’. The ‘Install windows 7’ screen will appear.
4. Click ‘Install now’. Setup will start and you will see a message on the screen ‘Set up is starting…’
5. Now it will show the License agreement screen. Check the ‘I accept the License terms’ and click ‘Next’. The ‘Install windows’ wizard will appear.
6. Select Custom (Advanced) option. The screen will prompt you to select the location to install windows. Click drive option (Advanced menu). Click on ‘New’, you are then asked to allot a size on the disk for installation. Enter the appropriate volume size and then click ‘Apply’ to create partitions for the installation, click ‘Next’. Windows will start the installation. Now the installation status screen appears. You will have to wait for the following tasks to get complete.

• Copying Windows
• Expanding Windows files
• Installing features
• Installing updates
• Completing Installation

1. The computer will restart several times during this process so do not worry.
2. After successful installation of Windows 7 it will ask you to specify the ‘computer name’. It will also ask you enter a ‘User account’ and ‘Password’. Enter the password in the respective field and also the password hint, click ‘Next’.
3. The setup key will open the ‘Product Key’ option. Enter the correct product key, make sure that ‘Automatically activate windows when I am online’ check box is selected and click ‘next’.
4. Now a window to set time on your computer will be displayed. Set the correct ‘Time Zone’, date and click ‘Next’ option.
5. The ‘Computer network location’ option will be displayed if your computer is already connected to a network. Select ‘Network type’ and click ‘next’.
6. Windows will now finalize the setup and start to prepare your Windows 7 Desktop.