Installing a second Windows on another partition or disk from a running first Windows using the WinNTSetup program. How to start a Windows system via BIOS from an installation disk Mounting an ISO image of a Windows distribution

Hello, dear site visitors website! Have you decided to reinstall Windows 7 on your laptop or computer? Our detailed instructions for reinstalling Windows 7 should come in handy. It is designed for any level of user, even for dummies. What is correct translation Windows installation 7 ?

Some people want to know how much it costs to reinstall Windows 7. You can do the reinstallation yourself for free using our instructions. To reinstall Windows 7 quickly and without consequences for important information, you need to prepare data and HDD to install a new system. Let's do the entire Windows 7 reinstallation step by step together. Let's start with the old operating system that is installed on your laptop or computer now.

Preparing to reinstall Windows 7

Our instructions are universal and suitable for laptops ASUS, Acer, Compaq, DELL, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, as well as other manufacturers and desktop computers. In the article about that, we already told you that before you start reinstalling any operating system Windows system, you need to prepare first. What does this mean, how to properly reinstall Windows 7?

Any complete reinstallation of Windows 7 on a laptop, netbook or computer should begin by saving important information to another separate media. For example, on a flash drive or external hard disk. Surely you have important information that you need to save to avoid its loss.

Here you need to proceed from what OS is installed on the computer now. For example, if you want to reinstall XP on Windows 7, then you may need to look for your information in other places than in Windows 7. In any case, double check all possible logical drives, all folders. The most common places where most users store information are:

1. Desktop.
2. My Documents folder
3. Drive "C:"

Of course, tell me everything important places We cannot store information on your laptop or computer. But we advise you to double-check everything, since our goal is to reinstall Windows 7 on a clean, formatted logical drive. Why do we recommend reinstalling Windows 7 on clean media?

Firstly, many users acquired several viruses during the operation of the old system. Even if you don’t know about it, the likelihood that there is a file somewhere infected with a virus is quite high. By the way, many people decide to completely reinstall Windows 7, precisely because of viruses. This is a last resort, you can always try or try.

Secondly, installing Windows 7 on an unformatted logical drive will only add to problems in the future. After all, all the programs that will still have to be reinstalled will remain on it, as well as the folder with old Windows.

Selecting Windows 7 version

Before we begin to describe the installation of the new OS, a few words about the distribution of your Windows 7. This OS, like the previous Vista and subsequent generations, has two branches: 32-bit and 64-bit. The 32-bit version of the system does not allow the use of more than four gigabytes random access memory. This is due to the peculiarity of the architecture. How to reinstall licensed Windows 7? There are several versions of the operating system:

• Windows 7 Starter. This Windows version 7 can hardly be called a full-fledged OS. Almost all functions in it are blocked by Microsoft. Windows Starter was installed on some laptops. The maximum possible amount of RAM that this 32-bit can use Windows version, is equal to 2 gigabytes.
• Windows 7 Home Basic. It has a very limited set of functions. Also distributed as an OEM version with laptops. Maximum volume memory - 8 gigabytes.
• Windows 7 Home Premium. Suitable for most users, allows you to use most of the necessary functions.
• Windows 7 Professional. Almost complete set of functions.
• Windows 7 Enterprise (Corporate) and Windows 7 Ultimate . Top versions, one of which is intended for business and the other for home use. Everything is described in more detail in the table.

Function / Edition	Initial\Starter	Home Basic	Home Extended \ Home Premium	Professional	Corporate\Enterprise	Maximum\Ultimate
	Sale only under OEM licenses	Retail sales and OEM licenses (only in emerging markets and Russian)		Retail sales, OEM and corporate licenses	Sold only under corporate licenses	Retail sales and OEM licenses
End of support	14.01.2020	14.01.2020	14.01.2020	14.01.2020	14.01.2020	14.01.2020
Availability of 64-bit version	-	Template:Yes (only under OEM license)	+	+	+	+
Maximum RAM size for 64-bit versions	2 GB (for 32-bit version)	8 GB	16 GB	192 GB	192 GB	192 GB
Center Windows recovery 7	No domain support	No domain support	No domain support	+	+	+
Home Group feature (create and join a group)	Join only	Join only	+	+	+	+
Windows Aero interface	-	Basic theme only	+	+	+	+
Multiple monitor support	-	+	+	+	+	+
Quickly switch between users	-	+	+	+	+	+
Possibility of change background picture desktop	-	+	+	+	+	+
Desktop Manager	-	No WinFlip 3D support	+	+	+	+
Windows Mobility Center	-	+	+	+	+	+
Multitouch and improved handwriting recognition+	-	-	+	+	+	+
Windows Media Center	-	-	+	+	+	+
Additional games	-	-	+	Disabled by default	Disabled by default	+
Windows XP Emulator	-	-	-	+	+	+
EFS (data encryption system)	-	-	-	+	+	+
Printing based on location information	-	-	-	+	+	+
Ability to act as a remote desktop host	-	-	-	+	+	+
Connecting to a domain	-	-	-	+	+	+
Possibility of downgrading to Vista or XP	-	-	-	+	+	+
Support for multiple physical processors	-	-	-	+	+	+
AppLocker	-	-	-	-	+	+
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go	-	-	-	-	+	+
Branch Cache	-	-	-	-	+	+
DirectAccess	-	-	-	-	+	+
Multilingual user environment+	-	-	-	-	+	+
Booting from VHD (image file Microsoft Virtual PC)	-	-	-	-	+	+
Launching snap-ins	-	-	-	+	+	+

We also do not recommend using non-original assemblies, of which there are plenty on the Internet. This is especially true for laptop owners. The fact is that such assemblies may contain errors disabled Windows services 7, and just surprises in the form malware. Now, seven is not so expensive, and you can buy Windows 7 by becoming a license holder.

