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How to install Windows 7. Further work with the operating system

In some cases, it is necessary to install the Windows 7 operating system on top of the same operating OS. For example, it makes sense to perform this operation when there are malfunctions in the system, but the user does not want to completely reinstall so as not to lose current settings, drivers or running programs. Let's figure out how this can be done.

Note: Without a significant reason, it is better not to install one OS over another, as there is a possibility that the problems of the old system will remain or even new ones may appear. However, there are many cases when, after installation using this method, the computer, on the contrary, begins to work more stably, without any failures, which means that in some situations these actions may be justified.

To complete the procedure, you must have an installation flash drive or disk with the system distribution. So, let's take a step-by-step look at the process of installing Windows 7 on a PC with an existing OS with the same name.

Step 1: Prepare your computer

First of all, you need to prepare your computer for installing a new OS on top of the existing Windows 7 in order to save all the important settings and prepare the PC to boot from the desired device.


Step 2: OS Installation

After the preparatory procedures have been completed, you can proceed to the actual installation of the OS.

  1. Insert the distribution disk into the drive or the installation flash drive into the USB connector and restart the PC. When you run it again, the installation program start window will open. Here, specify the language, time format and keyboard layout, depending on which initial settings will be more convenient for you to carry out the installation procedure. Then click "Next".

  2. In the next window, click on the big button "Install".

  3. Next, a window with license terms will open. Without accepting them, you will not be able to carry out further installation actions. Therefore, check the appropriate checkbox and click "Next".

  4. The installation type selection window will open. Under normal installation conditions on a clean hard drive partition, you should select the option "Full installation". But since we are installing the system on top of working Windows 7, in this case click on the inscription "Update".

  5. Next, a compatibility check procedure will be performed.

  6. After it is completed, a window with a compatibility check report will open. It will indicate which components of the current operating system will be affected by installing another Windows 7 on top of it. If you are satisfied with the result of the report, then in this case, click "Next" or "Close" to continue the installation procedure.

  7. Next, the process of installing the system, or more precisely, updating it, will begin. It will be divided into several procedures:
    • Copying;
    • Collection of files;
    • Unpacking;
    • Installation;
    • Transferring files and settings.

    Each of these procedures will automatically follow one after the other, and their dynamics can be monitored using the percentage informer in the same window. In this case, the computer will restart several times, but user intervention is not required.

Step 3: Post-installation setup

After the installation is completed, you need to perform a series of steps to configure the system and enter the activation key so that you can work with it.

  1. First of all, the account creation window will open, where you must in the field "Username" enter the name of the main profile. This can be either the name of the account from the system on top of which the installation is performed, or a completely new option. In the lower field, enter the computer name, but unlike the profile, use only Latin letters and numbers. After that press "Next".

  2. Then a window for entering a password opens. Here, if you want to increase the security of the system, you must enter the password twice, following the generally accepted rules for choosing a code expression. If a password has already been set on the system on top of which the installation is being performed, then you can use it. A hint is entered in the very bottom field in case you forget the keyword. If you do not want to install this type of system protection, then just click "Next".

  3. A window will open where you will need to enter your product key. This step confuses some users who think that activation should automatically be pulled from the OS on which the installation is being made. But this is not so, so it is important not to lose this activation code left over from the time you purchased Windows 7. After entering the data, click "Next".

  4. After this, a window opens where you need to select the type of setting. If you do not understand all the intricacies of settings, then we recommend choosing the option "Use recommended settings".

  5. Then a window opens where you need to configure the time zone, time and date settings. After entering the required parameters, click "Next".

  6. Finally, the network settings window opens. You can perform it immediately by entering the current parameters, or postpone it for the future by clicking "Next".

  7. After this, the installation and pre-configuration of the system on top of the existing Windows 7 will be completed. The standard one will open "Desktop", after which you can start using the computer for its intended purpose. In this case, the basic system settings, drivers and files will be saved, but various errors, if any, will be eliminated.

