Guide to a Perfect Windows 7 Installation

On 09.27.09, In Information Technology, by me

With the release date coming closer, Windows7 has become one of the most highly anticipated operating system of Microsoft. What’s not to like from this new operating system? Aside from its obvious fast boot time compared to Vista it also boasts of multi touch support and aero interface as well. Why wait for the release date when you can try out Windows7 in your computer right now. By using the Windows 7 Release Candidate, you can check out its cool features and be an expert on its use before the final release.

System Requirements

Before you go and install Windows7 check out its requirements first to see if your computer can handle it.

Processor and Memory Requirements: You would need at least a 1 GHz processor with 1 GB of RAM. For optimum performance a 2 GHz dual core processor is needed with matching 2 GB of RAM.

Storage: Windows 7 needs requires a 16 GB disk space for the 32 bit edition and 20 GB for the 64 bit edition. Try to provide it a 40 GB space for great performance. Your hard disk should be at least 160 GB so that have room to spare for storing your additional files.

Graphics: To fully enjoy the Aero interface of Windows 7 you need a graphics card that is compatible with Direct X 9.

Drivers

You need to download the latest drivers of your computer before installing Windows 7. These drivers are for your graphics card, audio, LAN and other devices that your computer may have. Try to visit each of your device manufacturers site and search for the Windows 7 drivers. If no Windows 7 driver is available for a particular device you can use the Windows Vista driver.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Download

Get the official Windows 7 release Candidate from the Microsoft download site. You would need to sign in with your Windows Live ID so as to get the product key which you can then use for up to three computers. The Windows 7 operating system is a huge file consisting of 2.3 GB. It might take quite a while for this to finish depending on your connection speed but once it’s done you get an ISO file. Burn this image files on a DVD or copy it to a USB flash drive. You can then install the operating system from the DVD or USB.

Fresh Install

A fresh install is highly recommended to avoid any installation problems. Since a fresh install would need a format on your existing hard drive you need to backup all important data that you have. If you would like to keep your existing operating system then it would be a good idea to use another hard drive instead for your Windows 7 installation.

Installation Process

The installation process itself is simple. All you have to do is follow the onscreen instructions which are simple enough and the installer will handle the rest. Overall you might spend around 30 minutes to complete the installation. After the installation has finished proceed with installing your drivers.
You are now all set to use Windows 7. Try to explore its new features and interface; you will definitely love this new operating system.