Installing windows 7 in. Defining the system partition

In this article we will look at how to install the Windows 7 operating system from a disk. The instructions were prepared as clearly as possible and accessible even for beginners.

The entire process of installing the “seven” will consist of the following steps:

Setting up the BIOS to boot the computer from a boot disk;

Partitioning Guidelines hard drive;
Definition system partition;
Windows 7 installation and initial setup.

Step 1: Set up the BIOS to boot your computer from a boot disk

If you don’t know how to boot from disk, then by following the link you will learn how to do it:

Step 2. Start installation

After exiting the BIOS and having previously saved the settings made, the computer will reboot and if any operating system was previously installed on it, then after a while the message “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” will appear on the screen. boot from a CD/DVD) which is what you should do.

Be careful as you will only have five seconds to enter the system installation. If the current operating system starts loading, it means that the opportunity to start the installation was missed and you should restart the computer again for the next attempt.

If you are installing the system on a new computer or a clean hard drive, then you will not see the previous window, Windows 7 installation will start automatically.

So, if the computer starts booting from the installation disk, then the system installation start window will appear on the screen, in which you can see the process of downloading the initially necessary files.

If this window does not appear, but the old operating system starts loading (if it was installed) or messages appear stating that boot disk is not found (if installed on a new computer or hard drive), this means that your computer was unable to boot from the disk and you should return to the previous step for setting up the BIOS.

After downloading the main files, you should see a window for setting up language settings, date and time format, as well as keyboard layout, in which the default settings for Russia will be set.

System Restore may be useful to you in the future if problems arise with installed system, for example due to damage, removal or unauthorized modification of it system files. As a rule, this leads to Windows 7 becoming unstable or refusing to boot at all. In this case, you can restore the original system files from the installation disk using the above point.

In general, the “System Restore” section in Windows 7 is a fairly powerful tool for fixing various kinds of problems that arise during its operation, and we will definitely devote it to it separate publication, and within the framework of this article, click the “Install” button to proceed directly to the installation.

In a few minutes, a window with a license agreement will appear in front of you, the terms of which must be accepted by checking the appropriate box and clicking the “Next” button.

In the next window you will have to select the installation type:

As you can see, here we can choose two options: update and full installation. The “Update” item can be used if you want to update your old operating system to Windows 7, while maintaining all installed programs and settings. True, for this, the installation of the “seven” must be launched directly from your already installed OS. It should also be remembered that this is only possible from Windows Vista, and the update is not applicable to operating systems of older generations, including Windows XP. In general, this type of installation is not the best solution. The fact is that not only settings will migrate to the new Windows previous system, but also all its problems, brakes and glitches. And in general, stable operation of the system and previously installed programs is not guaranteed in this case. That's why preferred type is the full installation, which is what you should choose.

At the next stage of installation, we have to select a partition on the hard drive for Windows installations 7. Here, I would like to make a small digression and provide some useful recommendations for partitioning a hard drive into system partitions:

Don't allocate all of your hard drive space to one single partition. This can cause you a lot of trouble in the future.
Modern hard drives have quite large capacities for storing data and therefore it is advisable to divide them into several thematic sections.
It is recommended to set aside a separate section for installing the operating system and necessary software and not fill it with your personal data.
You should choose the size of the system partition with a margin, taking into account that for Windows to work correctly, 15% of the space of this partition must remain free.
Don't create too many sections. This will complicate navigation and reduce the efficiency of distributing large files and folders

Step 4. Identifying the system partition

Now, let's get back to the installation. From this point on, the installation can proceed in two ways:

Option 1: You have a new computer and the hard drive has never been allocated. In this case, a window with the following content will appear in front of you:

To partition the hard drive into partitions, you must select the item: “Disk Settings”. In the additional options that appear, select “Create” and enter the required partition size in the window next to it. Please remember that you must specify the size in megabytes. Calculate it based on the fact that 1 gigabyte = 1024 megabytes. As a rule, for Windows7 and related software, 60–100 GB is enough, but you have the right to make it larger if necessary.

Having specified the required size of the future system partition, click the “Apply” button. Next, to use all its capabilities, Windows will ask you to create an additional partition for it. Don't be alarmed, it will only take up 100 MB of free disk space and will be invisible to you.

By clicking “OK” we will return to the screen for selecting a partition for installing Windows.

As you can see, there have been changes here. Now we have a partition reserved by the system for its own needs, a newly created partition and the remaining unallocated area. From the unallocated space on the disk, in the same window you can create additional partitions in the same way that we used above, or you can postpone this action until later and finally partition your drive in Windows.

Having made the necessary decision, select the part of the disk on which we plan to install the operating system and click “Next”.

Option 2 - If your computer already has an operating system installed. Then your hard drive is already divided into logical areas, and you will see a window listing all found partitions on it, for example:

Attention! All further manipulations with the found partitions may lead to the loss of your data, so be very careful in your actions.

If the current partition of the hard drive does not suit you, then you can delete existing partitions in whole or in part by selecting the appropriate part of the disk, and then the “Delete” option. You have the right to split the unallocated space on the disk that appears after this at your discretion using the above method, discussed in option 1.

If you are completely satisfied with the current disk layout, then you need to decide in which of the existing partitions you will install Windows 7 and whether you want to save the information available there. In that case, before moving on, let's first take a look at possible options installation, after which you can make an informed decision without pointing your finger at the sky.

You have selected the section to which at the moment your old operating system is installed, and you plan to save the data stored on it. In this case, after clicking the “Next” button, before starting the installation, you will see a warning window that the previous copy of Windows with all its files and folders will be moved to the “Windows.old” folder. The rest of the information will be untouched. Clicking "OK" in the warning window will begin the installation process.

There is one significant drawback to this setup. As a rule, after using the operating system for a long time, the partition on which it was installed becomes very littered and contains a lot of unnecessary files. Adding to all this a new operating system with the accompanying software, you will encounter, at a minimum, irrational use of hard disk space, file defragmentation, and even possible overflow, which will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in system speed.

