Reinstall Windows from disk yourself. How to reinstall Windows
Is it worth bothering yourself with the problem of how to reinstall Windows when you live two steps away from a service center, and next door you know a specialist who is always ready to come to your aid? In this case, knowing and being able to use several simple OS installation rules is everyone’s choice. On average, the cost of this procedure is low, and this despite the fact that 99 percent of it is performed automatically. Hand on heart, this money is better spent on this. This is where sometimes a real specialist really has to work hard, although this procedure can be mastered and carried out independently.
But often, by mastering science, we simply save time. Despite the appearance of the seventh version of the windowed OS from Microsoft, many users are in no hurry to part with the proven Windows XP, which was initially considered experimental. To reinstall Windows of any of the above versions, you will need to perform similar operations.
Immediately before starting the OS installation procedure, several preparatory measures must be taken. Since the system will format the disk while preparing space on the disk, you need to save all the necessary files on a removable device or transfer them to a nearby local disk.
Sometimes computers are initially configured so that the user has one large disk corresponding to the size of the hard drive. In such situations, it makes sense to split it into several sections. A convenient tool for performing this operation is Acronis Disk Director.
We launch the program, select automatic mode, in the appropriate item select the disk on which we will allocate “territory” for the new partition, and set its size. We notify the utility that we intend to create a logical partition. We will give preference to NTFS as a file system; select any letter for its name. You can make any entry to the “specify disk label” request, but usually leave it empty. In the new window, after admiring the expected result of the work, click the “finish” button.
Disk Director may reboot your system several times, but it will keep you informed of its progress. When everything is over and after the next reboot the familiar Windows window pops up, you can continue working.
Before reinstalling Windows, let's audit our files and folders, save only the most necessary things, and simply get rid of the rest of the garbage.
When all the preparatory operations have been completed, we proceed directly to the reinstallation. For example, we will describe how to reinstall Windows XP. The seventh version almost completely repeats these steps.
We insert the distribution disk into and the message “Press any key to boot from CD...” will appear, fulfill this requirement and press any button.
Sometimes in the BIOS settings the item “boot” is set not from the drive, but from the hard drive. Then you'll have to change them. To do this, you must press Delete before starting the system. So far, the most common are two BIOS options.
In an AMI BIOS with a dark blue design on a gray background, select the Boot tab at the top and install our drive there as the first boot device. For the hard drive we set the second place. We control either the “plus”, “minus” or PageUp and PageDown buttons.
For Award BIOS with a yellow-red design on a bright blue background, you need to go to Advanced BIOS Features and configure the First Boot Device line. Exiting the BIOS occurs by pressing the Save & Exit item or the standard F10 key.
Some modern motherboards use the Qiuck Boot Menu to determine the boot device. It is usually assigned to F8 or F12.
After the installation begins, we ignore all system suggestions until selecting a partition on the hard drive. Traditionally, this is drive C. We agree to quick formatting in NTFS.
At the final stage, when it is successfully installed on your computer, we will go into the BIOS again and return the hard drive to the place of the first device.
This is where the instructions on how to reinstall Windows can be completed, since what follows are the usual user settings, which are not difficult to deal with.
In this article you will learn how to properly install Windows 7 on your computer or laptop. In addition, I will tell you how to prepare for this process so that everything goes without negative consequences. Follow all the steps, be careful and you will succeed.
Before you properly install Windows 7, you need to make sure that everything is ready for this. Four requirements must be met:
- You must have a reliable installation disk with Windows 7 or a bootable USB flash drive with it.
- Make sure that the local drive on which the system will be installed does not contain important files that you need. This drive will be formatted and all data will be deleted.
- Make sure you have the necessary device drivers at your disposal or before installing Windows 7.
- Make sure you have installation files for all the programs you need. They will need to be installed after successful installation of the system.
How to install Windows 7 correctly
The installation is divided into three stages:
- BIOS setup;
- Hard disk preparation and installation;
- Completing Windows installation.
Let's look at each of these stages.
