Installing Windows 7

Easy to follow instructions for installing the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system.

Step 1
The first thing to do is check whether your desktop or laptop PC is capable of running Windows 7. If it's already running Vista with acceptable performance, then the answer is yes. Download and run Microsoft's Upgrade Advisor to assess your hardware's capabilities.

Step 2
Insert Windows 7 installation DVD and boot from DVD drive. In some older systems you may have to change boot order through system BIOS, most new systems allow booting from DVD without changing boot order by simply clicking on any key when prompted to doing so. In newer systems you can skip to Step 4.

Step 3
Changing the boot order on your computer is very easy. You need to access the BIOS setup utility. Turn your computer and watch for a message during the POST about which key to press to select SETUP, usually something like Del or F2. Press the key as soon as you see the message. After pressing the correct key you will enter the BIOS Setup Utility.

The menu options are listed horizontally at the top of the screen, and the instructions for how to move around the BIOS and make changes are listed at the bottom of the screen. Using the instructions given for navigating around your BIOS utility, locate the option for changing the boot order. The menu option or configuration item might be called Boot Options, Boot, Boot Order, etc. The boot order option may even be located within a general menu option like Advanced Options, Advanced BIOS Features, or Other Options.

Hardware connected to your computer will be listed in that section. Some newer computers even let you boot from devices like flash drives, network resources, and other sources. The order in which the devices are listed is the order in which your computer will look for operating system information. Follow the instructions to change the order to place DVD first and then the instructions to Save and Exit. Restart your computer with the Windows 7 in the disk drive.

Step 4
Choose your default "Language", "Time", and "keyboard Input" on the first window and click next.

You have to do a clean installation if you move from one level of Vista to another level of Windows 7, say from Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional. That means you won't have the ability to carry your apps along. The exception is Windows 7 Ultimate, which will let you upgrade from any level of Vista—as long as you don't change whether you're using the 32- or 64-bit version. Both 32- and 64-bit installation discs come in the Windows 7 box, so you only have to specify which computer you have.

Choose Upgrade or Custom if offered a choice. Choosing Custom gives you a lot of options not available from Upgrade, like formatting and partitioning your hard disk. This type of "clean" install is actually better if you can live with having to reinstall your applications. Your system will run without any of the gunk it's accumulated over the course of program installations and other system changes. You have to start from the installer disc. you can't install from within Windows for this to work. Run Windows Easy Transfer to copy and later restore documents, media such as digital photos and videos, and settings, but you will need to reinstall your programs.