If you have selected a hard disk segment that does not contain Windows as the future system partition and want to save all the stored information on it, then the installation will begin immediately after clicking the “Next” button.

If you plan to install Windows 7 on a blank partition (the preferred option of all) and you have either already saved the information on it in another place, or you don’t need it, then you should format it before starting the installation. To do this, select “Format”. The installer will issue a warning that this partition may contain data that is important to you and it will be destroyed.

After clicking the “OK” button, the selected part of the disk will be completely cleared of the information stored there and to begin the installation, all you have to do is select “Next”.

Step 5. Installation and initial setup of Windows 7

So, after selecting the system partition, the system installation process will begin, during which files will be copied and unpacked, components and updates will be installed.

During installation, your computer will automatically restart several times, and the entire procedure may take from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on its power.

Finally, after the installation is completed and the computer reboots again, the first Windows initial setup window will appear in front of you, in which you will have to enter the user name (the name of your account in the system) and the computer (the name under which it will be visible to other users on the network).

On the next screen, you will be able to create a password for your account or postpone this action by leaving the fields blank and clicking the “Next” button.

The next step is to be able to select parameters automatic update Windows, designed to regularly check via the Internet for all kinds of system security patches, critical updates and service packs on the official website technical support. Enabling automatic updates is desirable, but not required at this stage, since you can configure this setting more flexibly after installation from the control panel.

After you select your security options, Windows Initial Setup will prompt you to check your date and time settings. If everything is correct, click “Next”.

If network card drivers were installed during the installation process, you will see a window network settings, in which you will need to select the location of your computer.

After you make your selection, a window will appear to connect to the network and apply settings.

On this initial setup the system can be considered complete. After the final application of the settings, a welcome window will appear in front of you, then the system will prepare the desktop, the appearance of which will mark the completion of the installation of Windows 7.

Immediately after completing the Windows installation, you should install all the necessary drivers for the connected devices.

Remember! After installing Windows 7, you need to enter the BIOS again and return booting from the hard drive.

Standard tools in the Windows 7 Home Basic, Starter edition are not possible install theme, so we have to resort to special programs. These recommendations differ greatly from the editions above.

You will need to install two programs:

1. Personalization Panel - a program that adds a “personalization” item to the menu called up by right-clicking together, where there are no shortcuts, i.e., on empty desktop space.
2. Universal Theme Patcher – the utility patches Windows files, replacing them with its own.

Download a third-party theme and place its files in the Themes directory, which is located in C:\Windows\Resources\. Most theme archives contain folders with designs, fonts, icons and a file (theme name.Theme).

If the archive contains a Fonts folder, then place its contents in C:\Windows\Fonts. It is responsible for the fonts of the installed theme in Windows 7.

Now try clicking on a file with an extension at the end (.Theme) and you will see a warning.

That's why you can't install theme on Windows 7 Home Basic, Starter. Now we will get around this trouble.

Patching system files using the Universal Theme Patcher utility

This is a small program that replaces files and does not require installation. Do the following algorithm:

1. download and unpack the archive.

2. The files of interest here are: UTPatch-x64.exe (for 64-bit OS) and UTPatch-x86.exe (for 32-bit OS). Run according to bitness of your Windows 7 OS on behalf of the administrator.

Note: The initial edition always has a 32-bit version.

3. In the window, select the language “Russian”, click “OK”.

4. Then you will see information about how many files need to be patched. Check it out and click yes.

5. Press the 3 buttons called “patch”. In some situations, two are available.

Note: If all buttons are disabled, it means that your Windows 7 Home Basic already patched.

You can get the original files back by clicking on the "restore" button.

6. When you press the last button, you will be prompted to reboot, click “yes”. Then proceed to install the next program.

Install the Personalization Panel and implement personalization in the Windows 7 Home Basic edition menu

The application will add personalization options similar to Windows 7 Ultimate, but before using them, follow these steps:

2. Select the language “Russian”, click “OK”. A welcome window will open, in which click “next”.

3. In this window, check “normal installation” and click “next” until the installation is complete, since you don’t need to change anything else.

4. At the last stage, click “install” and after a while “done”.

Now go to your desktop, your Windows 7 Home Basic and click right click on empty (free space). You will notice that a “personalization” option has appeared in the menu.

The window looks like the Maximum edition. Here you can change the desktop background Windows desktop 7 Home Basic and Starter, screensaver, sounds, .

The list will show the standard, downloaded themes and their location. Select one of them and click the “apply theme” button. Enjoy the results.

This is how you can install theme on Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter, which were originally deprived of this function. The program is convenient because it collects the necessary personalization settings in one place and adds advanced features. For example, it is possible faster than through the control panel. The developers have done their best, and now you won’t have to update to a higher edition.

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The article is suitable for beginners who want to do everything correctly and efficiently. I didn't limit myself simple instructions, so it turned out to be something like a mini-tutorial - this will provide an understanding of the process itself and give the necessary knowledge to novice users.

Although we are talking about installation Windows 7, my advice is suitable for Windows 8 and thrown to the sidelines of history Windows Vista .

Selecting Windows 7 version

Assembly or original distribution?

So-called “Windows builds” are very popular on the Internet. Why are they good and why do many experts advise against installing them? To answer this question, as well as help with choosing a distribution (installation disk), you should first explain what an assembly is.

Assembly in this case means a modified version of Windows. Some advanced users with “skillful hands” change the settings and composition of installed components, the contents of system files, add various programs- this is how the next build of Windows turns out. All assemblies are de facto pirated, but the advantages and disadvantages of unlicensed software will be discussed in the corresponding chapter.

