Comprehensive Guide to How to Install Windows 7

 

How to Install Windows 7 - Introduction

There are three main versions of Windows 7 and this guide covers how to install Windows 7 in any of these variants.Actually there is a fourth version, Windows 7 Starter, but this is only available pre-installed on netbooks etc and it is limited in its capabilities compared to the other versions on offer.If you are building a new PC then you can purchase an OEM version of Windows 7.You will find this a much cheaper alternative to the full retail version, the only difference being the lack of telephone or any technical support.
Mountains of support is available on the internet for any problem you are likely to come up against though and unless you really want to pay for this we would strongly recommend that you stick with the OEM version.
We would recommend the ‘Windows 7 Home Premium’ version as the most suitable for home users.The ‘Windows 7 Home Premium’ option gives the best features verses price trade off.
The other thing to consider is whether to opt for the 32 bit or 64 bit version. If you have a 64 bit processor installed in your PC then you will most likely want to purchase the 64 bit version to ensure you make full use of the extra performance available to you. A 64 bit processor and operating system will also allow you to access RAM above 4GB.
Do be aware though that some of your software may not be 64 bit compatible and it is worth checking this out before deciding.Ok, so you are probably going to opt for the OEM version but remember that the OEM version will not come with a pretty box or manual although you will save a truckload of money over the retail version.
If you are constructing a new PC then you will already be performing a clean installation but if you are simply upgrading we would still always recommend a clean installation of Windows 7 rather than an upgrade or re-install over your current Windows Vista installation.
Note that Windows XP users will only have the option to perform a ‘Clean’ install; the upgrade option is only available to Windows Vista users.
Any problems you may have with your current installation may still be there after you re-install / upgrade and some applications may not work correctly requiring you to re-install these anyway.
A clean installation will require that you back up all your files and folders as a clean install will wipe your hard drive of everything including your settings and programs.
You can make use of Windows Easy Transfer (available from the Microsoft site or on the Windows 7 installation DVD) to help you with this. Windows Easy Transfer will help you to copy your data together with your program settings, email, photos etc to an external hard drive, USB drive or on to a DVD.
Windows Easy Transfer can be used for migration of files and settings whether you are currently running Windows XP or Windows Vista.
Even with this facility available to you do please ensure that you have separately backed up any documents photos and music files etc that you simply cannot afford to lose to a safe medium that you are sure you can restore from. See our page on Data Backup to avoid any potential disasters.

How to Install Windows 7 – Installation

You can boot directly from your Windows 7 DVD. Insert the Windows 7 Installation DVD into your optical drive and the installation should begin.Note that you may need to enter your PC BIOS to change the order of boot devices if you are upgrading from Windows Vista or re-installing otherwise your PC may simply start up with your current version of Windows.
The BIOS can be accessed at start up by pressing the Del, F1, F2 or ESC key dependant upon your BIOS version and manufacturer. Once you are in the BIOS look for the ‘Boot Order’ sub menu which you will find listed under one of the main menus – probably listed as ‘Advanced’.
You will need to use the arrow keys and enter/return key to navigate around the BIOS instead of your mouse which will not work.
Now make the CD/DVD drive top of the boot order list by using the + and – keys to sort the boot order of the listed drives.The first screen you will see informs you that Windows is loading files – just sit and wait for Windows to finish, it doesn’t take long.

Windows has now loaded all the setup files into memory and you will now see the ‘Starting Windows’ screen.

When the ‘Starting Windows’ screen disappears you will be asked to select your ‘Language to install’, ‘Time and currency format’ and ‘Keyboard or input method’. Select and then click ‘Next’.

Once you’ve clicked on ‘Next’ you will be presented with a screen inviting you to ‘Install Now’.

Click the ‘Install now’ button and your Windows 7 installation will begin. You will now see a ‘Setup is starting’ screen.

Followed closely by the software license terms which you should read and then tick the ‘I accept the license terms’ box and then click ‘Next’.

Now you have an option of ‘Upgrade’ or ‘Custom (advanced)’. The ‘Upgrade’ option may be grayed out if you have bought an OEM installation disk that is for installation on a new PC only and which will perform a ‘Clean’ installation by default on your hard drive.

