Personally, I would always chose and suggest that a user do a clean install, for a few reasons:
- Clean installations will always run faster and more efficient than an upgrade.
- It is usually quicker to clean install than to upgrade (of course, you will need to reinstall any programs and files).
- Upgrades can be quite buggy, because there are more issues that can arise.
- A clean install allows you to begin with a clean slate, chosing to reinstall only the programs which are necessary.
- It’s usually not a bad idea to format the hard drive every so often anyhow.
The one major reason a user would have for choosing an upgrade over a clean install would be the “ease factorâ€Â. If the user is not used to formatting and installing a new OS, there will be a small learning curve. Previous versions of Windows were a bit more difficult to clean install, but Windows 7 proves to be the simplest clean install that I’ve ever done. We’ll go through the clean install process step-by-step for users not accustomed to doing them.
Backup, Backup, Backup! One of the most frustrating things when installing a new OS is to do so and then afterwards, realize that you have deleted files without a backup. For that reason, the first step in moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7 will be to backup all of your personal files (Videos, Documents, Pictures, Music…). Programs will need to be reinstalled, so you will want to make sure that you have any manufacturer’s disc for these programs. Once you have everything backed up, you will begin by placing the Windows 7 disc into your disc drive.
Boot from the Windows 7 Disc To do a clean install of Windows, we will need the computer to avoid loading the current version of Windows and first look to the disc drive, where the Windows 7 disc is located. In order to achieve this, we will need to enter the BIOS setup. When the computer initially begins to boot you will need to look for which key it is that needs to be pressed to enter the BIOS setup. Look at the screen for a message similar to this:
Press F2 for Setup or
Press Delete to Enter Setup. (For more help entering the BIOS setup, click
here.) Once the correct key is pressed, you will be taken to the BIOS setup. (Every manufacturer’s BIOS setup varies a little, so you may want to consult their website or manual to assist with this step) You will then want to look for an option for the Boot Priority or Boot Order. The Boot Order tells the computer which devices it is to boot first, then second and so on. We want the disc drive that contains the Windows 7 disc to be the first option in the boot order. Once this is the case, you can save and exit the BIOS setup. ( it is usually the
F10 or
F7 key to save and exit. It should say which one at the top or bottom of the screen).
Finally, Windows 7 Installation If you have made it to this point, everything else is fairly simple. It will be a matter of following the on-screen instructions. With the correct boot sequence selected, the computer should start Windows 7 setup from the disc (if you see the windows loading screen instead of the Windows 7 installation screen, the boot sequence is not set to boot from the Windows 7 disc, repeat the previous step). To continue, select which language for the install and click
Next.
Click on the
Install Now to begin the installation process.
Check the box that’s marked
I accept the license terms and click the
Next button (after thoroughly reading the terms, of course). On the next screen, click the
Custom (Advanced) optionSelect the hard drive or partition that you want to install Windows 7 on and click on the
Drive Options (advanced) link. With the correct drive or partition still selected, click on the
Format button to erase the previous version of Windows from the selected hard drive and then click the
Next button.
Link Removed - Invalid URL
The installation should begin automatically and the setup should proceed by itself. The screen will turn on and off and the computer will restart itself during setup, this is normal.
Once the installation process completes, you will chose a username and password (password is optional) and click
Next.
Link Removed - Invalid URL
On the next screen, you will be prompted for the Windows Product key, enter it and click
Next.
Link Removed - Invalid URL
The next three screens will be personal options for
Security settings,
Time zone and Date settings &
Setting up your home network.
Once finished with the personal settings, the computer will prepare itself to startup and you will be taken to the desktop. You will want to run
Windows Update from the
Programs menu to update any drivers that may not be working correctly.
At first, for a new user, clean-installing a new OS can be a little daunting, but once you get past the boot sequence it’s as simple as following the on-screen instructions and moving from page to page. There are no DOS-like screens anymore, so any user that feels comfortable pointing and clicking their way on a Windows machine should be just fine performing a clean install of Windows 7.