Installing Windows 7 on top of a working system with the same name is not much different from the standard installation method. The main difference is that when choosing the type of installation, you should choose the option "Update". In addition, there is no need to format the hard drive. Well, it is advisable to make a backup copy of the working OS before starting the procedure, this will help avoid any unexpected problems and provide the opportunity for subsequent recovery, if necessary.

In this article we will look at the process of installing Windows 7 on a computer. The Windows 7 operating system can be installed on a computer during a so-called “clean” installation (when there is no installed system on the PC’s hard drive), or you can reinstall Windows 7, replacing with this OS the operating system previously installed on the computer.

Windows 7 is a popular operating system that has proven itself well in operation. At the moment, Microsoft has released new operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8. Anyway, Windows 7 is slowly losing ground, the operating system will be relevant for many users for a long time.

Please note that many modern computers have a partition table in GPT; UEFI mode is enabled on such computers. It will not be possible to install Windows 7 on such a system. To be able to install Windows 7 on such a computer, you must first enable Legacy mode, disable Secure Boot, and then convert the partition table from GPT to MBR.

Before installing the system, prepare an installation DVD or bootable USB flash drive. If there is no installation disk, then you need to create a bootable USB flash drive in advance to install Windows 7.

This article describes the operating system installation process using the example of installing Windows 7 Ultimate. Installation of other editions of Windows 7 is identical. The bitness of Windows 7 (64-bit or 32-bit) does not matter for the system installation process. The choice of bit depth of the installed system depends on the support of a 64-bit system by the computer processor.

How to install Windows 7

Insert the DVD disc with the operating system image into your computer's drive, or connect a bootable USB flash drive via the USB port.

Next, immediately after the motherboard logo appears, you will need to enter the BIOS to select the boot priority from the connected device: DVD drive or USB flash drive. Going to the BIOS is done using the keyboard keys (different computers have different ways, depending on the motherboard manufacturer). At this time, an inscription appears at the bottom of the monitor screen, which tells you which keys to press.

If the computer has not previously installed an operating system, then choosing a boot priority is not necessary, because the Windows installer will be loaded from the connected device. If you reinstall Windows 7, you must select a boot priority, otherwise the previously installed system will be loaded.

Immediately after selecting the BIOS settings, the following message will appear on the monitor screen: “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.” You must press any keyboard key to start booting from Windows from bootable media (flash drive or DVD).

After this, the process of extracting Windows installation files starts.

Next, the “Windows Installation” window will open, in which you need to select the following parameters: “Installed language”, “Time and currency format”, “Keyboard layout or input method”. In most cases, these parameters are entered by default.

In the next window, click on the “Install” button.

In the next window you will need to select the installation type of Windows 7. Two options are offered: “Update” or “Full installation”.

When upgrading, Windows 7 will be installed on the previous operating system previously installed on the computer. For a clean installation of Windows 7, you must select a full system installation.

Click on the "Full installation (advanced options)" button.

Now you need to select the hard drive partition on which you want to install Windows 7. There can be one partition, or several partitions. If you are reinstalling the system, first write down the size of disk “C” so as not to make a mistake in choosing a partition.

Trained users can create new partitions on their hard drive. If necessary, the hard drive partition can be formatted.

The collection of information to start installing the operating system is completed, the next stage begins: “Installing Windows”.

During system installation, the computer will restart several times. Installing Windows 7 takes place in several sequential steps:

  • Copying Windows files.
  • Unpacking Windows files.
  • Installation of components.
  • Installing updates.
  • Complete installation.

The Windows 7 installation process will take some time. Then the computer will restart.

A window will open in which you will see that Windows installation is completing.

The process of checking and configuring operating system components occurs on the computer.

In the “Windows Settings” window that opens, enter the user name and computer name, and then click on the “Next” button.

The next window will ask you to enter a password to protect your account. If you do not plan to protect the system with a password, do not enter anything in these fields, but simply click on the “Next” button.

To activate the Windows 7 operating system, you are prompted to enter your product key.

If you have a license key, enter the product key in the field and then click on the "Next" button.