BIOS setup
Before you install Windows 7 correctly, you need to understand that a disk or flash drive with the distribution kit is not enough. You also need to configure the computer to boot from this disk (or from a flash drive), and not from the hard drive. By default, most computers are configured to boot from the hard drive.
There are many BIOS versions, and setting the boot order of devices is different everywhere. You can find out how popular BIOS versions are configured for booting from external media.
Start installation
Finally got to installing Windows. When your BIOS is configured to boot from the required device, connect this same device (that is, a disk or flash drive) and restart the computer. Booting from removable media should begin.
If you are installing original Windows, then before booting the message “Press any key to boot from CD...” will appear. While it is lit, you must press any key to start the installation. If you don’t have time, the normal download from the hard drive will begin. If you are installing some build of Windows, then such an inscription may not appear. Instead, there may be a menu where you need to select the installation of Windows 7.
The installation begins. The first step is to select various language options and then click “Next”.
Choose language
After this a window appears. Click Install.
Start installation
Before you properly install Windows 7, you need to choose which version you will install. This is done at this step. You need to select the desired OS version from the list. The system capacity is also determined here. After selecting the version, you need to click “Next”.
Select Windows 7 version
Now check the box that you agree to the license and click the “Next” button.
Agree to the license
Now you need to choose: update the system or perform a full installation. To install Windows 7 correctly, select the full installation.
Select full installation
Before you properly install Windows 7, you need to work with your hard drive. Click Disk Setup.
At this stage of installation, you will have a utility at your disposal with which you can operate hard disk partitions. So, using the buttons you can delete, create and expand partitions, as well as format them.
Click "Settings"
Select (or create) a partition on which Windows will be installed and click the “Format” button. A warning will appear stating that now everything will be deleted from this section - we boldly agree, because we have prepared for the installation and have saved everything we need in another place.
Format the drive
Once formatting is complete, click Next.
And wait for the process to complete. This may take a long time.
Wait for the installation to complete
Completing the Windows installation
When everything you need has been copied and unpacked, Windows 7 will prompt you to enter names for the user and computer. Enter these details and click “Next”.
Enter your username and computer name
Now, if necessary, you can create a password. You can leave all fields blank and click Next.
Enter a password if required
You may then be asked to enter your Windows activation code. Enter and click Next. If there is no code, then you can skip this step and activate Windows later.
Enter your Windows activation code
After that, select the desired security mode on your computer and click “Next”.
In this article you will learn how to reinstall Windows 7 yourself. The material is designed for users who will be installing Windows on a computer or laptop for the first time. No matter how scary it may sound, reinstalling Windows is very simple. In the days of Windows 95 and 98, to an inexperienced person, the procedure of reinstalling the operating system could seem like a mystical rite. The person who was invited to do this was necessarily called a programmer and was considered a guru in the computer field.
For their part, such gurus, inflating their value, intimidated their clients in every possible way with scary computer terms and stories about viruses and burned-out computers. In this guide, you will see that this is not at all true and that installing or reinstalling Windows on your laptop or computer is very simple and accessible to almost anyone who knows how to use a computer mouse.
I will make a small reservation. This article will tell you how to install Windows 7 yourself using a DVD. If your computer or laptop does not have a DVD drive, then you will need to install Windows from a USB flash drive or from a memory card, I will talk about this in another lesson.
Before you start reinstalling Windows, read the entire article to the end, and if you have a printer, print it out.
Reinstalling Windows 7 consists of several steps:
- Preparing your computer for installing Windows 7;
- Preparing an installation disk with Windows 7;
- Setting up the computer's BIOS to boot from a DVD;
- Installing Windows 7;
Now let's go through all the stages in detail.
1. Preparing to install Windows 7
Before reinstalling Windows, you need to do a little preparation.
First, you need to copy all the valuable information from drive C. Of course, you know better, but I’ll still tell you where to look. There are not so many places where your useful information can be located on the “C:” drive, usually the desktop and “My Documents”. It’s also worth looking at the root of the “C:” drive; sometimes people, in a hurry or simply out of ignorance, save files there. Copy all the files you need to another drive (for example, “D:”), DVD drive or flash drive.