The next screen asks you where you wish to install your copy of Windows 7. We only have one option as we have a brand new hard disk drive.Note that if you are installing on and old drive with data already on it you will get the option to install on one of the logical drives (maybe more than one logical drive if the drive has been partitioned). There will also be options available to allow you to format the drive thus erasing all of the data on it or to create, delete or expand partitions etc. Once again, do make sure you have backed up all of your data!
Select the unallocated drive and then click on ‘Next’ and wait while Windows 7 installs itself on your brand new drive.

By the way, to make a clean installation over an old one there is no need to delete or format the drive first. Windows will move the older version to a folder called Windows.old thus preserving your data for access later if you should wish. Note though that this version of Windows will then no longer be bootable.That’s it for now, you’re in for a bit of a wait while Windows gets on with installing itself on your hard drive. Time to get a coffee perhaps!

Your PC will restart itself several times during the installation and this is quite normal. After a long wait (may be an hour or longer depending upon your setup) you will be greeted with a ‘Welcome’ screen and ‘Windows is finalising your settings’ screen.

Windows will then invite you to ‘Choose a user name for your account’ and to ‘name your computer’. This name will be used for identifying the PC if it is connected to a network for instance.

There is a password option but if the PC is purely for family use you may not require this.

The next screen will ask you to enter your ‘Product Key’. Enter and tick the activate Windows automatically option if you want Windows to activate itself when you go online for the first time.

The next screen gives you three different security options. The choice is yours. Most people should go for option one and use recommended settings. We will choose option two and ‘Install important updates for Windows only’ as we will be installing our own Internet Security software and do not wish to report problems to Microsoft.

You now have the option to set date and time but you shouldn’t need to do this as you have probably already set this up in the BIOS.Tick the ‘Automatically adjust clock’

If your computer is connected to a network the Windows 7 installation program will detect this and ask you to select the type of network, Home, Work or Public.

Windows will now configure your settings for the network – sit back and relax for a few minutes.

You should now be greeted with a ‘Preparing your desktop’ screen and you’re almost all done!

Windows will now personalize your settings.

Voila! – You have now installed Windows 7!

If you have used Windows Easy Transfer to back up your data you can re-instate files by going ‘Start’ > ‘All programs’ > ‘Accessories’ > ‘System tools’.Now click on ‘Windows Easy Transfer’ to run the program and then click on ‘Next’.Click on the option ‘An external hard drive or USB flash drive’ and then click on ‘This is my new computer’ and you can now proceed to re-instate your backed up files, settings and folders from the backup file you created earlier.

How to Install Windows 7 – Setting up your New Computer

Your new computer is up and running but there is a number of things that you need to do before you can put your PC to good use.

How to Install Windows 7 – Drivers

First off we need to install the correct drivers for the motherboard, graphics card etc.Windows 7 will scan your system to see what hardware you have installed and then install the relevant drivers for these drivers. If it recognises your hardware correctly then this shouldn’t be a problem, but driver updates are pretty frequent and also depending upon what you have bought, you may not have the correct versions of drivers i.e. it may be a Windows 98 or XP driver that has been supplied on your disk and this will not work with Windows 7.
The best advice is to see if you can go to the motherboard, graphics card etc manufacturer web site and then search for your model number. When you get to the details for your device there should be an option to download the latest drivers for your particular operating system. Download these and burn to a disk or copy to a USB stick ready for installation on your new PC.
To confirm that all of your drivers have been installed correctly go to ‘Start’ > ‘Control Panel’ > ‘System and Security’ > ‘System’ > ‘Device Manager’.

You will now be shown a list of all of your installed hardware devices. Click on the ‘+’ sign next to each item of hardware to see full details and look for any yellow exclamation marks that would indicate if the driver is not installed or working correctly.If you find any exclamation marks then simply double click on the device and then select ‘Driver’ where you will be given the option to update the drivers for this device.