Pros of assemblies:

• The user receives an externally “beautiful” and functional system with installed programs, which relieves the user of routine installation and configuration work.
• Drivers integrated into the assembly eliminate the need to search and install them manually.
• Windows updates integrated into some builds eliminate the need to manually update the operating system (OS).
• The installed assembly often loads faster due to the supposedly “unnecessary” components being disabled.
• No need to waste time entering the license key and activation.

• Due to modified system files (for the sake of decoration, for example), system file protection does not work correctly. I mean not only the “System Protection and Restore” function, but also other software mechanisms hidden from the user’s eyes. Alas, many authors of builds believe that everything needs to be turned off; as a result, a system is installed on the computer that is practically helpless in matters of recovery after failures. By the way, on the Microsoft website there is a good one with the correct argumentation of why the “protection” cannot be turned off.
• Tweaks are all kinds of settings changes designed to “speed up the system.” In assemblies, tweaks are used in mass quantities. I don’t argue that some registry edits and disabling services can make the system more responsive on slow, old computers. But by disabling services and interfering with system settings, we are dooming Windows to crash. What is more important to you: launching a program 0.1 second faster and constant glitches in operation, or stable operation without crashes and errors? Moreover, tweaks have virtually no positive effect on real performance in computing tasks.
• Drivers. For Windows XP, driver integration is useful, as it allows you to install the operating system on laptops with SATA interfaces. This has been well written about. I have no objections here. For Windows Vista and later systems, driver integration became meaningless because necessary drivers are already present in the standard distribution. Drivers for video cards are also integrated into the assemblies, sound cards etc., and they are often truncated (there may be missing files somewhere). As a result, the user receives a system with installed drivers, working anyhow (no sound, the microphone does not work, the touchpad on the laptop is glitchy, etc.). The problem also manifests itself in another scenario: a person puts on a modern toy and finds out that it seems modern computer she's slowing down! What's the matter? The casket simply opens up: new versions of drivers are released, optimized and improved, for all modern games. The user, when installing a Windows build, does not think about the fact that the drivers need to be updated - after all, everything works that way. As a result, the computer does not use its power at 100%. But it was enough to follow the link and download a normal driver (I will give these links later, in the chapter on installing drivers).
• Once again about drivers. Builders also like to remove drivers for older devices. As a result, having connected an old but working printer, the user has to scour the Internet in search of a suitable driver. That is, on the one hand, it seems like there is a driver, but it doesn’t seem to be there.
• An unlicensed OS (Windows builds, I emphasize - always pirated) imposes restrictions (more on this a little later) when working with the system. Even by entering the license key, the situation cannot be corrected - the files have been changed, everything has been shoveled, activation will work anyhow, plus this is still a violation of the license agreement.
• A large set of installed software confuses beginners. In this case, they make a reasonable and, to some extent, correct decision - they simply ignore the strange icons located on the Desktop. However, programs can and do run without the user's knowledge, causing many tray icons to appear (near the clock), which again confuses the user who is not familiar with these programs. And if a curious person starts launching everything and pressing buttons, then there is a high chance of getting a buggy system or even “killing” it. About the fact that each running program takes up some of the computer's resources, and is not worth mentioning - this disadvantage is obvious.

My opinion is: Windows builds are evil. Install a clean, unmodified Windows distribution if you want that much stable operation operating system and programs, as far as possible. If you do not agree with me, I advise you not to be indignant and not to prove to me the advantages of certain “proven” assemblies, but to go here or here and ask there - people with extensive experience and relevant knowledge will answer you. Or they won’t answer, because for many it is obvious that assemblies are evil.

There are also assemblies for automatic installation of Windows, where the installation script is written and the bare minimum is integrated, for example, updates. There are no complaints about such assemblies, because their purpose is specific, their creators clearly know the purpose of such an assembly. Most often, such distributions are made using Windows AIK.

About Windows 7 editions

Windows 7 has several publications(options, versions - called differently). Editions differ in their set of functions and system requirements. For example, the publication " Home basic» works quite well on older computers with 512 MB RAM, while " Maximum"The publication will noticeably slow down on such a computer due to the presence of such a resource-intensive component as the interface" Aero"(that same translucent window design).

The functionality of your computer depends on the choice of edition.

Performance, as I mentioned above, also varies, but this is only noticeable on slow PCs. With more than 2 GB of RAM and a processor with at least two 2 GHz cores, the difference between the editions in performance and responsiveness is almost unnoticeable. You should not choose a publication with functions “in reserve”. It is better to install on your computer the version that exactly meets your requirements. Features you don't need will only get in the way and waste your hard drive and RAM space. In the future, you can always change the edition without complete reinstallation Windows.

Types of editions of Windows 7

Although I am talking about editions of Windows 7, the situation is similar with Windows Vista and the not yet released Windows 8. True, there is no point in installing Windows Vista due to the fact that it is already a “last generation” operating system, and Windows 8 currently exists only in a beta version, unstable and unfinished. I repeat once again: do not rush and run to the store for Windows 7 Ultimate. First, you should know what editions of Windows exist.

Windows 7 has six editions: Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium Home Premium), Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate. Let’s put the “corporate” edition aside, because it is intended for work in organizations. In terms of functions, this publication duplicates “Maximum”, but has a different license. Let’s also forget about “Elementary”, because this edition is only available in an installed form on cheap netbooks, and its functions are limited as much as possible. This means that we have a choice of four editions of Windows 7 available to home users: Windows 7 Home basic(Home Basic), Windows 7 Home extended(Home Premium), Windows 7 Professional(Professional), Windows 7 Maximum(Ultimate).

Aero theme support- a very nice and beautiful thing, but it eats up a lot of resources. This is especially noticeable on laptops - turning on Aero shortens battery life. Windows 7 Home Basic is different in that Aero support is disabled. You can enable Aero by cleverly manipulating files and the registry; there are many instructions on this topic. Perhaps the only one interesting feature The seemingly unattractive Home Basic version has lower system requirements. If you have old computer with 512 MB of RAM, instead of morally outdated Windows XP can be installed with Windows 7 Home Basic. Games will run more slowly, since Windows 7 itself requires more resources, but Home basic version It is quite unpretentious in terms of resources due to its “lightness” in terms of the composition of components, requiring less RAM for its operation. And if you plug a fast flash drive into USB and turn on ReadyBoost on it, the “old horse” will get a second wind! This will be especially noticeable with a slow hard drive. Aero is supported by all editions except Home Basic.