If you will activate Windows later, after installing the operating system on your computer, uncheck the “Automatically activate Windows when you connect to the Internet” checkbox, and then click on the “Skip” button.

You can use Windows 7 for free for 30 days after installing it on your computer.

In the next window you need to select the automatic protection settings for your computer. There are three options to choose from:

  • Use recommended settings.
  • Install only the most important updates.
  • Postpone the decision.

Security options include: update settings, Internet Explorer security, finding solutions to problems on the Internet, helping to improve Windows.

All these settings can be changed at your discretion after Windows is installed on your computer.

In the new window you need to select the current location of the computer. You can choose from the following networks:

  • Home network.
  • Work network.
  • Community network.

If you use a computer at home, select your home network.

After the installation process is completed, the Windows 7 operating system desktop will open.

Conclusions of the article

The user can install the Windows 7 operating system on the computer. To install the system, you need to boot from a DVD or use a bootable USB flash drive. The process for a new clean installation or reinstallation of Windows 7 is identical.

Every user sooner or later faces the need to install an operating system. There is a myth that it is difficult to do this on your own, although in reality this is not the case. All you need is to have basic PC user skills and follow the simple instructions that will be discussed below.

Before installation

There are a number of points that you should take care of before starting the installation.

To do this correctly, first pay attention to the following:

  • select the desired version of the operating system;
  • decide on its capacity;
  • prepare the hard drive for installation;
  • take care of the drivers.

If you are reading this article, there will be no problems choosing the OS version - it will be Windows 7. But what about its bit capacity? How do you know which one is right for your PC?

You may encounter two types of systems:

  • x86 (32bit);
  • x64 (64bit).

What are their differences? 32-bit ones support up to 4 GB of RAM, and 64-bit ones support 4 GB or more. The performance of a 64-bit system is higher, so if the technical characteristics of your PC allow it, you should choose it. Determining the amount of RAM on your computer is very simple - just right-click on the “Computer” icon on the desktop and the necessary technical data will be displayed in the window that appears.

Important! It should be taken into account that after choosing one or another bit depth, subsequently installed programs must be optimized specifically for it.

Now you need to think about where exactly the new operating system will be installed. Most often, drive C is selected for this. However, you need to remember that all data on the disk (including the desktop!) will be permanently deleted. All important files should be moved to another drive or copied to a flash drive.

Another important point is the drivers. Most often, they come bundled with the equipment on special disks, but if not, download them from the Internet in advance. You can find the necessary drivers on the official websites of manufacturers of video cards, network cards and other PC components. Why do you need to take care of this in advance? Because after installation, without a driver for the network card, it will not be possible to do this.

Video: Installing Windows 7

Creating a Disc

To start the installation process, you need a disk with Windows 7. If you have it, you can safely move on to the next step. If it is missing, you will have to create it first. You will need an operating system image, as well as a recording program. It is best to give your preference to “pure” MSDN assemblies that have not been heavily modified. Recording from an image is no different from working with a regular disk. This can be done, for example, with the UltraISO program.

To do this you need:


Installing Windows 7 from disk via BIOS

Let's move on to the main process. It starts with working with the BIOS - the basic input/output system. It is the installation via BIOS that scares novice users so much, but there is nothing difficult to handle. For our task, you only need to perform a few basic manipulations.

BIOS setup

First you need to get into the BIOS:


The process itself

After restarting, the system will launch the inserted disk and the installation process will begin:


Pay attention! If you want to install Windows 7 from a formatted disk, then take care in advance of the safety of data that may be lost during this procedure.

The installation will begin, usually taking 15 minutes to half an hour. Upon completion, the system will prompt you to enter your username and password (optional), as well as set a hint phrase to restore them. Next you will be asked to enter the serial number, which is usually found in the box with a copy of the OS. If it is missing or the assembly does this automatically, skip this step.

There are a few more small steps ahead:

  • indicate “recommended” security settings;
  • your time zone;
  • network type.

This completes the installation and the system is almost ready for use, all that remains is to configure it.