Reinstalling Windows 7 from a USB flash drive

To reinstall Windows 7 from a flash drive, you need to have on hand one of the versions presented in the table above (the main thing is not Starter). DVD drives are not widely used today. Instead, they were replaced by flash drives. Reinstalling Windows 7 from a flash drive, without a disk, is more convenient. You can always take a USB flash drive with you without worrying whether your computer has a DVD drive or not. In addition, not all laptops are equipped with drives.

To do bootable USB flash drive with Windows 7, just write down ISO image your new system special program. We described the process of creating a flash drive with Win 7 in detail in the article ““. Program for Windows reinstallation 7 mentioned in the article should help. We hope there will be no difficulties.

After you burn the image to a flash drive and save important data, you can begin reinstalling Windows 7. Reinstalling Windows 7 via BIOS is not as complicated a procedure as it might seem at first glance. To do this, you need to reboot and then . Next, exit the BIOS, saving the settings. The computer will select the drive and begin installing Windows 7.

How to reinstall Windows 7

Let's proceed with the step-by-step reinstallation and find out how to reinstall the Windows 7 system. After downloading the installer, we find ourselves in the system step-by-step installation. In the first step, select the language, time format and keyboard settings, here you can leave everything as default and click the “Next” button.

At the next stage, we begin installing Windows 7 by clicking the coveted button.

Select the version of Windows 7 for which you have a license key.

We accept the license agreement by checking the box and moving on to the next step.

At this stage you need to select the item “ Full installation", because, as we said earlier, it is better to install Windows 7 from scratch.

Next, we get to the important stage of installing Windows 7. Here you need to select the partition on which the new operating system will be installed. Remember we asked you to save all important information? It's time to format the logical drive with old Windows. To do this, let's move on to the next installation stage.

Select the desired hard drive partition and click on “Format”. This is reinstalling Windows 7 with formatting the logical drive.

If you have saved all important data, feel free to agree. If not, then there is still an opportunity to do this by restarting the computer and specifying the hard drive in the BIOS.

Our disk for almost reinstalled Windows 7 has been created. Those who need to increase or decrease its volume can use the “Expand” button.

After a short installation, the installer will ask you to enter your name or nickname, as well as name your laptop or computer.

At the next stage of reinstallation, you need to enter a password. You don’t have to do this if only you use the laptop or computer, and a stranger cannot access it.

Long-awaited input serial number a licensed copy of Windows 7. Do you have it?

In the next reinstallation step, you will be prompted to install built-in Windows protection. This is, of course, not a full-fledged antivirus, but it will save you from some types of attacks. True, a firewall can become a problem when connecting a laptop or computer to the network. Therefore, the ideal option would be to install a third-party antivirus and disable Windows 7 protection after that.

The last stage of reinstalling Windows 7. If your computer or laptop is at home, then choose home network. For most users, this is the network configuration option needed in Windows 7.

After selecting the network type, Windows 7 will finally boot.

We hope our instructions on how to properly reinstall Windows 7 on a laptop or computer helped. The next step in reinstalling Windows 7 will be installing drivers. You can start.

• Vladimir

• Pauline

• Askario

• Sergey

• Alexander

  Hello. Please tell me, installed it on DELL laptop Inspiron_5521 system WIN 7 maximum 32-row, installed all the drivers, I want to download updates, but the computer tells me that “the service is not configured, you will need to restart the computer” (something like that, that’s the meaning)… I’m ready with this laptop and system I’m already banging my head against the wall, for how many years I’ve been upgrading the system at home, everything was fine, calmly on previous beeches (Asus and Lenovo) I installed the system, everything worked, but here I’m banging my head against the wall, first one, then the second, then the third. Please help me with any advice, I’m already giving up!!!

• Robert

• Ildar

• Sasha

• Lerka

• Vladimir

  Hello. So I still don’t understand: is it worth reinstalling Win 7 Starter with formatting the disk, or is it better not to, due to possible undesirable consequences from this? Recently, problems with the operation of the OS have become more frequent, especially when loading it: programs slow down and freeze; It happens that sometimes even the task manager cannot be launched using “hot keys”. I regularly defragment the disk and registry; checking for errors; antivirus, etc. using standard tools and third party utilities. I constantly monitor the status of the HDD and RAM (there is enough RAM, the size of the paging file is set correctly), so I came to the conclusion that I probably need to reinstall the OS.

• Andryukha

• Tim

• Maksim

• Smart-Tronics

  Before installation, rewrite the connection settings (if any) that are responsible for the Internet ( right click by connection > properties > TCP/IP v4 protocol). The driver for the network card and other drivers must be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

• Foster

  There is a disk with licensed Windows 7 (64 bits). First I installed it. Then they switched me to 32-bit. Now I want 64 again. Is it possible to reinstall (there is a key, Windows license)?

• Dilyara

  I wanted to reinstall XP on Win7. Copying and unpacking go without problems, then, after rebooting, the computer does not start. When I turned on the computer using the previous version, the message “IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO INSTALL THIS VERSION” appeared. And why? What to do in this case?

• Olka

• Julia

  Hello! My laptop with Starter is asking for activation. I found a 25-character key on the back cover of the laptop, I enter it, but it says it’s the wrong one. What to do? Doesn’t it change, is it always the same, or does it have some kind of expiration date?

• Julia

  Hello. Help me solve this problem. At one point, when loading Windows, a black screen with a cursor in the center appeared, after trying to load the last known good configuration, troubleshooting, restoring startup, and finally restoring the system, in which the system successfully returned to the rollback point, the black screen did not disappear. The last option left is reinstallation. It would be easy to do everything according to your instructions if I had the opportunity to copy everything that will be erased during reinstallation, but as you understand, I can’t do this anymore, but I would really like to... What to do, I assume that I can’t do it on my own

• Vladmir

  For a week, “bad” pictures popped up on the laptop screen. Then a message appeared that Microsoft had blocked Windows 7. How to unblock it? Need to work.

