Chapter Installing Windows 7 1 MICROSOFT EXAM OBJECTIVES COVERED IN THIS CHAPTER: Perform a clean installation. This objective may include but is not limited to: identifying AL ■ hardware requirements; setting up as the sole operating RI system; setting up as dual boot; installation methods; boot from the source of installation, preparing the installation TE source: USB, CD, network share, WDS. ■ MA Upgrade to Windows 7 from previous versions of Windows.
Before you can master any Microsoft product, you must know how to properly install the product. In this chapter, I will show you how to install Windows 7. This is a straightforward process that can be highly automated and user friendly. Preparing for the installation of Windows 7 involves making sure your hardware meets the minimum requirements and is supported by the operating system.
Introducing Windows 7 3 We will look closer at each of these versions later in this chapter. The Windows 7 hardware requirements are discussed in this chapter, as well as in greater detail in Chapter 2. Windows 7 has been improved in many of the weak areas plaguing Windows Vista. Windows 7 has a much faster boot time and shutdown compared to Windows Vista. It is also easier to install and configure. The Windows 7 operating system functions are also faster than its previous counterparts.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 smaller, or place it anywhere on the Desktop, all with the touch of your fingers on the screen. Touch screens are found on laptops, tabletops, GPS devices, phones, tablets, slates, and now on the Windows 7 operating system. Windows XP Mode Microsoft realizes that many organizations are running Windows XP and older applications on these Windows XP systems.
Windows 7 Architecture 5 browsing history to narrow down the suggestions. If one of the suggestions is what you are looking for, you can choose it without fi nishing the query. Accelerators This new feature allows you to accelerate actions on Internet services and applications. For example, if you were looking for a street address and you clicked the blue accelerator icon, a map would appear right there on the screen. Microsoft accelerators can be used for email, searching, and so forth.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Microsoft offers both a 32-bit and a 64-bit version of Windows 7. The terms 32-bit and 64-bit refer to the CPU, or processor. The number represents how the data is processed. It is processed either as 232 or 264. The larger the number is, the larger the amount of data that can be processed at any one time. To get an idea of how 32-bit and 64-bit processors operate, think of a large highway with 32 lanes.
Preparing to Install Windows 7 7 of Windows 7. 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 you want based on the product key you have. Let’s take a closer look at the different versions of Windows 7. Windows 7 Starter The Windows 7 Starter edition was designed for netbooks, and it is now available worldwide.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Live thumbnail previews and an enhanced visual experience Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Windows Mobility Center Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Home Premium is the main operating system for home users.
Preparing to Install Windows 7 9 Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Mobility Center Action Center, which makes it easier to resolve many IT issues yourself Aero transparent glass design and advanced Windows navigation Easy networking and sharing across all your PCs and devices Improved media format support and enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To Multitouch Improved handwriting recogni
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Improved handwriting recognition Domain Join, which enables simple and secure server networking Encrypting File System, which protects data with advanced network backup Location Aware Printing, which helps fi nd the right printer when you are moving between the office and home Windows XP Mode, which enables customers to run many legacy Windows XP productivity applications BitLocker, which protects data on removable devices DirectAccess, whic
Preparing to Install Windows 7 11 Starter Edition Home Basic Edition Home Premium Professional Edition Edition Enterprise and Ultimate Editions Device Stage Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Sync Center Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Windows Backup Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 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 M
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Hardware Requirements Before you can install the operating system, you must make sure 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 minimum requirements for a Windows 7-capable PC. TA B L E 1 .
Preparing to Install Windows 7 The first step is to determine which applications will be used. Typically, most users will work with an email program, a word processor, a spreadsheet, presentation software, and maybe a drawing or graphics program. Additionally, an antivirus application will probably be used. Under these demands, a 1-GHz Celeron processor and 1 GB of RAM will make for a very slow-running machine.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 If you are not sure if your machine meets the minimum requirements, Microsoft includes some tools that can help you determine if a machine is Windows 7-compatible, which we will look at in the following sections. The Hardware Compatibility List Along with meeting the minimum requirements, whenever possible your hardware should appear on the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).
