q TE In This Part RI AL Installation MA Chapter 1: Installing Windows 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Chapter 2: Automating a Windows 7 Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 CO PY RI GH TE D Chapter 3: Configuring Disks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Installing Windows 7 Installation 1 PART I In this chapter, you will learn to: 33 33 33 33 Understand Windows 7’s New Features (Pages 4– 7 ) Understand Windows 7 Architecture (Pages 7– 9) Prepare TO INSTALL Windows 7 (Pages 9– 22 ) Install Windows 7 (Pages 22– 45)
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 T here is an old saying: “To build a good house, you must have a good foundation.” Well, that’s what this chapter is all about. You’ll learn how to properly install Windows 7. We’ll show you how to install Windows 7 on one machine and then install Windows 7 on multiple machines using various installation techniques and tools. With each release of Microsoft Windows, Microsoft tries to take the best of the previous Windows versions and add even better functionality.
Jump Lists Jump Lists are a new feature to the Windows lineup. They allow you to quickly access files that you have been working on. For example, if you have the Microsoft Word icon in the Taskbar, you can right-click it and it will show you all the recent files that you have been working with. Another advantage to using Jump Lists is that you can preset certain applications, like Windows Media Player. For Internet Explorer, you could view all the recent websites that you have visited.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 connect all your other computers to the same network. The password can be changed any time after you install Windows 7. Device Stage Device Stage is new to the Windows operating systems family. Device Stage enables you to connect a compatible device to your PC and a picture of the device appears. Device Stage allows you to easily share files between devices and computers.
Understand Windows 7 Architecture 7 Instant Search T his feature lets you quickly access search requests without typing the entire search criteria. As you start typing in the search request, you’ll see suggestions for your search. The advantage to Instant Search is that it will also use your browsing history to narrow down the suggestions. After you see what you’re looking for, you can make your selection without having to finish the query.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Microsoft could not just release a 64-bit version of Windows 7. This would alienate many users with 32-bit computer systems, and it would cost Microsoft a large share of the client-side software market. Users already have to deal with the PC versus Mac commercials! So Windows 7 users have a choice of either 32-bit or 64-bit. 32-bit vs. 64-bit When you hear the terms 32-bit and 64-bit, this is referring to the CPU, or processor.
NOTE Computer processors are typically rated by speed. The speed of the processor, or CPU, is rated by the number of clock cycles that can be performed in one second. This measurement is typically expressed in gigahertz (GHz). One GHz is one billion cycles per second. Keep in mind that processor architecture must also be taken into account when considering processor speed. A processor with a more efficient pipeline will be faster than a processor with a less efficient pipeline at the same CPU speed.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 NN Windows 7 Professional NN Windows 7 Enterprise NN Windows 7 Ultimate Many times Microsoft releases multiple editions of the operating system contained within the same Windows 7 media disk. You can choose to unlock the one that you want based on the product key that you have. Table 1.1 compares all the Windows 7 editions and lists what they include. We compiled this information from Microsoft’s website and TechNet.
Prepare to Install Windows 7 11 Starter Edition Home Basic Edition Home Premium Edition Professional Edition Enterprise and Ultimate Editions Remote Desktop Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ReadyDrive Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ReadyBoost Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows Firewall Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows Defender Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Taskbar previews No Yes Yes Yes Yes Mobility Center No Yes Yes Yes Yes Easy user switching No Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows Aero Glass No No Yes Y
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Hardware Requirements Before you can insert the Windows 7 DVD and install the operating system, you first must make sure that the machine’s hardware can handle the Windows 7 operating system. To install Windows 7 successfully, your system must meet or exceed certain hardware requirements. Table 1.2 lists the requirements for a Windows 7–compatible PC. Table 1.
Prepare to Install Windows 7 13 tion at which you want to run. The required amount of memory is as follows: NN NN 64 MB is required for a single monitor at a resolution of 1,310,720 pixels or less, which is equivalent to a 1280×1024 resolution. 128 MB is required for a single monitor at a resolution of 2,304,000 pixels or less, which is equivalent to a 1920×1200 resolution. 256 MB is required for a single monitor at a resolution larger than 2,304,000 pixels.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 The HCL will let you know if your hardware is compatible with Windows 7. Besides the basic RAM, video, hard drive, and CPU requirements, there are some other areas of the computer that you should examine for compatibility. BIOS Compatibility Before you install Windows 7, verify that your computer has the most current BIOS (Basic Input/Output System).
Prepare to Install Windows 7 NN You are running Windows Vista. NN You want to keep your existing applications and preferences. Installation Another possibility is to upgrade your Windows XP machine to Windows Vista and then upgrade the new Vista operating system to Windows 7. You can perform an upgrade to Windows 7 if the following conditions are true: 15 NN You want to preserve any local users and groups you’ve created.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Upgrade Considerations Almost all Windows Vista applications should run with the Windows 7 operating system. However, there are a few possible exceptions to this statement: NN NN Applications that use file system filters, such as antivirus software, may not be compatible. Custom power-management tools may not be supported. Before you upgrade to Windows 7, be sure to stop any antivirus scanners, network services, or other client software.