• Simpler

• Natalia

  I didn’t understand anything at all! I had 7 basic. I gave it to the “master” to clean and he cleaned it!!! I reinstalled it to maximum, now not a single file opens! I suspect that there are no files left, but only shortcuts!! All paid programs and courses - bye bye!!! I have a basic home disk and read all your articles, but unfortunately I didn’t understand!!! To install the basic one from disk, do I need to delete the maximum one? And if I have a disk, are the drivers there too? In general, I’m a sucker... I don’t understand anything!!!

• Alexei

  I have the following question: I restore it through Windows setup (ems enabled), but it reaches 61% and a red error message appears. Tell me how to fix it? Or the laptop in the trash(((

• Victor Hertz

  After restoring the system, the laptop stopped turning on. Turns on, turns off after 5 seconds. Doesn't respond to any key. Turn off only by unplugging the plug from the socket. When trying to reinstall the system, it is impossible to enter the BIOS. Keyboard combinations don't work... ASUS laptop F5N.

• Dmitriy

  Hello!! I wanted to ask you, I have a license disk with Windows 7 (with a key). I installed it once, can I now reinstall it again on the same computer?

• Artyom

  Reinstalled Windows from Home Basic to Ultimate. Can't connect to the internet, it's everywhere in device manager exclamation marks. The laptop does not come with drivers. What to do? Laptop model: SAMSUNG NR300V5A-S0JRU.

• Michael

  Hello! I was tired of searching the Internet for an answer to one question... I installed unlicensed Windows, but now I bought a disc with a license and want to reinstall it, but with formatting from the disc. I did everything step by step, hundreds of times, but nothing changes. The fact is that when installing Windows, I don’t have the “format disk” function... I pressed different buttons, right-clicked, etc. I don’t have this “format” section! (see Fig. 6, 7, 8, 9) There is only update and download. How can I find this section or add it? Thank you in advance!

• Stanislav

• Elena

  Good afternoon. Please tell me. When using Explorer, the computer freezes and a blue screen with white letters appears. And then an automatic reboot occurs. Is this a virus? I want to reinstall Windows, once upon a time we handed over the laptop under warranty and we were told that we had Windous recorded on the hard drive or somewhere else, that to reinstall it we needed to press some F. Tell me which one and at what moment?

• Alex

  Hello! I had the following problem: a week ago the desktop turned black, and information came out that my Windows was not licensed. They asked me to enter the key, I took it from the back of the Asus but did not accept it. Initially, apparently, there was a Wind Starter, because there is a sticker about it on the laptop. Now since 2009 it has been at Maximum. Everything was “ok” before, and suddenly... Please advise what to do. Thank you

• Nikolay

  Hello, I have this problem, I don’t have Windows xp sp3 on my computer, everything worked fine, but today my desktop and computer files won’t open and the screen is blinking, what should I do?

• Artem

• Pasha

• Seva

• Ivan

  Hello! I have this problem, when I boot a computer (stationary) from a disk with an OS that is not licensed, the computer does not boot, it “thinks” for about a minute and a half and freezes, the CPU completely stops

• Ivan

• website

  Please clarify, the computer freezes when writing another image to new disk? Download the image from trusted trackers (rutor.org, rutracker.org), try burning through another program, for example AstroBurn (free, can be downloaded from the site), if it also freezes, burn the image from friends or take the installation disk from them.

• Ivan

  The computer freezes when trying to reinstall the OS, both with self-recorded images, and when trying to reinstall from a purchased disk. When reinstalling, the computer needs to be rebooted (several times). You know this yourself, so when you reboot for the first time, it freezes, I hold the OFF button. and upon startup appear for 1-2 seconds. inscriptions: “Previous version of Win” and “Installing Win” it automatically starts the reinstallation, an empty desktop appears and an inscription in English. and it goes to reboot again, and this can continue indefinitely, you need to have time to switch to the “previous Win” in order to launch what’s on this moment and it works i.e. Windows XP

• Oleg

  Hello. I have a question, we bought an ASUS with Win 7 and reinstalled XP - Is it possible now to restore Win 7 without a disk and a flash drive (they are not there), but there are stickers on the laptop with numbers and a key code?

• Alexei

• Bob-Dj90

• Nata

  Hello! The OS will not start - there is a blue screen and it tries to fix errors, but it doesn’t work. There is no restore point. Do I need to reinstall the OS or can I fix it somehow? Laptop HP pavilion dw6 WIN7x64, Bios v3.5, OS backup on drive D, I didn’t find it in the list in the BIOS. How can I reinstall the OS from drive D? Thank you.

• SMARTRONIX

  There are two options
  1.Remove the hard drive from the laptop, connect it to the computer and copy the necessary information.
  2.Burn a recovery disc (LiveCD or equivalent), boot from this disc (something similar to an operating system with a desktop will boot) and copy what you want.

• rat

• Vyacheslav

  There are 640 mg left on the 32GB C drive. I free up some memory by deleting programs, cleaning the disk, but the memory is still gradually decreasing. Please advise what to do?

• Ahmed

  Hello. I have the same problem. About 3-4 months ago my Windows crashed due to Blue screen This happened because the laptop froze in games and even in browsers. I decided to take the desperate step of reinstalling Windows, but at the “Start Installation” stage the whole laptop freezes, tell me what to do?

• Ahmed

• SMARTRONIX

• Azat

  Hello. I reinstalled the laptop on Win 7 and stuck it with 54, and then I stopped seeing the video card... I’m downloading firewood, it doesn’t want to install it, it says there is no such equipment!? What should I do, can you tell me?

• Azate

• DELERIUM

• Eugene

• Dmitriy

  Problem with the bootable flash drive. I decided to reinstall 7 using a flash drive. I created a bootable USB flash drive and set it to read in Bios according to the instructions. I restart the computer and I get the message: NTLDR is missing Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart. Tell me what to do? Is this possible because the installed 7 is damaged, it lacks system files?