For the future, keep in mind that it is best to store information not on the same disk partition on which the system is installed, and, of course, create backup copies.
If you just purchased a computer or are sure that there is no valuable information in it, then naturally you don’t have to bother
Another point that is worth considering before installing Windows is the drivers for the network card. If after installation it turns out that your Windows distribution did not have drivers for your network card, or for some reason they were not installed correctly, then you will find yourself without drivers and without the Internet. Therefore, download the latest drivers in advance, at least for the network card.
2. Preparing an installation disk with Windows 7
For those who already have an installation disk with Windows 7, you can skip this step. If you don’t have such a disc, then you need to burn it or purchase it. Those who want to download Windows on the Internet, look for clean MSDN builds.
This will protect you from possible errors in the operation of the installed system.
Installation disks with Windows 7 on the Internet are usually distributed in the form of disk images in the ".iso" format. I won’t say where to download because... promoting their spread is not entirely legal. I can advise you to read the release comments before downloading the image; problematic disks are usually quickly identified in the form of a bunch of angry reviews.
At this stage, you should decide which version of Windows 7 to install on your computer, 32-bit or 64-bit. I will not go into details, since a separate article can be written on this topic. I will only say that a 64-bit system can work with the entire amount of RAM, while a 32-bit system uses only about 3.25 GB at most. At the same time, a 64-bit system, thanks to 64-bit address pointers, requires more memory during operation. This increases the amount of memory consumed by applications.
Also in favor of a 64-bit system, it is worth considering that when using 64-bit applications there will be a fairly good increase in their performance.
Conclusion: a 64-bit system should be used if the amount of RAM in your computer is 4 gigabytes or more, which, in principle, is already becoming the norm for a modern computer.
After the image is downloaded, you need to burn it to a DVD disc, and you can begin installation.
3. Setting up the computer BIOS to boot from a DVD
To install Windows, it is not enough to simply insert a DVD into the drive; you also need to make sure that the computer starts booting from this disk when you turn it on. This is done in the BIOS. There is a BIOS in almost any computer or laptop; all sorts of important settings are stored in it, one of these settings is the boot order of devices. This setting is what interests us at the moment.
In order to get into the BIOS, you need to immediately press a certain key on the keyboard when you turn on the computer. Usually, when booting, it is written on the screen what exactly you need to press to get to the BIOS menu. Most often this is the Delete, Esc, or F2 key. You will know that you have entered when you see the BIOS menu in front of you.
The most common options are:
If the attempt is unsuccessful, then reboot the computer and try again. Below are tables with possible options for entering the BIOS.
| BIOS Manufacturer | Keys |
| ALR Advanced Logic Research, Inc. | F2, Ctrl+Alt+Esc |
| AMD (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.) BIOS | F1 |
| AMI (American Megatrends, Inc.) BIOS | Del |
| Award BIOS | Ctrl+Alt+Esc, Del |
| DTK (Datatech Enterprises Co.) BIOS | Esc |
| Phoenix BIOS | Ctrl+Alt+Esc, Ctrl+Alt+S, Ctrl+Alt+Ins |
| PC Manufacturer | Keys |
| Acer | F1, F2, Ctrl+Alt+Esc |
| AST | Ctrl+Alt+Esc, Ctrl+Alt+Del |
| Compaq | F10 |
| CompUSA | Del |
| Cybermax | Esc |
| Dell 400 | F3, F1 |
| Dell Dimension | F2, Del |
| Dell Inspiron | F2 |
| Dell Latitude | Fn+F1 |
| Dell Latitude | F2 |
| Dell Optiplex | Del, F2 |
| Dell Precision | F2 |
| eMachine | Del |
| Gateway | F1, F2 |
| HP | F1, F2 |
| IBM | F1 |
| IBM E-pro Laptop | F2 |
| IBM PS/2 | Ctrl+Alt+Ins then Ctrl+Alt+Del |
| IBM Thinkpad | from Windows: Programs >Thinkpad CFG |
| Intel Tangent | Del |
| Micron | F1, F2, or Del |
| Packard Bell | F1, F2, Del |
| Sony VAIO | F2, F3 |
| Tiger | Del |
| Toshiba | ESC, F1 |
After you have entered the BIOS, you need to find the option responsible for the boot order of devices. As a rule, these settings need to be looked for in the menu, the name of which contains the word BOOT; of course, there are other options, but as they say - “He who searches will always find.”