Windows Media Center- a good thing, its functionality goes far beyond the scope of a regular video player. True, I don’t use Media Center, PotPlayer is enough for me. But you may like this program. All editions of Windows support it except Home Basic.

Home Group Support- a useful function that allows you to use shared folders and files, as well as printers and other devices. It differs from the usual “File and Folder Sharing”, familiar to users of Windows XP and Vista, in its simplicity of settings. See the settings in the Network and Sharing Center. A good article talking about Windows 7 Homegroups is here. All editions of Windows support this useful technology, except for the deprived Home Basic.

Windows XP Mode support- an indispensable thing for those who use old programs that do not work in Windows 7. Windows XP Mode is Windows XP installed in virtual machine. All programs launched in this mode actually run in virtual computer with Windows XP, so the window of such a program will be framed by the recognizable blue frame of the Windows XP theme. Owners of the Professional and Ultimate editions can download and install this component from the Microsoft website at any time. So if they tell you that some program does not work in Windows 7 and you need to install Windows XP, educate this person about Windows XP Mode. Two disadvantages of this technology:

3D games do not work in this virtual machine. - Windows 7 Home Basic and Home Premium editions do not support Windows XP Mode.

Installing programs in this virtual machine requires unnecessary movements - it will be a bit difficult for a novice user.

Plus: the issue of compatibility with Windows XP disappears - the programs will run in real Windows XP, and not Windows 7. Moreover, all documents, files - everything opens normally in programs running in virtual Windows XP. From the user's point of view, everything works as it should, only the window is framed by a blue frame Windows interface XP.

Domain support- of little use for home user the ability to connect a computer to a domain. Read more about domains. Works in Professional and Maximum editions. Relevant for those who use their personal laptop for work, connecting to a network with domains.

Drive encryption with BitLocker- for conspirators and those who keep Very Important information on the computer. The job description is located. Works only in the Ultimate edition. Fortunately, this is not the only solution for disk encryption; there are also free ones. For example, TrueCrypt.

It seems to me that for most users it will be enough Home extended editions of Windows 7. There is little point in installing the Maximum or, God forbid, the Corporate edition. Besides the price...

Windows 7 system requirements

Which computer is suitable for installing Windows 7 is written in detail on the Microsoft website. I will limit myself to a brief retelling with an explanation:

• The processor frequency must be 1 GHz or higher. Of course, on this slow computer comfortable work is impossible, but it will work. Windows 7, unlike the outdated Windows XP, effectively uses multi-core processors, but will also work on a single-core processor.
• RAM must be 1 gigabyte or higher for a 32-bit system, 2 gigabytes for a 64-bit system. Read more about this in the next chapter, I’ll just say one thing - It is quite possible to run both 32- and 64-bit Windows 7 on a computer with 512 MB of RAM. Windows itself will work quite quickly, but if you run any program, there will be slowdowns due to lack of RAM. Conclusion: it will be possible to work on a computer with 512 MB of RAM, but you will have to be patient (I advise you to change the window design to the classic one, like in Windows 2000, in order to save fifty or even more megabytes of RAM). On computers with 1 GB of RAM, comfortable work is possible, with the exception of games - any modern game requires 2 or more GB of RAM and this does not depend much on the version of Windows.
• The video card must support DirectX 9 at a minimum. In fact, Windows 7 will work on an older video card, as long as compatible driver was. Also, with an old video card that does not support at least DirectX 9, the beautiful Aero interface (translucent window design) will not be available. I talked more about DirectX in the article.
• 16 gigabytes free space on the hard drive for 32-bit Windows 7, 20 GB for 64-bit. Please note - this is the bare minimum; there will not be enough space for programs and games.
• Internet is also very desirable- to receive updates, new antivirus databases, and so on.

To find out what kind of computer you have, you can download and run the program - it is easy to use and the information it gives about the computer hardware is understandable to novice users. Also further in the text there will be other tips on the topic of determining the contents of the computer.

Which system to choose - 32 bit or 64?

There are endless debates about what bit capacity the system should be. It is unlikely that I will be able to put an end to this issue. At least I’ll tell you in simple words about the current situation with the bit capacity of systems.

The system capacity can be 32 bat and 64 . It is more correct to denote the bit depth as x86 And x64, but this confuses beginners (I’ve come across opuses like “which system to choose - 86 bit or 64?”). Therefore, to avoid confusion, I will use the numbers 32 and 64.

We, as PC users, notice the most distinctive feature between 32- and 64-bit Windows: 32-bit systems cannot work with more than 4 GB of RAM (in fact, even less - the system “sees” about 3.5 GB). There is a way to force a 4 GB 32-bit system to be seen using a special patch, but there is no particular point in this - Windows begins to behave unstable. I talked more about the limitations of 32-bit Windows in the article

64-bit Windows 7 allows you to work (not just display the number of installed memory, but also effectively use this volume) with 192 GB of memory, which is good. 64-bit Windows allows you to run 32-bit programs. At the same time, the 32-bit version cannot run 64-bit versions of programs. 64-bit programs will have a speed advantage over 32-bit versions due to more efficient calculations. Also, the x64 system is better protected from viruses (but an antivirus is still needed).

There is also the other side of the coin: 64-bit Windows and 64-bit programs take up a little (100-150 MB in total) more RAM due to the fact that the amount of data they work with increases. However, this difference is not always noticeable. The second problem is that some 32-bit programs do not run on a 64-bit system or crash with errors. Again, the number of incompatible programs is small enough to ignore this drawback.