Preparing to Install Windows 7 15 Windows Easy Transfer utility to migrate files and settings from Windows XP to Windows 7 on the same computer.) Another possibility is to upgrade your Windows XP machine to Windows Vista and then upgrade the new Vista operating system to Windows 7. The steps for using Windows Easy Transfer will be shown later in this chapter. You can perform an upgrade to Windows 7 if the following conditions are true: You are running Windows Vista.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 If you are performing a clean install to the same partition as an existing version of Windows, the contents of the existing Users (or Documents and Settings), Program Files, and Windows directories will be placed in a directory named Windows.old, and the old operating system will no longer be available. Hardware Compatibility Issues You need to ensure that you have Windows 7 device drivers for your hardware.
Preparing to Install Windows 7 17 edition of Windows 7 seems to be best for your computer. However, you are by no means limited to upgrading to the recommended edition. The Upgrade Advisor compatibility reports are broken up into three categories: System Requirements The System Requirements report will alert you to any shortcomings your system might have when running certain editions of Windows 7.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 E X E R C I S E 1 .1 ( c o n t i n u e d ) 4. At the License screen, click the I Accept The License Terms check box and click Next. 5. At the Select Installation Folder screen, accept the defaults or choose a directory location where you would like this program installed. Click Install. 6. At the Installation Complete screen, click the Close button. 7. On the Desktop, double-click the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor icon. 8.
Preparing to Install Windows 7 9. 19 Once the system scan is complete, the Upgrade Advisor will give you the results. You can print or save them. Close the Upgrade Advisor. An Upgrade Checklist Once you have made the decision to upgrade, you should develop a plan of attack. The following upgrade checklist (valid for upgrading from Windows Vista) will help you plan and implement a successful upgrade strategy: Verify that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 installed, the hardware items and their configuration, the services that are running, and any profi le and policy settings. Back up your data and configuration fi les. Before you make any major changes to your computer’s configuration, you should back up your data and configuration fi les and then verify that you can successfully restore your backup. Chances are, if you have a valid backup, you won’t have any problems.
Preparing to Install Windows 7 21 which might be 200 GB; a D: drive, which might be 150 GB; and an E: drive, which might be 150 GB. The following sections detail some of the major considerations for disk partitioning: Partition Size One important consideration in your disk-partitioning scheme is determining the partition size. You need to consider the amount of space taken up by your operating system, the applications that will be installed, and the amount of stored data.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Installing Windows 7 You can install Windows 7 either from the bootable DVD or through a network installation using fi les that have been copied to a network share point or USB device. You can also launch the setup.exe fi le from within the Windows 7 operating system to upgrade your operating system. To start the installation, you simply restart your computer and boot to the DVD. The installation process will begin automatically.
Installing Windows 7 Setting Up Your Computer for Hands-On Exercises Before beginning Exercise 1.2, verify that your computer meets the requirements for installing Windows 7, as listed earlier in Table 1.2. For Exercise 1.2, it is assumed you are not currently running a previous version of Windows that will be upgraded. The exercises in this book are based on your computer being configured in a specific manner.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 E X E R C I S E 1. 2 (continued) 4. At the next screen, click the Install Now button. 5. A message appears to tell you that the setup is starting. The licensing screen will be first. Read the license agreement and then check the I Accept The License Terms check box. Click Next. 6. When asked which type of installation you want, click Custom (Advanced). 7. The next screen asks you to identify the disk to which you would like to install Windows 7.
Installing Windows 7 25 20 GB available. You can also click the Drive Options (Advanced) link to create your own partition. After you choose your partition, click Next. 8. When your partition is set, the installation will start. You will see the progress of the installation during the entire process. When the installation is complete, the machine will reboot. 9. After the installation is complete, a screen that requests your username and computer name will appear.
Chapter 1 26 ■ Installing Windows 7 E X E R C I S E 1. 2 (continued) 10. Set your password on the next screen. Enter your password twice and enter your hint. Click Next. 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 checked. Click Next. 12. Settings related to Windows Update and security will appear next.
Installing Windows 7 27 15. Windows will finalize your setup, and the installation will be complete. Performing an Upgrade to Windows 7 This section describes how to perform an upgrade to Windows 7 from Windows Vista. Similar to a clean install, you can run the installation from the installation DVD, USB, or over a network. The only difference in the installation procedure is your starting point: from your optical or USB drive or from a network share.