To make your search easier, here are a few examples of what it looks like in real life:
Selecting the device to boot first is usually done using the arrow keys on the keyboard, but there are other ways to navigate through the BIOS menu, so if you can’t figure it out, you can look at the help, which is usually visible in the BIOS.
Select your CD/DVD drive as the first boot device and exit the BIOS, saving all changes. To do this, use the Save and Exit Setup item. The computer will reboot and we have thus approached the next stage, for which everything was actually started.
4 Installing Windows 7
If the disk is written correctly and the settings in the BIOS are set correctly, we will see the following inscription Press any key to boot from CD or DVD, which means Press any key to boot from a CD or DVD.
It looks like this:
Press any key
If you don’t see such an inscription, then perhaps you did something written above incorrectly. In this case, check the BIOS again to see if the boot from DVD setting is saved; if everything is set correctly in the BIOS, then most likely your disk is not bootable and you will have to look for another installation disk or download another Windows 7 image.
At this point I will make a small disclaimer. You may come across a Windows 7 installation disk that contains, in addition to Windows itself, additional utilities; in this case, to start the installation, you will need to select the desired item from the menu of your disk. It is also worth noting that in some disks, most of the operations described below will take place automatically, without your participation. There is no need to worry about this; all these settings can be changed if desired after the installation of Windows is completed.
To begin installation, click "Install"
You will be faced with a choice of which version of Windows to install. You need to choose the one for which you have the key. If you have a laptop, then often a sticker with a key and an indication of the Windows version is glued to the bottom. We will need the key itself at the end of the installation. In principle, it can be introduced not immediately, but within 30 days.
We agree to the license terms and click “Next”
Select the full installation.
Select the partition in which Windows 7 will be installed and click "Disk Setup"
An inexperienced person may have questions at this point, so let’s look at it in more detail.
Hard drive setup
Often on your computer's hard drive, in addition to the partitions that you know about (such as C: D: E:, etc.), there may be one or more hidden partitions. This is especially true for laptops that were sold with an operating system already installed. The manufacturer makes such sections in order to be able to restore the system and bring the laptop to its factory settings.
Also often found is a hidden partition of 100MB in size; it is created by Windows 7 itself. This partition is used to implement the BitLocker function; this function is designed to encrypt the system partition. So, in this section there is a program that, when loaded, decodes the encrypted system partition. If you wish, you can get rid of this partition by preparing your computer’s hard drive for installing Windows 7 in advance. For this, it is best to use special programs, such as Acronis Disc Director.
Let's go back to the installation.
Click "Disk Setup" and "Format"
The installer will warn you that all data from this partition will be deleted, but we are not afraid of this, because we prepared for this and made a backup copy of all the information we needed in advance, so we boldly agree by clicking the “OK” button.
After formatting is completed, click “Next”
Waiting for the installation to complete
After installation, you will be prompted to enter your username and computer name.
We enter the key, it can be glued to the bottom of the laptop, or in the form of a sticker on the system unit.
Set a security mode
Set the date, time and time zone
If your computer has a network connection and the system has a driver for your network card, Windows will prompt you to select a connection type
This completes the installation of Windows 7, and you can proceed to installing the drivers and programs you need.
Finally, don’t forget to return the BIOS settings that we changed in paragraph 3 our leadership. You need to set your hard drive as the first boot device in the BIOS, otherwise every time you start the computer it will try to boot from the DVD.
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It is important for every user to know what reinstalling Windows 7 on a laptop is like. Since at a certain point in time, any of us has to deal with the “uneven” operation of the system. That is, failures begin to occur periodically. In this case, the usual system settings no longer help.
The main reason for this is that the laptop operating system is clogged with various unnecessary files or “remnants” of incorrectly deleted programs. In addition, we should not forget about viruses and their “compatriots” in the form of spyware, worms, and so on.