Video: Installation and configuration

System setup

The first step is to activate the operating system (if this did not happen automatically during the installation process). Do not forget about this, because after 30 days, annoying reminders will begin to appear informing you that the registration period has expired.

How to check if Windows is activated:


Drivers and programs

The next most important step is to install the drivers. Their absence can lead to incorrect display of graphics, incorrect operation of the computer and the inability to connect to the Internet. How to determine which drivers the system needs?


Windows 7 will often install a driver for the video adapter, so it won't be listed as unrecognized. Despite this, a driver for the video card is still needed, because without it it will not work at full capacity (which can be noticeable by the not entirely correct display of icons on the desktop). We install it from the manufacturer’s disk or downloaded it in advance from the official website.

Important! Do not forget to install the driver for the network adapter, because without it it will be impossible to access the network.

It is worth noting that all such programs are quite effective and can protect your system. For maximum effectiveness, it is worth changing the antivirus you are using from time to time. Once installed, be sure to activate and update to ensure you have the latest databases to protect against newly discovered threats.

Now you can start installing the browser. Its choice also entirely depends on the user’s personal preferences. When a new search engine is installed, the first thing to do is update Flash Player, because without it it will be impossible to watch videos or listen to music on many resources. This can be done in a matter of seconds on the official website.

Using a freshly installed browser, start filling the system with new programs that no system can do without:

  • office applications (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice);
  • archivers (WinRAR, 7-Zip);
  • programs for listening to music and watching videos;
  • useful utilities (CCleaner);
  • communication applications (Skype, Mumble);
  • other software you need.

Installing any operating system is a matter that requires a thorough and careful approach. Despite this, you should not be afraid of him. Just follow the simple instructions, and very soon your PC will be able to boast a new OS.

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In this article I will talk about how to independently install the Windows 7 operating system from a disk onto your computer or laptop.

I offer detailed and step-by-step instructions with a visual demonstration of screenshots of installing the Windows operating system.

If you think that installing an operating system is something complicated and incomprehensible that only a specialist can handle, then I will disappoint you: this is not true. Now you can see for yourself.

All you need to install Windows 7 (or Windows 8) is a computer or laptop, a disk with the operating system (since in this article we will install Windows from a disk), detailed instructions, which I will now provide you with, and, perhaps, attentiveness! Hopefully after installation you won't look like . 🙂

After installation, I recommend installing it immediately. You understand that in our time of electronic payments this is very important. Also now (yet) nowhere without Adobe Flash Player. What's his name Right install read . You may also be very interested in not bad. If you store it on your computer private information, create a .

Important: The majority of all possible problems that arise when installing Windows 7 are associated with an incorrectly prepared installation disk and (or) the quality of the “OS build” recorded on it. You can read the article on how to correctly burn an operating system image to disk.

Remember: if this disc is not out of the box, that is, purchased in a store, then you need to use only original images from Microsoft MSDN. It is the original image, which is just as accessible on the Internet as various assemblies, that is the key to the successful installation of Windows and its normal functioning.

Do not use assemblies of unknown origin. You install all third-party fixes, corrections, and homemade assemblies at your own peril and risk. The consequences may be irreversible.

Before installing Windows 7:

Remember two basic things to do before installing Windows.

First- this is to decide in advance on which partition of the hard drive the system will be installed. As a rule, in most cases this is the C:\ drive. You should remember (or create) the volume label and size.

Remember, your desktop is entirely located on the C:\ drive, or rather, here: C:\Documents and Settings\ Username\Desktop. Think in advance about the integrity and safety of files that are important to you, copy them from your desktop, that is, from drive C, to another drive or flash drive.

All programs installed on the C:\ drive will also be deleted, but this is not a reason to drag the entire folder with programs to other drives. It is much easier to reinstall these programs on a clean system. Don't be lazy, it's not every day that you reinstall Windows.

Second moment - these are drivers for your computer or laptop. They need to be taken care of in advance. Most laptops come with them included, but if they are not available (or need to be updated), look for them on the manufacturer’s official website and download them in advance.