Prepare to Install Windows 7 17 NN NN If applications were written for earlier editions of Windows but are incompatible with Windows 7, use the Windows 7 Program Compatibility Wizard. From Control Panel click the Programs icon and then click the Run Programs From Previous Versions link to start the Program Compatibility Wizard. If the application is not compatible with Windows 7, upgrade your application to a Windows 7–compliant version.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Devices T he Devices report alerts you to any potential Windows Vista driver issues. Each device in your system will be listed in this section either as a device to be reviewed or as a device that should automatically work after Windows 7 is installed. You will need a driver for the network card after Windows 7 is installed. Programs T he Programs report alerts you to any potential application compatibility issues.
Prepare to Install Windows 7 19 Installation Figure 1.4 : The Select Installation Folder screen PART I 6. At the Installation Complete screen, click the Close button. 7. On the desktop, double-click the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor icon. 8. When the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor starts, click the Start Check button to start the scan of the machine. 9. After the system scan is complete, the Upgrade Advisor gives you the results. You can print or save these results. Close the Upgrade Advisor.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 to audit the current configuration and status of your computer. It will generate a report of any known hardware or software compatibility issues based on your configuration. You should resolve any reported issues before you upgrade to Windows 7. NN NN NN NN NN NN NN Make sure that your BIOS is current. Windows 7 requires that your computer has the most current BIOS.
Prepare to Install Windows 7 21 Disk partitioning is the act of taking the physical hard drive and creating logical partitions. A logical drive is how space is allocated to the drive’s primary and logical partitions. For example, if you have a 500 GB hard drive, you might partition it into three logical drives: a C drive, which might be 200 GB; a D drive, which might be 150 GB; and an E drive, which might be 150 GB.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Special Disk Configurations Windows 7 supports several disk configurations. Options include simple, spanned, and striped volumes. Disk Partition Configuration Utilities If you are partitioning your disk prior to installation, you can use several utilities, such as the DOS or Windows Fdisk program or a third-party utility such as Norton’s Partition Magic. You can also configure the disks during the installation of the Windows 7 operating system.
Install Windows 7 23 These methods are discussed in detail in the following sections. On any installation of Windows 7, there are three phases to the installation. First you have the Collecting Information phase, then the Installing Windows phase, and finally the Setting Up Windows phase. Collecting Information During the collection phase of the installation, Windows 7 gathers the information necessary to complete the installation.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Figure 1.5 : Windows 7 Installation screen 4. At the next screen, click the Install Now button, as shown in Figure 1.6. Figure 1.
Install Windows 7 25 5. A message shows you that Setup is starting. The licensing screen will be first. Read and accept the license agreement and then click Next. 6. A screen asking you “Which type of installation do you want?” is Figure 1.7: Choosing the Windows 7 installation type Installation next, as shown in Figure 1.7. Click Custom (Advanced). PART I 7. The next screen asks you where you want to install Windows 7, as shown in Figure 1.8.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Figure 1.8 : Specify a location for installing Windows 7. Figure 1.
Install Windows 7 27 10. Next, set your password and password hint, as shown in Figure 1.10 : Password screen Installation Figure 1.10. Enter your password twice and enter your hint. Click Next. PART I 11. The next screen asks you to enter your 25-digit product key. Enter your product key and make sure the check box to automatically register your machine when you’re online is selected. Click Next. 12. Settings related to Windows Update and security appear, as shown in Figure 1.11.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Figure 1.11: Specify settings related to Windows Update and security. 13. You are now able to verify your time and date settings. Configure your time, time zone, and date. Click Next. 14. You then set your computer’s current location. You have the ability to choose from a home, work, or public location. Choose where your computer is located, as shown in Figure 1.12. Figure 1.
Install Windows 7 29 15. Windows will finalize your setup and the installation will be As you can see, installing Windows 7 is an easy process on a new computer system. But what if the system already has Windows Vista? Let’s take a look at how to perform an installation of Windows 7 onto a machine with Windows Vista. Performing an Upgrade to Windows 7 If your machine has Windows Vista already installed, you have the ability to upgrade the machine to Windows 7.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 During the Installing Windows Upgrade phase, all the files required by the Setup program are copied to the hard drive. During the process, the computer automatically reboots. This process takes several minutes and proceeds automatically without user intervention. The following process information messages appear on the screen along with a completion percentage for each: 1. Copying Windows files 2. Gathering files, settings, and programs 3. Expanding Windows files 4.