My advice: if you install Windows 7 on personal computer with at least 2 GB of RAM, and plan to add more in the future - choose x64 version. In this case, one fine day you will go to the store, buy a memory card, insert it into your computer and continue to use the computer, rejoicing at the increased speed. The added RAM will be used, everything will be fine.

If the computer had 32-bit Windows, then there will be more hassle. To use more than 3.5 GB of RAM (otherwise why did you install more RAM?), you will need to completely install the 64-bit version, because you cannot simply update the system bit depth. You will have to delete everything, clean or format the hard drive, and then install Windows x64 from scratch. There is a good article about this Windows 7: Migration to 64-bit version. By the way, when purchasing licensed Windows The box will contain disks of both bit sizes - x86 and x64.

Useful information

To determine the bitness of your installed Windows, open Control Panel - System and Security(if you have categories disabled, this item will not appear, the next one will appear immediately) - System:

If you have a 64-bit operating system installed, it is easy to guess that the processor in your computer is 64-bit, because 64-bit Windows requires an appropriate processor. If you have 32-bit Windows installed and you doubt that your computer’s processor supports 64-bit (which is currently unlikely, unless your computer is more than 7 years old), you will have to use the free CPU-Z program - link. The program will show information about the processor:

The processor supports 64 bits if one of the following names is present in the Instructions line: EM64T, AMD64, Intel64.

About the Windows license and a useful trick

I won’t talk about the fact that piracy is bad, evil, etc. This has been discussed and is being discussed, writing about it again is a waste of time. It is more interesting to talk about what distinguishes “pirated” Windows from licensed ones. I will also share a useful trick regarding the trial period using Windows, which many novice users do not know about. This will allow you not to use “activators”, which will allow you to legally use Windows for a long time.

Technical support

It would seem, what is the difference between a disc for 300 rubles and that box over there for “a lot of money”? It is huge, but not everyone knows about it. Microsoft, unfortunately, is somehow modestly silent about the “goodies” of the license. The only proper description of the benefits of the license is on this page, where I want to especially highlight an important point:

“Oh, well, I can ask a programmer I know!” - skeptics will dismiss it. And they will be wrong. Microsoft technical support has an advantage over all “programmers”: people working in technical support have much more experience resolving problems with the system than anyone else. In the end, this is their job, their bread, and their knowledge is appropriate.

By the way, take a look at the page Troubleshooting problems in Windows 7 - a lot of useful things are written there. There are, unfortunately, some bad nuances. The first is related to the OEM license. If you bought a laptop or desktop computer with an OEM license (Windows, which comes with the computer), then the store that assembled your PC or the computer (laptop) manufacturer is obliged to provide you with technical support. That is, if Windows malfunctions on such a computer, go to the store where you bought the computer with an OEM license and demand that the problem be solved. Microsoft technical support can simply refer you to the same store or to the manufacturer. The second nuance is that technical support takes longer to solve problems than a knowledgeable person nearby. On the other hand, Microsoft employees will not give bad advice, but a familiar “programmer” may make a mistake.

Legal right to use

A Windows license legally secures your right to use this operating system on your computer - that is, no “checks” will be scary.

About Windows updates

In addition to legal subtleties and the right to contact normal technical support, and not run around the Internet looking for advice, there are a number of advantages associated with the reliability of Windows. The most important of them is related to updates for Windows and programs.

Antivirus is not able to cope with 100% of all threats - this is a fact. There are many ways to launch a virus without direct user interaction. For example, the Kido virus (description), which has infected more than 12 million computers as of January 2009, actively exploits the vulnerabilities of the Server service. If everything Windows users installed updates that cover these vulnerabilities, then epidemics of the above computer virus wouldn't have happened. Reality is a harsh thing, which is why the virus still lives on from users who have not enabled the update function.

IN pirated versions Windows function Updates are usually disabled, because Windows activation system updates come along with updates that cover security holes and fix problems with programs. As a result, a person using Windows activated by an illegal method (activator) will either have to forget about updates and expose his computer to attack, making it a potential breeding ground for infection (I repeat - antivirus in this case is not a solution to the problem!), or control the installation of updates by checking - Will the activator break after updating the protection? This is how computers that are infected with viruses appear - a novice user follows the recommendations for unlicensed activation, disables the update function, and then wonders: “I have an antivirus, why do I have viruses on my computer?!”

I won’t say anything about assemblies - they sometimes come with malicious programs (for example, the Zver assembly). So licensed Windows is more secure than pirated Windows. And this is not advertising, but a proven fact. To be fair, I would like to note that sometimes activation fails on licensed Windows. The reasons for this are not entirely clear. However, this happens less often than when using pirated activators. There is interesting information about Windows Update on Wikipedia - link. You will find the updater itself in the Control Panel and in the Start menu - All Programs.

I recommend in " Parameter settings» check if automatic updates are enabled:

Some drivers are also updated through Windows Update. While writing this article, the author just received new updates:

Free antivirus Microsoft Security Essentials.

It is available to all licensed Windows users; you can download it from here. The antivirus is pretty good. Clearly better than free Avast, which for some reason is very popular, despite its helplessness.

Windows trial period

The same trick I talked about earlier. If you don't have Windows licenses, but you agree with my arguments about the advantages of licensed software and, unfortunately, do not have the money to buy a license, you can do this: install Windows 7 and Not activate it. In this case, the countdown timer will work trial period, which is 30 days from installation Windows. The main thing is to install the edition of Windows that you want to buy in the future.

When you buy Windows, just open the “System” window - at the very bottom there will be an activation link. If you haven’t managed to find money in 30 days (let me remind you, Windows 7 Home Premium costs 4,290 rubles, which is not that much), then you can reset the trial period and use the 30-day trial period again. And so on up to three times. In total, you can use Windows for free without activation or reinstallation until 120 days! I think it is quite possible to collect the required amount during this time. Instructions for extending the trial period can be found here.