• store

  How to reinstall Windows? There is a section on the hard drive called q Microsoft Office click to ran . They said through the BIOS you can do something like this
  In the store, when purchasing, they said that there is a section on the hard drive with Windows and you can reinstall it. In the BIOS, you can boot only from an HDD or DVD drive

• Riza

  How can I reinstall Windows completely! Exactly so that everything that was deleted and everything new is installed without saving old files! Because today I installed Windows, when I boot, I get two options! I don’t need them, I need a completely clean new installation)))) please

• Yuri

• Vlad

  Please tell me when reinstalling VidS 8 to Vids 7, do I need to make settings in the BIOS? It’s just that I haven’t had anything to do since 8. For example, I reinstalled my laptop Windows 7 to 7 without even going into the BIOS, I just inserted the disk into my work computer and immediately started working with reinstalling Windows. Is it possible to do the same with Vids 8?

• Tanya

• Vyacheslav

• Ilya

• Sergey

  Hello. I want to reinstall win 7, when formatting drive C I want to enlarge this partition, will it affect the information on drive D??? Does Windows choose the size of the paging file itself, which one is needed, or is it set somewhere?

• Vidok

• skiff

• skiff

  I found the item, go to the “Boot” tab but select “ Boot Device Priority”: I’m already in it and below it there are 3 lines and the one I need is not there (This item sets the general boot priority. Set “Hard Drive” and return to the menu to another one - “Hard Disk Drives.”) there are 3 other lines I have a screenshot that I can send. Help

• OrBit

  I have already tried 2 antiviruses but the problem still remains, when scanning the antivirus finds a threat and when I try to remove or fix this threat the antivirus simply stops responding

• Daniel

  I made a bootable USB flash drive. I set the BIOS to boot from it, but after the installation starts, the system displays a frame with the text: “The required driver for the disk drive was not found.” optical disks"Next he suggests finding this firewood on a computer disk or flash drive. The firewood is on the CD (it was included with the laptop) and on the C drive. But the system does not recognize them. I tried to start the download on an already loaded “old” system - everything goes as in your pictures. Is it possible to start installing the system in this way? Boot windows, insert a flash drive and run the bootloader? In my case, there is no other way - after clicking “Install” everything stops at the absence of drivers.

• Sergiy

• sema

  Hello, I'm reinstalling Windows 7 on my laptop. acer aspire 5560g. Windows took a ready-made assembly from a torrent. After installation, more than one driver on the laptop does not work.
  I tried to download the drivers from the official website, but after installation there was no change.
  I am an experienced user and have reinstalled the computer many times, but I cannot find a solution to this problem.
  The fact is that I play on a laptop, and all the factory programs are hogging resources. So I want to install a new seven and adjust it to suit myself.

• Nikolai

  Hello! I have a problem with reinstalling windows 7 maximum. I recorded the image on a flash drive as you indicated above with using Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool, but when in the BIOS I set priority to the flash drive, the laptop does not load the flash drive, but just a black screen appears and the underscore blinks in the upper left corner of the screen. Please tell me what can be done. The flash drive works fine, Lenovo G580 laptop.

• Nikolai

  I had a problem installing Windows 7 from a flash drive. After the stage where she goes Windows installation, a window should pop up to enter the computer name, but instead my laptop reboots and starts the installation from scratch. Tell me what to do?

• Nikita

  after reassembling the computer when connecting the Internet cable to the CPU and op. The memory load is terrible and it is almost impossible to work on the computer. without internet everything is fine. Will reinstalling Windows help?

• [email protected]

• Sanya

  Hello! The problem is big - I used 3 computers - the RAM turned off on the first due to viruses, on the second the processor overheated and the heatsink fell off - also from viruses, on the third I am writing a laptop, when working with the office for simple operations, Windows 7 x64 max. shows an error - the dean from the academy was already interested in this; after reviewing the laptop, he returned it the same. Most likely, they were interested in what was on the disks! But I didn’t transfer the information from the 3rd one to the laptop. I can’t set up the system - 4 disks, 2 DVDs - Roma, with 8 TB it can hardly see up to two terabytes, but this is enough, should I change 32bit to 64bit or not?

We use the easiest way to download - using the “Boot Menu”. To call the “Boot Menu” on different motherboards and laptops, the “F8”, “F9”, “F10”, “F11”, “F12” or “Esc” keys can be used. Often this key is indicated in the prompts that appear when you turn on the computer.

Immediately after turning on the computer, press and hold the “Boot Menu” key until the boot device selection menu appears.

Use the down and up arrows to navigate to the DVD drive or flash drive and press Enter.
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb

If the call key is not indicated in the prompts on initial stage boot the computer, you can find out this information from the instructions on the manufacturer’s website motherboard or laptop, searching on the Internet or at random.

The first thing you should see after the BIOS messages is a line like “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...” or “Press any key to boot from USB...” (“Press any button to boot from USB...”) if you are booting from a flash drive.

When you see this message, you should press any key on your keyboard within a few seconds, I usually press Spacebar. If you miss this moment, the Windows installation will not begin and you will have to restart the computer again from the old operating system using the “Ctrl-Alt-Del” key combination or the “Reset” button on the system unit.

Please note that during the installation process Windows computer reboots several times and each time such a message may appear, but pressing “any key” on the keyboard is no longer NECESSARY, otherwise you just repeatedly reinstall Windows from the beginning and you will never finish it!

Sometimes a message like the one in the screenshot below may also appear.

In this case, you just need to press the “Enter” key on your keyboard. And by switching with the “Tab” key to the “Windows Memory Diagnostic” item, you can check the computer’s RAM for serviceability.

Wait for the blue “Install Windows” window to appear.