Install Windows 7 31 As most of you are aware, installations seldom go off without a hitch. Some of the possible installation errors that you might encounter are listed in Table 1.4. Table 1.4 : Troubleshooting Common Installation Problems Error Explanation/Possible Solutions Media Errors Media errors are caused by defective or damaged DVDs. To check the disc, put it into another computer and see if you can read it. Also check your disc for scratches or dirt—it might just need to be cleaned.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Table 1.4 : Troubleshooting Common Installation Problems (continued) Error Explanation/Possible Solutions Failure to Access TCP/IP Network Resources If you install Windows 7 with typical settings, the computer is configured as a DHCP client.
Install Windows 7 33 4. In the Windows folder, double-click the setupact.log file to view your action log in Notepad. When you finish viewing this file, close Notepad. Notepad. If no errors occurred during installation, this file will be empty. When you finish viewing this file, close Notepad. 6. Close the directory window. After you install Windows 7 and look at the setup logs, it might be necessary to transfer user’s data from one system to another or migrate data from the same computer.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 LoadState.exe deposits the information that is collected to a computer running a fresh copy of Windows 7.
Install Windows 7 35 2. Install a fresh copy of Windows 7 on the target computer. 3. Run LoadState.exe on the target computer. LoadState.exe will access the intermediate store to restore the user settings. When you use the USMT, you can create a script that can be run manually or can be used as an automated process at a scheduled time. Table 1.5 defines the options for the Scanstate.exe and Loadstate.exe commands. Table 1.5 : Options for scanstate.exe and loadstate.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 can transfer some or all of the following files and settings from a computer running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or Windows Vista: NN User accounts NN Folders and files NN Program settings NN Internet settings NN Favorites NN Email messages, contacts, and settings You can transfer the migrated files and settings using the following methods: NN NN NN Easy Transfer Cable, which is a USB cable that connects to the source and destination computers CD or
Install Windows 7 37 3. Browse to the DVD drive on your computer and click migsetup. exe in the Support\Migwiz directory. 5. Select an external hard disk or USB flash drive. 6. Click This Is My Old Computer. Windows Easy Transfer scans the computer. 7. Click Next. You can also determine which files should be migrated by selecting only the user profiles you want to transfer or by clicking Customize. 8. Enter a password to protect your Easy Transfer file, or leave the box blank, and then click Save. 9.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Now, perform the following steps to migrate files to the destination computer: 1. If you saved your files and settings in an Easy Transfer file on a removable media such as a universal flash device (UFD) rather than on a network share, insert the removable media into the computer. 2. Select Start ➢ All Programs ➢ Accessories ➢ System Tools ➢ Windows Easy Transfer. 3. When the Windows Easy Transfer window opens, click Next. 4.
As you have seen, you can migrate your users’ data, but let’s say you have software installed and you can’t locate the CD/DVD for that software package. It might be beneficial to a user or organization to upgrade the Windows XP machine to Windows Vista. After that installation is complete, upgrade the Vista machine to Windows 7. This is just another option that is available to you when you migrate your users to the Windows 7 operating system.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 are not recognized by any other operating system, including Windows NT and Windows XP Home Edition. NN NN NN NN Only Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 4), Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 can recognize NTFS file systems. Other Windows operating systems use FAT16 or FAT32 and cannot recognize NTFS. All Windows-based operating systems can recognize FAT partitions.
Install Windows 7 41 Windows Activation is Microsoft’s way of reducing software piracy. Unless you have a corporate license for Windows 7, you will need to perform postinstallation activation. You can do this online or by phoning Microsoft. Windows 7 will attempt automatic activation three days after you log on to Windows 7 for the first time. There is a grace period when you will be able to use the operating system without activation.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Here are some of the common update categories associated with Windows Update: NN Critical updates NN Service packs NN Drivers Perform the following steps to configure Windows Update: 1. Select Start ➢ Control Panel. NN NN From Windows Icons View, select Windows Update. From Windows Category View, select System And Security, Windows Update. 2. Configure the options you want to use for Windows Update, and click OK.
Install Windows 7 43 Change Settings Clicking Change Settings allows you to customize how Windows can install updates. NN Install Updates Automatically (Recommended) NN Download Updates But Let Me Choose To Install Them NN NN Download Updates But Let Me Choose Whether To Download And Install Them Never Check For Updates (Not Recommended) Figure 1.15 shows the settings that you can configure for Windows Update. Figure 1.
Chapter 1 3 Installing Windows 7 Figure 1.16 : Windows Update: View Update History Restore Hidden Updates With Restore Hidden Updates, you can list any updates that you have hidden from the list of available updates. You might hide updates that you don’t want users to install. Sometimes it is important for you to test and verify the updates before your users can install the updates. This area allows you to see hidden updates so that they can be tested before deployment.
Install Windows 7 45 Service packs are updates to the Windows 7 operating system that include bug fixes and product enhancements. Some of the options that might be included in service packs are security fixes or updated versions of software, such as Internet Explorer. Perform the following steps prior to installing a service pack: 1. Back up your computer. 2. Check your computer to ensure that it is not running any malware or other unwanted software. 3.