Installing Windows 7

Where can I get the Windows distribution?

Although Microsoft itself recommends installing Windows from the original licensed disk, the site allows installation from other sources, as long as the contents of the disk coincide with the original one. Disk images, supposedly 100% identical to those that come in beautiful boxes with licenses, are, for example, here - link. Naturally, there is no point in downloading the entire contents of a torrent distribution; you need to select a separate disk image. How to do this is written. How to burn a downloaded disk image to a DVD, written

If you don't want to burn a Windows installation disc, you can burn the installation to a USB flash drive. There are two for this good instructions: How to install Windows 7 from a flash drive using WinToFlash (easier) and Installing Windows 7 from a flash drive (more difficult). It doesn't matter which method you choose.

Installation process.

Now that we're done with the preparations, let's begin the installation. Read my article to configure your computer to boot from a disk or flash drive. If everything is configured correctly, when you turn on the computer, instead of Windows boot A black screen will appear with the line ""

Press any button and the installation will start (a loading indicator will appear). After which we see a window with language settings, where everything is already configured. Click " Next»:

The next window is interesting with the item “ System Restore" If you already have Windows Vista or 7 installed, which for some reason does not work, this item may help you. But at the moment we are installing Windows 7, so we click the " Install»:

Then select the Windows edition. Choose the one for which you have a license. If you install Windows on a laptop that already had Windows 7 pre-installed, there will be a sticker on the bottom of the laptop with the license key and edition information.

After selecting a publication from the list, click “ Next" In the next window you must accept the license agreement. For some reason I remembered an episode from the animated series “South Park”, where the main characters forgot to read the license agreement and it turned out that... Well, it doesn’t matter. We agree and click “ Next».

Next, we are given items to choose from Update(if the computer already had Windows) and Full installation . Windows XP cannot be upgraded to Windows 7, but Vista to 7 is quite possible - all settings and programs will be saved. Since I’m talking about a “clean installation from scratch,” click on the “Full installation” option:

The next window requires explanation - what and how. We are asked to partition the disk:

The disk can be divided into sections. Each partition will appear in the Computer window as a separate hard drive. The process is called "logical disk partitioning".

In the screenshot you can see that the disk of the computer where I install Windows 7 already has two partitions. Section 1 created Windows 7 for its needs (the bootloader is a kind of protection against those who like to delete files and against malware). This section is hidden and you will not see it in the “Computer” window. Its size is 100 MB, which is a trifle by modern standards. Section 2 contains already installed Windows 7, which I want to remove by installing a new Windows. In principle, you don’t have to delete the old Windows, then after installing Windows 7 on the disk C: there will be a folder Windows.old, where you will find the old operating system files. It will also contain a Users folder with documents, shortcuts and other files from the user of the former operating system.

Do not delete the Windows.old folder!!! More precisely, you can delete it, but only using the disk cleanup function. Instructions for correctly deleting the Windows.old folder are located It is also possible to restore Windows from this folder, but there is no guarantee of normal operation. Instructions In addition to everything, there may be other sections. For example, laptops have their own system Windows recovery, why on hidden section an image of an already installed and configured system is stored, which, if desired, can be “unpacked” instead of a buggy Windows. Whether to delete this section or not is up to you.

I recommend the simplest and most reliable way- format (clear the contents) of the Windows partition and install our Windows 7 there. To do this, click “ Disk setup", click on Section 2(if you had Windows XP or Vista, then this will be Partition 1, which has the type System) and press Format:

Hope you did it in advance backups all documents and files, because Drive C: will be cleared. The desktop is also the C: drive. Nuance: if you previously had Windows installed incorrectly, then Partition 1 may be drive D: or be designated by a different letter. Moreover, the system could be on a drive other than C:, then the confusion would be even greater. Pay attention to the partition sizes to format the partition you need. In case of any problems, the author of the article is not responsible! Don't forget to make backup copies of all important documents by saving them to a DVD, flash drive or another computer. After formatting, click " Next”and the installation itself will begin:

This stage can take up to half an hour. It is not necessary to sit and look at the monitor so as not to damage your eyes. After installation, the computer will reboot and the message “ Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…" - but you don’t need to press anything for the installation to continue from the hard drive. A username entry window will appear. Here I will share with you a very useful trick - enter the name only in English letters:

In the future, you can change the name through the Control Panel - User Accounts, writing it there in Russian letters. But at the first stage after installation Windows is better Just write the name in English so that games and programs do not “glitch”. Also write the computer name in English. Next, you can set a password for your account:

Here you can specify a password

This is not necessary. In the future you can set a password in Control Panels - User Accounts. After clicking Next, the next step is to activate Windows.

However, you can skip it and enter the key later, even after a month or six months - I talked about this in the chapter on licenses. In the next window, I strongly recommend clicking the largest button:

I hope you have unlimited internet, because the size of the files that Windows downloads after installation can total more than half a gigabyte. The fact is that after the release of Service Pack 1 (service packs are sets of updates), a fairly large number of updates have already been released. Naturally, they are not included in Service Pack 1 for Windows 7, because the first service pack for Windows 7 was released at the beginning of 2011. Next, it remains to set the time and time zone:

Installing drivers

I talked about such an important and mandatory step as installing drivers in - both operating systems are identical in terms of installing drivers, there is no point in duplicating the material.

Windows setup

What can and cannot be customized

Oddly enough, you can go into Windows settings. This is your computer, you need to customize it to suit you. Nothing bad will happen if you open it Control Panel and look at various items, change the wallpaper on the Desktop... This is allowed, this is what the Control Panel is for. But " tweaks» ( hidden settings), about which there are articles written on the Internet that copy each other, should not be done. Such settings will not increase speed, but glitches will definitely appear. Maybe not right away, but they will appear. All these registry edits, changing the startup type of Windows services, changing interrupt priorities and other settings with interesting words are just theoretically can increase computer performance. In practice there is only one harm, and the acceleration is noticeable due to the placebo effect.