Installing Windows 7 begins with choosing languages.

3.1. Language selection

At this stage you are asked to select languages.

“Installed language” is the language in which all messages will be displayed in the operating system. If the version of Windows is multilingual, then you will have a choice. Most editions of Windows have only one operating system language and it is advisable that you understand it well.

“Time and Currency Format” – defines the names of months, days of the week, main currency, digital separators accepted in your country (period or comma), etc. What does it mean? Well, for example, if you select “Ukrainian”, then in programs for typing and tables, days of the week, months and monetary units will be automatically entered in Ukrainian, regardless of the language of the entire document. Therefore, choosing a national format only makes sense if the majority of your documents will be in the national language. However, this can be easily changed in Windows at any time.

"Keyboard Layout" is just the default input language that will be used when Windows startup and all programs. It makes sense to install the one on which you communicate and write. If you will use the computer primarily for programming, it may be more convenient to select the “US” (English) layout. After installing Windows, you can add and set any language as default.

For Russian-speaking residents of the CIS, I recommend leaving “Russian” everywhere, since when installing some programs that have a multilingual interface, they may not be in Russian, but in the language that you specified in one of the fields when installing the system.

To continue the installation, click the “Next” button.

3.2. Starting the installation

In the next window, click the “Install” button under the “Windows 7” logo.

3.3. License agreement

Check the box “I accept the license terms” and click “Next”.

4. Windows 7 installation type

We offer two types of installation.

“Update” – allows you to update previous version Windows (Vista) on new Windows 7 with saving files, programs and settings. Windows XP cannot be updated this way. In any case, I do not recommend using this installation method, since it inherits the problems of the previous operating system and it is likely that the computer will slow down and malfunction.

“Full installation” - installing a new copy of Windows on a new or existing hard section disk. When installed on new computer partitions are created on the hard drive, and when installed on old computer partitions are either deleted and recreated, or a partition is selected that has enough space for installation. With this type of installation, you can also install Windows 7 as a second operating system, for example, alongside your existing Windows XP. In this case, when you turn on the computer, you will be asked which operating system you want to load.

We select “Full installation” and a window for selecting a disk for installing Windows 7 will open in front of us.

5. Disk configuration

Disk configuration is the process of creating, deleting, formatting hard disk partitions for installing Windows on it.

5.1. Disk configuration on an old computer

If you are reinstalling Windows on an old computer, then it already has one (“C”) or several partitions (“C”, “D”…). I hope you haven't forgotten from drive "C" to external drive, since during the Windows reinstallation process the “C” drive will be cleared.
Hard drive Transcend StoreJet 25M TS500GSJ25M 500 GB

If your disk has only one partition, then it is better to delete it and create two new ones - one of small size for the operating system and programs, the second for all the remaining space for your files. This disk configuration will be more convenient and reliable in terms of backing up and restoring the operating system and your files.

If your disk has several partitions, then the first one, on which Windows is installed, can be deleted and a new one created in its place, and the second one with your files can be left as is.

5.2. Disk configuration on a new computer

When installed on a new computer, your disk is completely empty and has no partitions. The best option would be to create two partitions - one of small size for the operating system and programs, the second for all the remaining space for your files. This disk configuration will be more convenient and reliable in terms of backup and recovery of the operating system and your files.

5.3. Dual drive configuration

If you have two hard drives, or one SSD and one regular drive, then it is advisable to create one partition on each of them and install Windows 7 on the one that is faster (SSD) or smaller in volume, and the second one is completely dedicated to storing your files .

If both disks are large, then you can create two partitions on the first one - one small for the system, one for storing your files. On the second disk, you can create a partition for the entire volume and use it to install programs and games, or you can also create two partitions - the first for programs and games, the second for files. This configuration will provide maximum speed loading programs and games, since Windows and the page file will be on one disk, and programs and games on another.

6. Disk setup for Windows 7

The screenshot below shows a computer with a 500 GB disk.

Don't be surprised that the real size is 465.7 GB. Manufacturers round up sizes hard drives to a larger round number. A table with actual hard drive sizes can be downloaded at the end of the article in the “” section.

SSD drive It’s better not to divide it into several partitions, but to give it entirely to the “C” drive for installing Windows, programs and games. Then you will get unrivaled computer speed!

Hard drive A-Data Ultimate SU650 120GB

Click on “Disk Setup” and additional buttons will appear.

The optimal size of the system partition is 10-20% of the total hard drive volume. For Windows 7, I recommend a partition size of at least 40 and no more than 200 GB.

I usually take 10% of the declared disk capacity, that is, 50 GB from a 500 GB disk and 100 GB from a 1000 GB disk. Since this is enough to install basic programs, it is better to install games on the second partition along with other files, since they take up a large amount of space and make it difficult to backup and system recovery, which we'll talk about later.

But if you like to experiment and plan to install a lot of serious programs and games, then it is better to make the system partition larger, about 20% of the disk capacity or 100-200 GB in physical terms. Since some of the data still ends up on the system partition and in the future there may be a lack of space on it.

Let's make everything sure, create a system partition of 100 GB in size. To do this, click the “Create” button and enter the size in megabytes.

Please note that 1 GB = 1024 MB. In addition, Windows 7 takes 100 MB of this volume to create a hidden boot partition.

I like everything to be beautiful and the system to display a 100 GB disk, not 97.6 GB, so I calculate the volume in megabytes as follows:

100 GB x 1024 + 100 MB = 102,500 MB

This number must be entered in the “Size” field and click the “Apply” button.

Here is the result of the performed operation.

As you can see, two sections have been created. “Partition 1”, only 100 MB in size, is used for the operating system bootloader and we will not see it in Windows. “Partition 2” has a size of exactly 100 GB and we will install Windows 7 on it.

There is still “Unallocated space…” with a volume of 365.6 GB, on which we will create another partition for storing user files.