How to Install Windows 7 – Anti Virus Protection

Before you go anywhere on the Internet you will need to install some form of anti-virus software. The Internet is rife with Viruses, Trojans, Spyware etc and you would be surprised at how quickly your PC will become infected if you do not have any protection.We at PC Tips and Tricks use Norton Internet Security which is a package containing anti-virus, firewall, anti-spyware and hacker protection all in one package.
There are other companies providing similar packages such as Kaspersky, Bit Defender, McAfee and Panda to name but a few.

How to Install Windows 7 – Firewall

It is a sad fact that the Internet is a haven for malicious individuals who would delight in causing havoc and damage to your PC if the opportunity arose.Windows 7 comes with its own firewall protection and if you do not have another product installed providing you with protection then you should ensure that the Windows Firewall is turned on. It should automatically be on by default but it is worth checking.

How to Install Windows 7 – Recommended Protection

Again, as stated earlier, we at www.pc-tips-and-tricks.com use Norton Internet Security, which in its latest guise provides excellent all round protection.There are also a number of free anti-virus and firewall providers available and many people have found them to give extremely good performance. A very popular firewall protection program that can be obtained for free use is Zone Alarm.
For anti-virus protection you could look at AVG Anti-Virus.

How to Install Windows 7 – Before Connecting to the Internet

So, you have been warned! Do not connect to the internet without installing an anti-virus program and ensuring that you have a firewall set up to protect you from hackers and the like.

How to Install Windows 7 – Internet First Stop

When you do connect to the Internet, the first thing you must do is visit Microsoft Update. Here you need to download the latest patches and updates for your operating system, especially the security updates!You can access this easily from your Start menu. Go Start > All programs > Windows Update to be taken directed straight to the Windows Update webpage.
Here you will be invited to check your PC for the latest updates. You should set your PC to allow Automatic Updates so that you are automatically kept up to date with the latest software patches and security updates.

How to Install Windows 7 – Anti Spyware

Spyware programs install themselves silently on your PC without you realizing just by paying a visit to the right (or wrong!) website.These programs will monitor your browsing habits and history and other details and report back to their user. Some programs will install automatic pop-up adverts, which will become highly annoying and disruptive to your Internet usage.
We at PC Tips and Tricks recommend the use of Spyware and advert blocking / destroying software provided by the following two companies.

Two Ways To Upgrade From Windows XP To Windows 7

Windows 7 is till now the best Windows operating system released till date, as per the user feedback, sales numbers and experience it has got some very positive comments.

All those user who are still using XP and may want to upgrade to windows 7 are out of luck, as Microsoft does not allow to upgrade from XP to windows 7 as both are vastly different OS in terms of feature and their structure.

However there are 2 ways with which you can partially upgrade from XP to windows 7, but both of these method will require some input from your side.

The first method is to install windows 7 in dual boot, after running the setup from Windows XP so it will get added to the boot loader. But it will result in wastage of disk space and it will require a different partition also to get installed this way.

Another method would be to backup all user data and settings with windows easy settings transfer and do a clean install after removing Windows XP completely, in this case you will be requiring to install the old software which you used to use again in the new Windows 7 OS.

We would suggest you to use Windows 7 upgrade advisor to check for issues and problems with devices and software that might occur after installing windows 7, so that you can come to know whether your system can run windows 7 smoothly or not.

5 Common Computer Security Mistakes

Computer security mistakes can be a painful and costly experience. While computer viruses have been around since well before the Web, the growth of web traffic and email usage have accelerated the distribution of malicious software or “malware.” The good news is that with a bit of thought, planning and vigilance you can effectively protect yourself. Here are 5 common computer security mistakes to avoid.

Common Computer Security Mistakes #1 — No Antivirus/antispyware software.

This might elicit a “duh,” from most people but there are those who still don’t run antivirus software. However, the other key facet of this element of computer protection is keeping your software and virus definitions up to date. Most worthwhile anti-malware programs (the term “malware” includes viruses, spyware, Trojan horses, keystroke loggers and other forms of malicious software) make it easy to check the date of your last update and to easily launch the update process manually.

Since most anti-malware/antivirus software is sold on an annual basis you need to purchase a new license each year. If you let your license lapse you will be unprotected against any new malware. So even if you have an active antivirus program, but it expired six months ago, you will not be protect from any new viruses or malware that were released in the last six months since it expired. A definite security mistake.