Conclusion: Any settings not available in the Control Panel may be harmful. You can do whatever you want in Control Panel because it's your computer, just read the help first (to display help, click F1 on the keyboard - there is a lot of useful information written there). The “Administration” folder in the Control Panel contains the very thing that should not be touched, although there are also very useful “Event Viewer”, “ System Monitor" - This information components, allowing you to identify problems invisible to the eye in Windows.

Screen resolution

For beginners, it is often a problem to set the screen resolution correctly. Often, a novice user does not know what screen resolution is. However, it is important to know this and be able to configure it. Firstly, if the resolution is incorrect, the picture on the screen will be of incorrect proportions, and secondly, it will be cloudy.

You should protect your eyes, so you need to adjust the resolution: right-click on the Desktop and select “ Screen resolution" There the setting we need is located, and the most optimal resolution highlighted with the word “recommended”:

If such a word is not in the list, press F1 on the keyboard - help for the open window will appear. In our case, help for setting resolutions will open with a table of recommended screen resolutions different sizes. If the recommended resolution is set, but the image on the screen (or part of it) is still cloudy, look for the “ button on the monitor Auto" - almost all monitors have such a button and/or setting in the monitor menu that allows you to automatically adjust the image to maximum clarity at the correctly selected resolution. The monitor itself does not select the resolution; this will have to be done in Windows.

Mouse settings

Mouse arrow sensitivity is adjusted in Control Panel - Mouse - Pointer Options:

If the computer is expected to be used by a child or an elderly person, reduce the pointer speed so that they will be able to much easier aim the mouse at on-screen elements.

Setting the desktop wallpaper

Right-click on the Desktop - item Personalization- there you will find everything you need. If you have Windows 7 Home Basic or Starter, then you should know that the personalization settings there are limited, but there is a full-fledged replacement for the “Personalization” window - Personalization Panel for Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic.

Changing the keyboard shortcut for switching input language

I don’t know about you, but it’s inconvenient for me to switch the keyboard language from Russian to English and back using a keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift. I prefer Ctrl+Shift, because these buttons can be pressed with one finger, without looking. If you agree with me, then here is the recipe: to change the keyboard shortcut, go to Control Panel - Change keyboard layout and other input methods - Change keyboard - Switch keyboard - Change keyboard shortcut. Everything will be clear later.

1. Settings are not a goal, but a means to achieve comfort. Set up only what will ensure comfort not for the computer, but for you.

2. If you want to learn how to set up a network, restore Windows and simply gain knowledge, I advise you to look at the FAQ on laptops. Don't pay attention to the mention of laptops - Windows is installed the same everywhere, the principle is always the same.

Useful programs

After installing Windows and drivers, the computer will be ready for work, but only for what? Of course, you need to install programs. Which ones exactly - I can recommend several.

I don’t recommend installing dozens of programs just out of curiosity or “just in case,” because this is one of the reasons slow work computer. If you like to install “a lot of interesting programs”, say goodbye to stability and fast Windows operation. By the way, for optimization you can install one that can keep your PC “in good shape”:

a) clear browser caches to launch them quickly;

b) remove any debris from temporary folders to free up disk space;

c) do it automatically according to a schedule - install, configure, enjoy.

Other:

Browser- that's enough important program, because through it there is interaction with the Internet. There is a list of browsers with download links in . I recommend Google Chrome - it is more convenient than standard Internet Explorer.

Antivirus You can install it for free. About the most popular free antiviruses I told in the article

Office programs. If you do not have a license for Microsoft Office, you can try free LibreOffice - link. The capabilities of this free “Office” are quite enough for typing text, editing tables, and creating presentations. Externally, LibreOffice programs are similar to Microsoft Office 2003, so you can get used to it. Not so important, but it is recommended to install the components Microsoft Visual C++ and .NET Framework from the list - they are useful for the correct operation of many programs and especially games.

Bottom line

In this article I told almost everything about correct installation Windows for beginners. Some of the instructions - especially for installing drivers - are available in the form of links, because I have nothing to add on my own, and I don’t want to retell it.

If there are any problems during installation, check if you missed anything in the article? Did they do everything exactly as I wrote? 90% of problems are due to inattention, the rest is a problem with the technology itself. If any moment seems incomprehensible to you, read it again. Perhaps you missed something. Feel free to write your wishes and questions in the comments - based on your suggestions, I will edit the article so that it becomes more understandable.

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 BIOS, go to the “Boot” menu -> “ Boot Device Priority" 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 disc 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 and, accordingly, the previous one are formatted. Windows version 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 have almost managed to install Windows 7, there is 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, which needs to be saved in secret, then the password need not be specified.

In the next window you must enter serial number 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 minor settings, the desktop of the newly installed operating system will load in front of you:

That's it. 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.

Therefore, if you have doubts about your capabilities, discard them and start installing the operating system on your own and don’t be afraid of anything. And if you have any difficulties, ask in the comments.

Before you begin installation, you should familiarize yourself with the system Windows requirements 7. Briefly, they look like this (the requirements for 64-bit Windows 7 are indicated in brackets - it is worth choosing if your computer has more than 4 gigabytes of RAM):

• processor with a frequency of 1 gigahertz or higher;
• 1 gigabyte (2 gigabytes) of RAM;
• 16 gigabytes (20 gigabytes) of free hard drive space.

More details about system requirements are written on the Microsoft website. We do not recommend installing Windows 7 if your computer does not meet these requirements.

If you haven't purchased yet installation disk Windows 7, then before purchasing it it is advisable to decide which system functions you would like to use, and then select the required version of the system from the 4 existing ones - Home Basic, Home Advanced, Professional, and Ultimate (there is another version of Windows 7 - Starter , but we are not considering it, because this edition is supplied only with budget netbooks and is not sold separately).