By default, all remaining space is allocated for it. It can be divided into several more sections if you know what you need it for. But we will leave everything as it is by simply clicking the “Apply” button.

As a result, we get “Section 3”, which took up all the remaining space. Now you need to click the “Format” button and confirm this action.

You can create this partition after installing Windows, but you will have to perform more steps and possibly change the drive letters. We will also consider this option after installing Windows.

7. Nuances of marking and large-volume disks

A 100 MB hidden boot partition is created when a new partition is created. If you install Windows 7 on an existing partition, the bootloader files will be located on it and a separate partition will not be created.

This configuration will occur if the Windows 7 installer partitions the disk in old system MBR. If Windows Installer partitions the disk in new system GPT, then several service partitions can be created.

MBR is an older partition type that supports disks up to 2 TB. GPT is a new type of partition that supports disks larger than 2 TB and requires support from the motherboard.

There are usually fewer problems with disks marked in MBR, but this is not essential. If you install Windows 7 on a disk with a capacity of 3 TB or more, then you need it to have GPT partitioning, otherwise not all of its capacity (about 2.3 TB) will be used.

The problem is that the Windows 7 installer does not always partition large drives in GPT partitioning, even with support from the motherboard. In this case, check that BIOS settings of your motherboard or laptop in the “Boot” section, UEFI boot devices are prioritized.

In modern graphical interface the motherboard's "Setup" program it may look like this.

Write this folder onto a USB flash drive and insert it before turning on the computer to install Windows. In this case, the Windows 7 distribution can be located either on the installation DVD or on this flash drive.

When you reach the hard drive selection window, in which it is not displayed, click on the “Download” button and specify the location of the driver files (folder on the flash drive).

If the driver is suitable, the installer should detect your hard drive and it will appear in the window for selecting a disk for installation. After this, you can create partitions on the disk and install Windows on them.

9. Copying and unpacking files

Now select “Partition 2” of 100 GB in size, on which we install Windows 7 and click “Next”.

Copying and unpacking of files begins, which will take some time.

Sometimes this process may stop at 0% or any other place for a while, and then quickly end. Please be patient and do not touch your computer. You may need to wait 15-30 minutes. If after 30 minutes of waiting nothing happens, then most likely the computer has frozen or the installation disk is hard to read. You'll have to start all over again and if it freezes again, perhaps replace the installation disk. The problem may also be caused by problems with work hard disk, RAM or motherboard.

After copying and unpacking the files, the computer will restart several times and the installation process will continue, requiring user interaction.

Let me remind you that when the message “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD...” appears, there is NO NEED to press anything.

10. Configuring Windows 7 settings

Setting up Windows 7 settings begins with entering your username.

10.1. Entering your username and computer

In the next window, you need to enter the name of the main user, who will be the computer administrator, and the name of the computer on the network.

I recommend entering the name in English letters without spaces, since the user profile folder will have the same name, into which program and game settings can be saved. And some, even modern, programs and games cannot save files to folders with Russian names.

Names may have capital letters and numbers, and switching the input language is done using the “Alt-Shift” key combination.

As for the computer name, my recommendations are the same, but you can use a hyphen (minus sign) in the name. For example, for the main home computer, you can name it PC-1, PK-1 or Home-1, for a second computer - PC-2, PK-2 or Home-2, for a laptop - HP, ACER, Samsung, etc. If you have several laptops at home, you can add a username to the computer name, for example, Notebook-Vera or Misha-PC. This will make it easier for you to navigate later, but in principle it doesn’t really matter and you can always change the computer name. Please also note that the username and computer name must not be the same.

10.2. Entering your password

The next window prompts you to enter the password for the user whose name was entered in the previous window, as well as a hint for this password in case you forget it.

I recommend not entering a password at this step, since during the process of setting up the computer it will reboot more than once and you will simply get tired of entering it. Make it better after full customization computer and create a system backup. In principle, if no one will use the computer except you, you have nothing to hide and you do not plan to exchange files via local network, then you don’t have to use a password at all. In other cases, using a password is highly desirable and we will talk about this in one of the articles about Windows setup. For now, just click Next.

10.3. Entering the key and activating Windows 7

The next window asks you to enter your Windows 7 license key.

If you have officially purchased the operating system and are sure that this key has not been used on another computer, then enter the 25-digit code indicated on the disk or certificate sticker. In this case, you can leave the “Automatically activate Windows when you connect to the Internet” checkbox and click “Next”. Activation will occur 3 days after the first login.

If you do not yet have a license key or are installing Windows 7 for evaluation purposes, then do not enter anything. In this case, you need to uncheck the automatic activation checkbox and click the “Next” button. After installation, you will have a 30-day trial period. In the future, you can extend it 3 times, thereby increasing the time of familiarization with the operating system to 120 days.

10.4. Setting up Windows 7 updates

In the next window you need to select one of three installation modes Windows updates.

“Use recommended settings” – all important and recommended updates will be installed automatically. Important ones include security updates and bug fixes. Recommended – updating drivers, software components and much more. Most experts advise using this mode.

"Install only the most important updates» – only security updates and bug fixes will be installed automatically.

“Delay decision” – do not include automatic update, and configure it later in the operating system.

On a personal note, I want to say that if the protection of your data is important to you and you don’t know how to protect yourself from security threats on the Internet, then important updates need to be installed. On the other hand, multiple updates eventually lead to a slowdown of the computer, and along with recommended updates, a large number of unnecessary components are installed into the operating system. If you use your computer primarily for gaming, you have good security, backup copy system and all personal files, then in principle you can do without updates and the computer will work as quickly as possible. But I still recommend installing at least the most important updates.

10.5. Setting the date and time

The next step asks you to select your time zone, date and time.

