Datasheet

22
Chapter 1
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Getting Started with Windows Vista
Clean Install: Collecting Information
When you boot to the Windows Vista installation media, the Setup program will automatically
start the Windows Vista installation. In the Collecting Information stage of the installation, you
will select your language and locale settings, enter your product key, accept the license terms,
select the type of installation, and specify the install location.
The following steps are involved in a clean installation of Windows Vista (click Next after
completing each step):
1. Insert the Windows Vista DVD in your computer. Restart the computer, and boot to the
DVD drive. Alternatively, you can run setup.exe from the Windows Vista media or a
network share. However, for this walk-through, we will explain how to boot to the Win-
dows Vista DVD.
2. The Setup program will start automatically and begin loading files. At this point, the
computer is running the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) operating
system.
You can access the command line from within WinPE by pressing Shift+F10.
3. The Install Windows dialog box will appear. You can select the language to install, the
time and currency format, and the keyboard or input method.
4. The Install Now button will appear in the center of the screen. In addition, two options
will be available in the lower-left corner: What to Know Before Installing Windows, and
Repair Your Computer.
5. You will be prompted to type your 25-character product key for activation. You can
find the product key on a sticker on your computer or on the installation disc folder.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, the product key is one long text box rather than
five separate text boxes. As you type the 25-character product key, the dashes will be
added for you automatically. There is also a check box to automatically activate Win-
dows when online.
6. The Microsoft Windows Vista license terms will appear. The installation will not allow
you to click Next until you have accepted the license terms.
7. You will be prompted to select the type of installation you want to perform. A Custom
installation will install a clean copy of Windows Vista and will also allow you to select
the installation location or make changes to disks and partitions. This option is also
required for multiboot installations.
The option for performing an Upgrade installation will be unavailable to you.
To upgrade, you must start the installation from within Windows.
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