Common Computer Security Mistake #2 — No Firewall software.

Some people feel that having an antivirus program is all they need. A definite computer security mistake. Firewall software acts as a filter to protect your computer from malware and intruders. If some form of malware does get on your computer, firewall software can prevent malicious programs from connecting to the Internet.

Firewall software is particularly effective at blocking Trojan horse software. This common form of malware can transfer data files off your computer without your knowledge or permission and download other malicious files and programs onto your computer. A software firewall on your computer is a key element in blocking these types of programs from getting access to the Internet. Like antivirus software, the firewall software must be updated regularly. This is all the more reason to use an Internet security suite which ties these two important elements together for updating and renewing.

Firewalls can be either software based or hardware based. Software firewalls can be a standalone program but more commonly are part of an Internet Security Suite. A hardware firewall is a device that is connected between the Internet and your computer and normally is included as part of a network router. For a more in-depth look at computer firewalls, both software and hardware based, see our post on “Computer Firewalls – Security Basics”

Common Computer Security Mistake #3 — Not keeping Microsoft Windows, Office and Internet Explorer up to date through the Microsoft Updates process.

Microsoft produces software updates, patches and bug fixes for its products on a regular basis. Updates are free and can be manually downloaded or Windows can be set to automatically download and install them. By default the Windows XP automatic update process does not check for Microsoft Office updates. You need to configure this manually. The Windows Vista Updates process does automatically ask you to check for Office updates.

Periodically Microsoft combines a group of these “updates,” adds some additional functionality and features, and delivers them in what is known as a Service Pack (SP). We strongly recommend that you install all service packs as they become available. Without the benefits that these service packs provide your system will be much more susceptible to problems from instability, degraded performance, and security breaches. While it is not essential to install a Service Pack the moment it becomes available you should not put this off too long as future Microsoft updates may require having the most current Service Pack installed first.

Microsoft releases brand new versions of its software products periodically. For instance Microsoft Office has evolved from Office 2000 to 2002 (XP) to 2003 to Office 2007. While it is not always essential to upgrade to the latest version of Microsoft Office or Microsoft Windows it is strongly recommended that you do keep current with the latest version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer web browser which is now up to version 8.0. At the very least no one should still be using Internet Explorer 6.0 as it presents serious security compromises to a computer. See our post on “Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 Released” for additional information on IE 8.

If you use the Mozilla Firefox browser, which is an excellent alternative to Internet Explorer, be sure to keep up with the latest updates and version through Firefox Updates. Firefox users should also check out our post on “30 Firefox Keyboard Shortcuts.” If you are using a browser other than Internet Explorer or Firefox be sure to check with the software publisher (such as Apple or Google) to keep up to date.

Common Computer Security Mistake #4 – No Email Spam Filter.

As most users are aware email spam is a huge culprit in the spreading of malicious software. Have a good spam blocking program and have it set to a high enough level. Some email packages such as Outlook, Yahoo mail and Gmail have built in spam blocking/capturing functionality. If your email program does not provide effective spam blocking there are a number of effective and relatively inexpensive spam blocking programs available from third party software publishers.

It is important to remember that spam filters are not 100% effective and some junk will get through. It is best to follow some email self-protection rules of thumb including:

1.   Do not open email or email attachments unless you know who they are from.

2.   Never download an attached file from an email that you weren’t expecting to receive.

3.   Never click on “Unsubscribe” on an email that you suspect to be spam or junk mail. This will just tell spammers that your email address is active and you will likely end up getting more junk mail.

4.   Never click on an email attachment with an .exe file extension such as “myfile.exe”. These are program files and clicking on them will begin running a program that could be nasty.

5.   Never click on a link within a suspected spam email – just delete the message immediately.

Common Computer Security Mistake #5 — Not keeping your various security components up to date.

This was mentioned earlier in this post and regardless of the specific parts and pieces that make up your security solution you need to pay attention to them periodically to make sure everything is up to date and functioning correctly. While most security components are updated automatically it is highly recommended that you check occasionally to make sure that these updates are taking place and that your components are up to date. New viruses, spyware and other security threats are released almost daily. If your software expires or gets out of date, your system becomes susceptible to new threats.