There is nothing complicated about this and although it can be configured after installing the system, it is better to do it right away. First you need to set the time zone, and only after that the time. If your locality is not in the list of time zones, then choose any other one that is in the same time zone with you, for example, for Kyiv the time zone is UTC +02:00 as in Athens.

If you live in Russia, then uncheck " Automatic translation to summer time and back,” since time change has been canceled in Russia. In other cases, follow the accepted regulations in your country. For example, in Ukraine, the time change is still in effect and the checkbox must be left. The computer clock will be automatically adjusted to the correct time and day. Click "Next".

10.6. Computer location

If your computer is connected to a network and during Windows installation you were able to install the required driver for network card, the “Select the current location of your computer” window will appear.

“Home network” - select this item if your computer or laptop is currently at your home, connected to the Internet via a router, and you want to exchange files with other home computers.

“Work network” - select this item if your computer or laptop is currently located at your work, where there is computer network to share files with other work computers.

“Public network” – select this item if your computer or laptop is connected to the Internet directly by cable. In this case, additional protection against attacks from the Internet will be used.

10.7. Home group

This functionality was introduced in Windows 7 to simplify file sharing between home computers, but in principle it is not necessary. You need to check the boxes for the folders with which types of data you want to provide access to. You can also enable general access to a printer connected to this computer. You can check all the boxes, it won't harm you.

If a computer with Windows 7 or higher was detected on the network, you will be prompted to enter the homegroup password, which can be viewed on that computer. After entering your password, click Next. If you don’t have a lot of time, you can skip entering the password and click the “Skip” button, and enter the password later.

If a homegroup was not detected, it will be created on this computer and you will be given a random password. You can record it, or you can watch it later in Windows at any time. But it’s better to write it down or take a photo and click the “Next” button.

11. Login

After this, the user should automatically log in and display main screen Windows, called "Desktop". This completes the installation of Windows 7.

12. Links

Hard drive A-Data Ultimate SU650 240GB
Hard drive Transcend StoreJet 25M3 1 TB
Sandisk Cruzer

Formatting a hard drive (hard drive) before installing an operating system is a necessary measure for correct Windows operation 7 on the computer. Neglecting this condition leads to system malfunctions or complete failure. How and with what to format the hard drive, you will find in the article.

To format something is to completely delete files from the device and return the internal parameters to the original value set by the manufacturer. If you are installing the operating system for the first time, that is, on a “bare” hard drive, formatting is not necessary. If you are reinstalling Windows 7, “then cleaning” is necessary. Let's get started. Insert the operating system media and run installation file. A window will appear where we click the “Install” button. In the new window, select “Full installation”.

The next stage is to select the partition on which the system will “become”, and hard formatting disk. Click on the local drive opposite which it says “System”. Click the “Format” button, select the “NTFS” file system and start the operation. The duration of the process depends entirely on the power of the computer and the clutter of the logical disk. Be careful when choosing a section. By formatting the main drive, you will lose absolutely all files on your computer forever. Once the operation is complete, follow the prompts to install Windows 7.

Good to know. Formatting the Logical Disk (C:) leads to the loss of files located on the Desktop, in Libraries (Video, Music, Documents, Images), in the “Downloads” folder. All drivers on the computer, installed programs, and game saves are deleted. Root files are also subject to stripping computer games and PC settings. Important information, which is located in the listed sections, we recommend recording it on removable memory media or transferring it to the main partition of the hard drive.

Some sources offer the option of formatting directly from Windows 7. There will be no damage to the hardware itself, that is, the disk. But the fact that the operating system will provide access to such interference is unlikely. However, you can try. Open the window with logical drives by clicking on the “My Computer” shortcut. Select system disk, there is a Windows icon next to it, and right-click on it. In the dialog box, select Format. If your OS is well built, it will prohibit such actions. Otherwise, specify the filename NTFS system, quick format and confirm the operation. When finished, the computer will shut down. To return it to working condition, install the operating system.

The Acronis program will help you clean up your disk and partition it without harming your computer. Disk Director 11/12". Download from the official website trial version and follow the installation instructions. The program will require you to enter your first name, last name and e-mail, enter any data. At startup, Acronis automatically recognizes all logical drives. Select the system volume - marked with a red flag - and click the "Format" button. In the window that appears, confirm the action without changing the settings. Wait for it to finish. Restart your computer and begin installing Windows.

Make sure that file system local disks were NTFS. Choose full formatting. If you are not sure that you can cope with such a task, take your computer to a service center. We wish you success!

So, you have decided to install the new Windows 8 operating system, but you don’t know how to do it correctly.

Let's start with the fact that it is better to install it on an empty hard drive, where there is currently no other operating system. Why? This is because if you install Windows 8 incorrectly, you may lose access to the previous OS. If everything is correct, then at the beginning of the launch you will be asked to select a system.

But, if you don’t like Windows 8 and want to use the old one, you’ll have to install it again, or do a restore. Since you will use the bootloader from Windows 8, and if you want to remove it completely, then you will also have to get rid of the bootloader (selection of operating systems).

Possible mistakes

During the installation of Windows 8, various errors often occur. And in order not to run into them, and not to waste time starting the installation again, you need to immediately consider them and eliminate them, if any.

Error 0xc000035a

This error occurs if you install Windows 8 on virtual machine, and during the setup process you specified an incorrect item in the machine configuration. That is, for example, if you want to install Windows 8, but in the settings you set, for example, Windows XP or something similar. This may result in an error.

If you are installing on a real computer, then the problem is due to the fact that your processor does not support 64-bit architecture. That is, you install 64-bit Windows, and your processor can only work with x32.

Error 0xc0000260

The problem is again related to the processor. More precisely with the processor settings. You need to enable PAE/NX technologies in the BIOS. If you install on a virtual machine, then all this is there in the settings.

In addition, you need to activate support for 3D and 2D video. If you want to install 64-bit Windows, then also enable VT-X.