Chapter 1 28 ■ Installing Windows 7 E X E R C I S E 1. 3 (continued) 3. You are prompted to update your current operating system. If you choose not to update, the installation might fail. You can also choose to send information to Microsoft during this process. 4. The Microsoft Windows 7 license terms appear. The installation will not allow you to click Next until you have accepted the license terms. 5. You are prompted to select the type of installation you want to perform.
Installing Windows 7 29 Troubleshooting Installation Problems The Windows 7 installation process is designed to be as simple as possible. The chances for installation errors are greatly minimized through the use of wizards and the step-by-step process. However, it is possible that errors may occur. Identifying Common Installation Problems As most of you are aware, installations seldom go off without a hitch.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Installing Nonsupported Hard Drives If your computer is using a hard disk that does not have a driver included on the Windows 7 media, you will receive an error message stating that the hard drive cannot be found. You should verify that the hard drive is properly connected and functional. You will need to obtain a disk driver for Windows 7 from the manufacturer and then specify the driver location by selecting the Load Driver option during partition selection.
Installing Windows 7 31 User State Migration Tool You can download a utility called the USMT that is used by administrators to migrate large numbers of users over automated deployments. The USMT for Windows 7 is now part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK). The USMT is similar to Windows Easy Transfer (discussed next), with the following differences: The USMT is more configurable and can use XML fi les to specify which fi les and settings are transferred.
Chapter 1 32 ■ Installing Windows 7 Shared Internet Explorer Favorites Files with certain fi lename extensions, including .doc, .dot, .rtf, .txt, .wps, .wri, .xls, .csv, .wks, .ppt, .pps, .pot, .pst, and more Access control lists (ACLs) The USMT will not migrate hardware settings, drivers, passwords, application binaries, synchronization fi les, DLL fi les, or other executables.
Installing Windows 7 Option Description /nocompress Disables data compression /genconfig Generates a Config.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 There is no option to upgrade directly from Windows XP to Windows 7, but you can use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer settings from Windows XP to Windows 7 on the same computer. The fi rst step in this migration process is to copy your files to removable media such as an external hard drive or thumb drive or to a network share.
Installing Windows 7 35 13. Read and accept the Microsoft Software License Terms. Click I Accept The License Terms (Required To Use Windows), and then click Next. If you click I Decline (Cancel Installation), Windows 7 Setup will exit. 14. Click Custom to perform an upgrade to your existing Windows installation. 15. Select the partition where you would like to install Windows. To move your existing Windows installation into a Windows.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Upgrading to Windows 7 Another important decision that should be considered is whether to upgrade your Windows XP clients to Windows Vista first and then upgrade the machine to Windows 7. 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. If so, it may be beneficial to a user or your organization to upgrade the Windows XP machine to Windows Vista.
Installing Windows 7 37 NTFS fi le systems. Other Windows operating systems use FAT16 or FAT32 and cannot recognize NTFS. All Windows-based operating systems can recognize FAT partitions. If you will dual-boot with Windows 9x, you must turn off disk compression or Windows 7 will not be able to read the drive properly. Do not install Windows 7 on a compressed volume unless the volume was compressed using NTFS compression.
Chapter 1 TA B L E 1 . 5 ■ Installing Windows 7 Bcdedit commands for dual-booting (continued) Command Explanation /store Specifies the store to be used. /timeout Specifies the amount of time used before the system boots into the default operating system. Using Windows Activation Windows Activation is Microsoft’s way of reducing software piracy. Unless you have a corporate license for Windows 7, you will need to perform post-installation activation.
Installing Windows 7 F I G U R E 1. 2 39 Windows Update Some of the common update categories associated with Windows Update are as follows: Critical updates Service packs Drivers Follow these steps to configure Windows Update: 1. 2. Select Start Control Panel. From Windows Icons View, select Windows Update. From Windows Category View, select System And Security Windows Update. Configure the options you want to use for Windows Update, and click OK.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Check For Updates When you click Check For Updates, Windows Update will retrieve a list of available updates from the Internet. You can then click View Available Updates to see what updates are available. Updates are marked as Important, Recommended, or Optional. Figure 1.3 shows a sample list of updates. F I G U R E 1.