The problem can be solved by using a special program to clean the registry, however, if it does not help, the best solution to the issue is to reinstall the system. In our article, we will tell you what a step-by-step reinstallation of Windows 7 is like on a laptop or computer, and we will briefly describe its main stages.
Don't be surprised if you have to search for and install all the necessary drivers after you decide to reinstall Windows 7 on your laptop. After all, they most likely will not be on the installation disk. Therefore, in order for your ACER or Asus laptop, or any other to fully function, you will have to manually install the missing drivers (for the sound card, graphics editor, motherboard, etc.).
And if you decide to install Windows 7 on your laptop for the first time, be prepared for the fact that this version of Windows consumes much more resources than, for example, XP. That is, if the laptop previously ran under xp, then before installing seven you should compare the system requirements of this version of the operating system and the resources that your laptop has.
We start reinstalling Windows 7 from under the laptop operating system
Now let's talk specifically about the reinstallation process itself.
How to step by step reinstall windows 7 on a laptop? So, if you are the lucky owner of a licensed "seven", then you just need to insert the disc into the CD-DVD drive and run the installation program from it. When a license key is required during the process, we find it on the box of the CD or DVD with the operating system and enter it. And now we have a licensed version of the OS.
In this article we will look in detail how to install Windows 7. But before you start installing Windows, you MUST make a backup of your important data, that is, save all your data to another partition, or to a flash drive, disk, etc.
All you need to install Windows 7 is a boot disk with this operating system, as well as a little free time and patience.
So, let's begin.
Installing Windows 7 in pictures
1. Insert the disc with Windows 7 OS into the DVD-Rom of your computer and, as soon as the computer starts to boot, go to the BIOS (to enter the BIOS, as a rule, you need to press the DEL key) to select boot from the DVD disc. In the BIOS, go to the “Boot” -> “Boot Device Priority” menu and for the first item “1st Boot Device” set the value to “CDROM”, as in the figure below:
The second option to boot from a DVD is, as soon as you turn on the computer, press the F8 key to bring up the boot option selection menu and select boot from CD-ROM/DVD-ROM.
2. As soon as you select the disk with Windows 7 OS to boot, its installation will automatically start:
After a few seconds, you will see the following window:
In the next window you will be asked to select the option to install Windows 7:
I recommend installing a clean one - “Full installation”. With this installation, the system disk is formatted and, accordingly, the previous version of Windows and all data, parameters and settings will be completely deleted, which will help avoid possible failures and errors; this is the most reliable installation method.
There are times when the operating system crashes for one reason or another, or a file is missing, or something else, in which case you can try update Windows by selecting the first item - “Update”. With this option, all program settings, drivers and all your data are saved. But, since everything is saved, then with the same “success” all program problems or other errors are saved, which can lead to malfunctions in the newly installed Windows. If the system starts, then the update is best launched from the Windows environment itself.
If the disk is new and not partitioned, then there will be a picture like mine above, but if it is, then all your hard drive partitions will be presented here. When you select drive C, as a rule, be sure to format it; to do this, click on the “Disk Setup” link and an additional menu will appear:
The main work is done, the installer will do everything itself. The installation procedure will take about half an hour, during which time no intervention is required from you, so you can calmly step away from the computer and go about your business.
Now you almost succeeded in installing Windows 7, there’s nothing left.
Once the installation is complete, you will need to create your account. Create a username for yourself and enter in the “Username” field:
Then you will be asked to come up with a password for your account, a password is not required, and if no one else uses the computer except you or you do not have confidential information that needs to be stored in secret, then you do not need to specify a password.
In the next window you must enter the serial number of your copy:
Select Windows protection settings; in most cases, the first option is suitable - “Use recommended settings”:
Set the system time:
And the network option, for most users the “Public Network” option is suitable:
And after all these small settings, the desktop of the newly installed operating system will load in front of you:
That's all. As you can see, installing Windows 7 is not at all difficult, no more difficult than installing any other program. And it is available to absolutely any user.