I recommend reading everything you need to know about installing drivers in the article “Installing Drivers or Five Iron Rules,” which is located.

If you skip this important point, then after installing Windows, you may be left without the Internet, because it is not a fact that the Windows distribution will initially contain drivers for your network card.

Installing Windows 7 from disk:

Insert the disk with the Windows operating system into the drive and restart the computer. By the way, if you don’t have a disk drive, you can install the Windows operating system using a regular one.

Let's continue. Our task is to configure the computer to boot from a DVD. This can be done in 2 ways:

  • 1. select the device (DVD) in a special boot menu;
  • 2. change the boot priority in the BIOS (from HDD to DVD).

The first method, selecting a device in the boot menu, is simpler and more convenient. After installing Windows, there is no need to return booting from the HDD (hard drive). However, on older computers this function is not available and in this case you will have to go into the BIOS and change the boot priority.

Start - reboot, wait until the screen goes dark and at the first sign of the system waking up (the logo appears), press and hold the Delete key on the keyboard. Why the Delete key? These can be the keys F1, F2, F3 + F2, F10, Ctrl + Alt + Esc, Ctrl + Alt + S, Esc.

There is no universal button for entering the boot menu or entering the BIOS, and it all depends on the computer manufacturer (motherboard). The surest way is to read the instructions from the computer or motherboard. The table below shows a clear example of such keys.

The boot menu looks something like this:

Press F10, agree and confirm the exit with saving (Save and Exit) by selecting “Ok”.

Phoenix Award

Let's consider the second interface option. To boot from disk, you need to change the priorities so that the first device is the DVD drive. Find the item “Advanced BIOS Features” and use the arrows to switch to the first device (First Boot Device), change to CDROM.

Press F10 and confirm Save and Exit.

If you have problems at this stage, I recommend watching this video.

Let's continue. If everything was done correctly, we will see the following window with the inscription: “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.”

Here you need to press any key, for example, spacebar. This is only done 1 time and only at this stage of installation. We see the following window with the inscription “Windows is loading files”.

The files are being extracted, after which we will see the message "Starting Windows" and the Windows 7 installation window itself. Windows installation has begun!!

Select the desired language and click “Install”.

Next, we need to select the edition of Windows 7. Select the one for which you have a key or which you are going to activate. On laptops, it is usually indicated on a piece of paper with a key located on the bottom of the laptop. Entering the serial number itself will be a little later; it has been moved to the end of the installation.

A few words about the possibility of installing a 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit version of Windows. If you have more than 4 GB of RAM (also known as RAM, Memory), then install 64-bit, if not, then 32-bit (x86).

Let's read and agree to the license terms. Next, we need to select the installation type - select “Full installation”.

Now you need to select the partition on which Windows will be installed.

If you have this partition reserved by the system (note, it is still in megabytes (MB), not gigabytes), for example, as in the following screenshot, then select Disk 0 Partition 2.

To avoid such excruciating pain when choosing a partition, before installing Windows, look at how many gigabytes your C drive occupies.

If you have one partition on your hard drive and it is larger than 250 GB, then it would be more correct to create two local disks. One section is specifically for Windows (usually about 50-100 GB), and the other is for storing your personal information (how much will remain, XXX GB).

Note: The partitions you create should be named Disk 0 Partition 1, 2, 3..., not “Unallocated Disk Space”. Otherwise, the operating system simply will not see sections with such names.

If necessary, create a section or sections and click “Apply”:

Attention: At this stage, problems may arise - when Windows 7 asks for a driver for further installation or when the system does not see your hard drive to continue installation.

Or install (if prepared) hard disk controller drivers. If you already have two or more partitions on your hard drive, then you can skip the above point. So, we have selected the “System” section, and now we need to run formatting.

The installer warns that all our data will be deleted. This is what we need, because we are interested in a clean installation of Windows. We agree and wait. Usually the whole process takes a matter of seconds. After formatting, we see that there is more free space, calmly click “Next”.