Installing Windows 7 41 Change Settings Clicking Change Settings allows you to customize how Windows can install updates. You can configure the following options (see Figure 1.4): Install Updates Automatically (Recommended) Download Updates But Let Me Choose Whether To Install Them Check For Updates But Let Me Choose Whether To Download And Install Them Never Check For Updates (Not Recommended) F I G U R E 1.
Chapter 1 F I G U R E 1. 5 ■ Installing Windows 7 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. An administrator might hide updates that they do not want users to install. Sometimes it is important for an administrator to test and verify updates before the users can install them. This area allows you to see hidden updates so that they can be tested before deployment.
Installing Windows 7 43 Using Command-Line Options Command-line options are becoming more and more popular among administrators and users. Windows Update has a few command-line options that can be used to help configure and maintain it. First off, to start Windows Update from a command prompt, you can type wuapp.exe. Another command-line option that works with Windows Update is called Windows Update Automatic Update Client (wuauclt.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 Summary This chapter started with a discussion of the new features introduced by Windows 7, such as the Windows Taskbar, Jump Lists, a new preview pane, Windows Touch, Windows XP Mode, simpler home networking, Device Stage, View Available Networks, and the new Windows Internet Explorer 8 (IE8).
Exam Essentials 45 You can’t upgrade a Windows XP machine directly to Windows 7. If the machine is running Windows XP, you have to use a migration tool to migrate all the user data from Windows XP to a Windows 7 machine or upgrade to Windows Vista before upgrading to Windows 7. Understand how to migrate a user to Windows 7. If you can’t perform an upgrade on the computer, you can choose to migrate the user’s fi les and settings from an existing installation.
Chapter 1 46 ■ Installing Windows 7 Review Questions 1. You are the administrator in charge of a computer that runs both Windows Vista and Windows 7. Windows 7 is installed on a different partition from Windows Vista. You have to make sure that the computer always starts Windows Vista by default. What action should you perform? A. Run Bcdedit.exe and the /default parameter. 2. B. Run Bcdedit.exe and the /bootcd parameter. C. Create a Boot.ini file in the root of the Windows 7 partition. D.
Review Questions 5. 47 You are the IT manager for your organization. The organization is looking at upgrading all of its machines from Windows XP to Windows 7. Many of the managers are concerned that their Windows XP applications won’t be compatible with Windows 7. Which Windows 7 feature can you use to assure the managers that all of their Windows XP applications will continue to work? A. Windows XP Compatibility Checker 6. B. Windows XP Application Center C. Windows XP Mode D.
Chapter 1 48 ■ Installing Windows 7 10. You are the IT manager for a pharmaceutical company. The company wants to create a medication dispenser that can be used on the floors of hospital units. The dispensers have to work through touch-screen technology. Which Windows 7 feature provides built-in touch-screen technology? A. Windows Touch Screen B. Windows Pure Touch C. Windows Touch D. Windows Pure Screen 11.
Review Questions 49 14. You have completed the OS install on one of your new Windows 7 machines. After the install is complete, what’s the next step in making sure the machine is ready to be used? A. Set up the machine to dual-boot. B. Check Microsoft’s website for all updates and patches. C. Configure the Sethc.exe file. D. Load Microsoft Office. 15. You are the network administrator for an organization that wants to convert all of its Windows XP machines to Windows 7.
Chapter 1 50 ■ Installing Windows 7 19. You are a network administrator who has decided to implement Windows 7. You have to be able to use the Encrypting File System (EFS). Which Windows 7 versions can you install? (Choose all that apply.) A. Home edition B. Home Premium edition C. Professional edition D. Enterprise edition 20. You have a machine that is currently running Windows Vista Ultimate edition. You would like to upgrade this machine to Windows 7.
Answers to Review Questions 51 Answers to Review Questions 1. A. The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store contains boot information parameters that were previously found in Boot.ini in older versions of Windows. To edit the boot options in the BCD store, use the bcdedit utility, which can be launched only from a command prompt. 2. B. By modifying the changes on the local Group Policy, you can manually configure your Windows Update settings.
Chapter 1 ■ Installing Windows 7 11. C. You can’t upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7, so you must use a migration tool to migrate all the users’ data and then install a clean copy of Windows 7. 12. B. Windows 7 and Windows Vista no longer use a Boot.ini fi le to control the boot order. Using the Bcdedit /default command will allow you to configure Vista as the default operating system. 13. A.
