| INSTALL WINDOWS 7 HOME PREMIUM |
If you have just bought Windows 7 Home Premium, Full version or Upgrade Version, this section is for you (although this section can apply to any Windows
installation generally). In this example I have just purchased Windows 7 Home Premium, Upgrade version, which is exactly the same as the full version but
just different in terms of installation and license.
The upgrade allows me to install Windows 7 on one computer only (1 License) that already contains
either Windows XP or Windows Vista. I already have Windows Vista installed on my C:\ Hard Drive, so in this example I am going to install Windows 7 Home
Premium on my D:\ Hard Drive (Partition). This is what the upgrade allows - It allows you to overwrite Windows Vista or keep Windows Vista and install
Windows 7 on another Hard Drive or Partition.
If you have not bought Windows 7 yet I would highly recommend you download Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from
here. It will
tell you what software and hardware compatibility issue on are your computer, if any, with regards to upgrading to Windows 7. Once you have seen its
report you should be able to decide what you are going to do Windows 7 wise.
Assuming you have now bought Windows 7 Home Premium, Full version or Upgrade Version, begin by backing up all your important data (not shown here), preferably onto a DVD or Flash Drive (Memory Stick). Once you have done that continue by inserting the Windows 7 DVD.
Tip - Uninstall anything Non-Windows and FREE, if possible. In other words. Keep your Microsoft Office, your Paid-For Softwares and other Valuable and/or Rare Softwares, but uninstall things like Java, Firefox, Adobe Reader and anything else you can easily reinstall. Try and bring your windows back to a first-bought-computer stage or Microsoft only stage. It saves the installation from having to fath about trying to figure out what to do with your third party softwares basically, compatibilty-wise. Your are eliminating some of the unnecessary work for the installation process.
When you insert the Windows 7 DVD, which will more than likely be the 32Bit DVD as opposed to the 64 Bit DVD (you get two DVDs), an AutoPlay requester should appear asking you if you want to RUN (Launch/Execute) the Setup.exe file (Installation Wizard) or OPEN the DVD folder. In this example just click on the RUN Setup.exe link to continue, if the AutoPlay requester appears of course. If it does not, you will have to open the DVD folder manually - Double click on the COMPUTER link from the START Menu and then right click over your DVD Drive. From there. Click on the EXPLORE menu-item and then double click on the Setup.exe file to continue. Either way, the Installation Wizard will be launched (RUN/Executed).
Throughout the installation process you may occasionally see a UAC (User Account Control) Security Requester which is a feature of Windows Vista and Windows 7 that helps to prevent unauthorized changes to the computer, such as deleting a system file or installing software. When attempting to install Microsoft Windows 7 a UAC security requester similar to the one below automatically blocks you off, because it wants to know if you are the one attempting to install Microsoft Windows 7 and not a piece of malicious software for example. In this example click on the CONTINUE button to continue, or on the CANCEL button to cancel the installation process.
After clicking on the UAC's CONTINUE button the first window from the Installation Wizard appears, asking you if you want to check online for compatibility issue or just go straight ahead and install Windows 7. In this example just click on the INSTALL NOW button to continue. As said above, you have the option of using the Upgrade Advisor before reaching this stage.
Clicking on INSTALL NOW will copy some temporary files onto your hard drive in preparation for the actual installation. After that you will asked if you
want to go online and get the latest updates for this installation (Fig 1.4 below). So click on the GO ONLINE... link if you currently have a live
internet connection or click on the DO NOT GET... link if you do not currently have a live internet connection. When the installation updates have been
downloaded (Fig 1.5), assuming you use this option of course, the computer will be restarted.
You may also want to tick the option I WANT TO HELP MAKE WINDOWS INSTALLATION BETTER (Fig 1.4). This will give feedback to Microsoft about your particular
installation process so that they can improve future Installation Wizards.
Ignore the message in Fig 1.5 above about your computer needing an internet connection throughout this installation process - It is not true. Windows 7
will install just fine without an internet connection. This first stage for example did not need an internet connection in reality, its just that I had
one!
When the computer starts up again, after the first reboot, you will be presented with the License Agreement window below, where you must agree to the
Terms & Conditions before continuing. Read the License Agreement carefully. Although these tend to contain useless information, they usually explain
Copyright issues or Usage issues that clarify who can use the software and who cannot.
So if, for example, you are told that a certain piece of software is Free and/or Free To Use you may want to clarify this by reading the agreement. Some installation wizards do not allow you to continue, by fading out the CONTINUE button, until you have read (scrolled down) the license agreement. When you are ready and if you agree, put a tick next to the statement I ACCEPT THE LICENSE TERMS and then click on the NEXT button to continue.
The next window to appear (below) asks you how you want to install Windows 7 Home Premium - UPGRADE or CUSTOM. Clicking on the UPGRADE option will keep all your personal folders/files, Microsoft Office 2007 and so on intact. But remember what I said above. Back up your important folders and files beforehand. In this example I am going to do a CUSTOM install whereby I will be using my empty D:\ Hard Drive (Partition) so that I can keep my Windows Vista, which is on my C:\ Hard Drive (Partition). Therefore I will click on the CUSTOM link to continue.
After clicking on the CUSTOM link (Fig 1.7 above) you are then asked to select the Hard Drive Partition where you want to install Windows 7 Home Premium. In this example I selected my D:\ Hard Drive Partition and then clicked on the NEXT button to continue. If you want to know how to partition a hard drive, Click Here.
Clicking on the NEXT button starts the real installation of Windows 7 (above). The steps before this were just preparation steps. These next few stages on the other hand will copy the appropriates folders and files, from your Windows 7 DVD to your selected hard drive partition, and then install Windows 7 for you.....in autopilot mode.
During the real installation process, and after a couple of restarts, you will then be asked to select your Country Or Region, Time & Currency, Check
that the Date & Time are correct, give yourself a Username and your computer a Computer Name (for networking purposes) and so on. All in an
easy-to-use and easy-to-understand manner. When you see an option for security, use the recommended setting (topmost green shield). And the same applies
to the Activate Windows setting - Tick the option that states AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATE WINDOWS WHEN I'M ONLINE.
That's it! Remember. Before going online install a security suite first (i.e. Norton Internet Security). In the next section I will show you how to
Activate Windows manually - Windows 7 gives up to 3 days before automatic activation and up to 30 Days to activate windows regardless. So do it manually
and have piece of mind that your new Windows 7 purchase is activated.
Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation. As stated here by the Microsoft Corporation.
