2. Step 1: Boot off Disc or USB
When your PC boots, it first runs a Basic
Input/output System (BIOS) which controls many
aspects about the PC hardware configuration
including how it boots. If the BIOS does not default
to booting from USB or disc, it will often offer a
button press to bring up a boot menu, usually F12,
Esc, F2 or F8. Generally, you can tell what your
machine wants you to press if you watch the BIOS
screen right when your machine turns on, or you can
consult your user manual. You might have to do a
power cycle a few times to get the right setting and
get it to boot to what you would like.
5. Unless you have a different language or keyboard you
are just going to select next at this screen.
6. On this screen, if you are just going to be installing, hit Install Now....later, if you
need to repair your machine or need to restore it back to a previous restore point,
you can do this by clicking on “repair your computer” on the bottom.
8. Make sure you skim this page. You have to select I accept
the license terms and then click Next.
9. Next you will see an Upgrade or
Custom (advanced). This will give
you the option of upgrading from a
previous version of Windows, like
Windows Vista or Windows XP.
Note, you will keep all your
settings, programs and files in your
original location if you upgrade
from Windows Vista. If you are
upgrading from Windows XP, it
will move all of your Windows
settings to a Windows.old directory
along with your Documents and
Settings, and all of your Programs
will need to be reinstalled. I
always recommend you back
up all of your data before you
do a custom install....unless you
have XP, then Windows 7 Upgrade
license will not work on a Custom
Install, then you have to do the
upgrade.
10. The next screen will be different depending on your hard drives and how many you are using. I am installing
this on a virtual machine for the sake of this walk-through so my hard drive is not very large. If you have a
hard drive with data on it, do not follow the directions for this step! This is only for hard drives
with no data on them, or that have been backed up!
11. Click on Drive options...You will see the option for new, if you have backed up your
hard drive you will want to delete first. Make sure you are on the correct hard
drive if you have multiples before hitting delete.
13. You will see this pop-up after hitting new. This is telling you that Windows is going to
putting a small 100MB partition on the beginning of your hard drive to run the boot
and other start-up files to speed up the boot process. This is OK and recommended.
14. You will now see the System Reserved with Total Size 100.0 MB and Free Space 86.0 MB as well
as your new partitioned system drive, make sure you have your new Partition 2 selected and hit
next. Now it is just a waiting and watching after this for a bit. The computer will reboot once or
twice before you have any more input.
21. Now you put in the user name you would like to use, this account will be an Administrator. You
will notice that when you enter the user name the computer name will also change and change
the PC name to be username-pc. You can change this if you want by selecting that box before
hitting next.
22. This is where you will give your new user account password and a password
hint..(FYI: You can just hit next, this is not required just recommended.)
23. I recommend that you
just hit next on this
screen. You will have the
option later to enter
your key..You can make
sure you get everything
setup the way you want
before activating your
box. So just hit next and
you will have up to 120
days to enter a key. It
will start to bug you in
about 3 days to enter
one. If you do enter a
key it will automatically
activate your machine if
you keep that box
checked and you have
an Internet connection.
24. This is where you will select if
you want Windows Updates
to come down automatically
or not. Use your own
judgement but the
recommendation for a
personal PC that is not
behind a firewall or a
corporate network is to use
recommended settings. If
you are going to be using this
machine as a Media PC, you
have to remember that your
media center will want to
optimize at night at the same
time updates want to
automatically restart the
machine. You can always hit
go to the start menu and type
“Updates” and then change
the option later if you are not
happy with the first choice.
25. Next choose your time zone. Make sure your clock and date
match...all Microsoft products are defaulted to Pacific Time.
26. This screen will have
you choose your
firewall settings. You
can customize these at
anytime later on. If you
are going to be running
this as an extender I
would recommend
Home Network, this
will also allow other
Windows 7 machines to
use the HomeGroup
feature. Public will lock
down just about all
ports.
Windows will now
finish the configuration
of the rest of the
information. This
should be pretty quick.