And here is the beginning of the installation, the process has started. You can already exhale).

We're waiting... Usually it takes 15–25 minutes. When our system is installed, it will prompt you to enter your username and computer name. Let's enter.

If you wish, you can enter a password and a hint. Next, Windows will prompt you to enter your serial number. Enter (if available). If not, then skip this step and uncheck the “Automatically activate when connected to the Internet” checkbox.

Reason #1

The first thing you should pay attention to is whether your computer is suitable for . To install Windows 7 you must have the following characteristics:

RAM more than: 1Gb- 2Gb recommended
Free hard disk space:
16Gb- 32-bit version
20Gb- 64-bit version
Video card supporting: DirectX 9
Processor frequency more than: 1GHz

In Bios, set the priorities of what Windows 7 will be installed from, if from a CD-ROM, then put the first boot seeder, if from a flash drive, then naturally put USB. Disable the Floppy disk if you have one, no one uses it now anyway.

Reason #2

The second thing you should pay attention to is for those users who have system units. Open the cover of the system unit and check the connections of all connectors, especially those suitable for the hard drive. Check the RAM sticks, pull them out and put them back in, of course, if possible, check the hard drive and RAM for errors using utilities, see if the coolers for blowing the video card and processor are working properly. If the installation is progressing and at some stage it seems to you that a freeze has occurred, then do not rush to turn off the computer, wait 10-15 minutes, maybe after this time the installation will continue.

Reason #3

Thirdly, Windows 7 may not install due to the Windows 7 distribution itself, that is, the disk that you purchased in the store; be sure to come back to the store and let them check the disk in front of you. If you downloaded Windows 7 from some source, then it is advisable to check the checksums or download the Windows 7 image from another source. Read this article, it describes an example from the office. Microsoft website.

Reason #4

Fourthly, if you still downloaded the Windows 7 distribution and burned it to a DVD, read here or created a bootable USB flash drive, read this article on how to do this, and Windows 7 still won’t install, then you need to pay attention to the DVD itself, Maybe there are scratches on it or the disc itself is just faulty. Burn the image to another disk and preferably new do the same with the flash drive.

Let me give you an example about DVD discs. Recently, one person wrote to me by email that Windows 7 could not be installed. Of course, I practically knew what he needed to do and advised him to do it. It came down to replacing the DVD disk, but he said that he had already changed this disk, either for the second or third time, I want to note that the DVD disk was from the same manufacturer and there was no result, the system did not want to install, so and didn't install. A day or two later, I don’t remember exactly, he writes to me again. I installed all Windows 7, the reason was the DVD discs, a man purchased these discs from the same manufacturer (that is, the same ones) in the store where his friend worked, and his friend then informed him that the entire batch of discs was simply defective, that’s how things are. Draw a conclusion.

Reason #5

Let's go further, the reason that the system does not install may be due to the program itself, it may have been recorded crookedly, try to overwrite it, if it does not help, then try recording the image through other programs. There are many programs, for example I use the programs Nero, Ultra ISO, BurnAware Professional choose for yourself, as they say, there are no comrades according to taste and color.

Reason #6

Many users additionally use the connection to the TV through the output HDMI. What I want to say is when you start installing the system and at some stage windows 7 won't install, that is, it freezes and a black screen appears, then know that the system continues the installation simply during the installation process, the system detects two monitors and displays all the information to continue the installation on the TV screen. Simply unplug the cord from the outlet HDMI and continue the installation process further. By the way, I have already written about this more than once in the comments to articles about Installing Windows 7 and Black Screen of Windows 7.

Reason #7

And the last thing we will look at is probably the most common problem, because a lot of questions were asked on this topic when windows 7 won't install and asks for drivers for the hard drive. In general, we need to write a separate article on this subject, so I’ll say briefly, go into the BIOS and look through all the tabs, switch the operating mode of the SATA controller from AHCI to IDE or vice versa.

Write in the comments how you resolved this problem, I think everyone will be interested. Good luck everyone! See you on the pages of the site.



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