As a rule, the version is sufficient for use at home and performing everyday tasks. Windows 7 Home Basic. Extended version includes the ability to create home group For sharing disks and . Windows 7 Professional will allow you to run applications in Windows mode XP. This is necessary to run applications that were released before Windows 7, such as accounting programs or older games. Maximum version of Windows 7 will allow you to encrypt data on your disk, and also provide the ability to switch the OS interface to any of the 35 available languages. You can view a comparison table of editions on this page.

Now, having understood the requirements and versions, you can begin directly installing Windows 7 on your computer.

Installing Windows 7

The most important thing, without which the system installation simply cannot begin, is to insert the system installation disk into the computer and select the “Boot from DVD” system boot option.

The system will automatically begin downloading the necessary installation files, after which you will be prompted to select an installation language. If the disk was purchased in Russia, then there should be no problems; our Great and Mighty language will be the default. After selecting the language, click “Next”. Sometimes you need to specify the language, but there is nothing complicated here:

We confirm the choice of the installed language, input method and local metrics:

Ready for installation!

The next window will prompt you to read the license agreement from Microsoft Corporation, after reading which you need to check the “I accept the license terms” checkbox and click the “Next” button again.

If you already have more than one installed on your computer early version system (Windows XP or Windows Vista), then you can simply upgrade the system to a more current version- Windows 7, but we still recommend that you install the system from scratch. In the window that appears, select “Full installation”.

In the next window there will be a very important section that should be treated with great responsibility - the choice of the partition on the hard drive where the system should be installed. Having selected the partition you need, you should continue with the installation.

If you bought a new computer, then you will not have a partition to select in the window that appears, since your hard drive will be unpartitioned. To create partitions for system installation, follow these instructions.

In the window that appears, click “Disk Settings”.

Now you can partition your disk by creating an additional partition on it. At the bottom of the window, you need to click the “Create” button, as a result of which 2 more buttons will appear - “Apply” and “Cancel”, and a field in which the maximum disk volume that can be allocated for the new partition will be indicated. If the hard disk capacity of your computer is more than 40 gigabytes (and it is probably larger), we recommend that you do not allocate all available space for the system, but only a small part of the disk - from 20 gigabytes and no more than 50% of the total disk volume (if you plan to install “heavy” programs such as Photoshop, 3Ds Max, AutoCAD, or modern computer games). It is better to leave the rest of the disk space for the data partition.

Having indicated the required disk capacity - in our case it is 20480 megabytes (this is exactly 20 gigabytes based on the calculation of 1024 megabytes = 1 gigabyte) - you need to click the "Apply" button. After this, a window will appear with information that an additional partition will be created for boot files. Windows files, so you just need to agree with the proposal and click “OK”.

A new partition on the hard drive has been created, you can now select it for further installation by clicking “Next”.

At this stage, you can also create a separate partition for data (a second local disk, most often - Local disk D); it is created according to the same scheme as the partition for Windows, even simpler, because The volume of the partition can no longer be changed, leaving all the remaining free space for it.

A partition can also be created after installing Windows 7. We will tell you how to do this in the next article.

After selecting a section

During the installation process, the computer will reboot several times; we recommend that you do not interfere with the reboot and do not in any way interfere with the system doing all the necessary processes automatically.

True, without any damage, you can send the computer to the first reboot with the appropriate button, thereby saving 10 seconds :-).

If you encounter any problems during the installation of Windows 7, such as your computer freezing or an error appearing, it is best to contact a qualified professional. You shouldn’t try to fix “something I don’t know what”, we recommend.

Completing the installation

In the next window you need to enter your username. The computer name will be assigned automatically by the system based on the username, but it can easily be changed to any other. After entering the names, as always, click “Next”.

The next window that will appear during the system installation process is the selection of a password for the user account. We recommend that you give this issue due attention. If the computer will only be used at home, and all family members will have access to it, then you can safely not set this password. But if there is a need to keep access to the computer secure and limit access to it by unwanted people, a password must be set. Moreover, the password must meet all security requirements and contain a set of different characters. Example of a secure password: $woP65ger2. Please note that when specifying a password, you must enter a hint in case you accidentally forget the password. The hint, as planned by the authors, should remind you of the password.

The next window is to enter the activation key. This key in the form of a sticker is either on the disc or on the disc box. Enter it and click “Next”. If you are using demo version, then you don’t need to enter anything, uncheck the “Automatic activation” box and click “Next”:

Now the installation process has approached the system security settings. Security in this case involves the frequency of system updates and your decision whether to update the system or not. It is appropriate to mention here that in Windows 7, all PC users were in for a pleasant surprise - finally, after installing the system, there is no need to look for drivers for each of the computer devices. Now most of the necessary Windows devices determines itself, freeing you from the tedious search for drivers on the Internet. In addition, the system itself will monitor the timely release of new driver versions and, with your permission, install them. Naturally, the security of the entire system will also be updated.

To summarize, if you need a complete and convenient work with Windows 7, you should select "Use recommended settings".

But in this case, you should not lose sight of an important point: sometimes updates can reach several hundred megabytes in just one day, which is extremely undesirable for users who have a weak or unstable Internet connection. In this case, it is better to click on “Delay decision”.

Having selected the required item, we continue to move on.

The next window prompts you to select the time zone of the PC owner. As usual, the system itself will determine the owner’s time zone, so - “Next” and move on to the next item.

The next point is choosing a firewall. A firewall is a reliable tool to protect your network connections. This program will be your personal security guard on the network, protecting your computer from possible attacks by pests and evil hackers.

If your PC is a home workstation, simply select " Home network" The setup will be completely automatic, and all you have to do is wait a bit for the process to complete.

And now an exciting moment awaits you - the first launch of Windows 7 on your computer!

Congratulations! You did a great job. The system is completely installed on your computer, and you can start customizing it for yourself. We wish you good luck in the operating room. Windows system 7.

You can read about how to create an additional disk using unallocated hard disk space.