Error 0x0000005D – the most common

This error is related to your processor. More precisely, because it is not supported, or some functions are disabled. To install Windows 8, build 8400 and older, NX/XD technology must be enabled on the processor. In addition, it must support SSE2. In other words, it is not possible to install a new operating system on very old processors.

The interesting thing is that in the 8250 build, the old processors were suitable, and the system was installed without problems. This change is explained by the fact that Microsoft developers added some various functions and “features” that can only work on new processors.

Processor requirements for installing Windows 8

Most importantly, technologies such as SSE2, NX Bit, PAE must be supported. If your processor supports all this, then you need to go into the BIOS and enable NX Bit.

How it's done? (Usually by pressing the “Delete” key). Next, select the item Advanced BIOS Features. If it is not there, then look for something similar. Then we find CPU Functions there (in some BIOS versions - CPU Feature).

Once you are in the right place, you need to activate the following options: NX, XD, NX Bit. In order to make them active, On, 1 or Enabled must be indicated next to them.

We reboot the computer and can safely install Windows 8, since now there will be no problems with the processor.

Installing Windows 8

You will need to start the installation after setting up the BIOS. Then, to install the operating system, we need a disk with Windows 8. If you install from an image, then during installation the function of setting up local disks will not be available. That is, you will not be able to format it and install Windows 8 on top of another OS. Therefore, we use a real disk.

Turn on the computer. Insert the disk and start booting from it. To do this, you need to open the BIOS and specify your optical drive in the device settings as First Device. To start the BIOS you need to press the Del or Delete button. Depends on your BIOS versions.

Or, press F2 or F12 (depending on versions) and launch the Boot menu. Here you can select the device once and boot from it. If you specify it in First Device and not in the Boot menu, then you will always boot from the drive first. IN boot menu There is a one-time download.

Start installation

Once the installation starts, you will see the following:

The loading process, or rather the loading indicator, has changed a lot. Things were different in Windows 7. This new “window” has become something of a symbol new version Windows.

It is worth noting that they do not shine with creativity and design abilities here. Many expected something beautiful and new, something that had never happened anywhere else. Everyone was expecting something more, but alas. But, despite the fact that they “rested” during the installation process, they worked hard on the operating system itself.

You will immediately remember your native Windows 7. Everything here is a copy, almost the same, only the inscription 7 was changed to 8, and a new window was added.

Select the language you need. Everything is simple here. Of course, the “Russian” input method does not mean that you will not have an English layout. This parameter determines which language will be first. When you start any program, or the computer itself, the language that is indicated here will first appear. It can be changed later.

First, all files required for installation are copied. This happens very quickly. Here is the next step - “Preparing files for installation”, which takes longer.

Since preparation is taking place, and not just copying, some files are unzipped, some settings are made, and so on. All this should not be of interest to the average user. We wait until all necessary actions are completed.

Then “Preparing Devices” will occur. You need to wait.

The next step is to install applications. As you can see, again the screen, or rather the background, shimmers in different colors. At almost all preparatory stages, the background of the installation changes in almost all possible colors. It’s beautiful and a little distracting from the tedious moment of waiting.

You will then be asked not to turn off your computer. If you turn it off, some applications may not install correctly and you will experience various errors in the future. To avoid this, just sit and wait. It happens that during installation, users turn off or restart their computer on their own, and then wonder why something isn’t working right for them.

We wait a little more until the Windows installation is completed and some final moments are configured.

That's it, ready. The new Windows 8 operating system is installed.

You can switch the original view to the normal desktop. To do this, click on the corresponding icon.

Let's open "My Computer". Everything here is almost the same as before in Windows 7. Only the icons have changed a little, namely, the same window has been added.

Explanation of some points

As you can see, the screenshot shows that there is only one local drive C on the computer.

You may have noticed that there was no point during the installation process where you were asked to specify a local drive for installation. Previously, in Windows XP, 7 and others, even if you had only one disk, you were still prompted to indicate the one you needed. In Windows 8 the installer is smarter. If he sees that there is only one disk and it is empty, then the installation wizard does not ask anything and immediately installs the operating system on this local disk.

For this article and demonstration, I used an empty hard drive with nothing on it. That’s why they didn’t even ask us where exactly we should install the new Windows 8.

If suddenly you have something different, then don’t worry, because there are various assemblies and distributions of operating systems that differ in some ways. In addition, do not forget about amateur assemblies, where something was cut out and something was added.

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Initial conditions: Your system has more than one hard drive. One of them already has an operating system installed, and on the second you installed Windows 7. There was a need to remove hard system a disk on which Windows 7 is not installed. But it turned out that without this disk your system does not want to boot.

This happened because one of the three conditions for a successful download was no longer met:

• the partition from which the boot is performed must be active;
• boot sector partition must be compatible with bootmgr;
• The active partition must contain operating system boot files. For Windows 7 this is the file bootmgr and boot configuration data store ( BCD), located in the hidden and system folder Boot.

Let's consider the solution to the problem using the example of the configuration shown in the figure.

The Disk Management screenshot shows that the C: drive on which Windows 7 is installed is not active. The active drive is D:. Windows 7 download files (they are hidden and system) will also not be found on drive C:. Task: transfer the bootloader from drive D: to drive C:, that is, ensure compliance with the above conditions.

Using a Windows 7 installation or recovery disc

If you have these disks, transfer boot files is not difficult. Physically disconnect the "unnecessary" hard drive, boot from the disk, installing in BIOS drive CD-DVD as the first boot device, enter . After scanning and searching for installed operating systems is completed, perform Startup Repair. The recovery program will prepare the hard drive as needed and copy the necessary files to it. After a reboot, downloading will be restored.

If you don't have any installation disk, or a recovery disk, you can use the method described below.

Transferring boot files using the bcdboot.exe utility

Conventionally, we can divide the upcoming operation into three stages, corresponding to the three necessary conditions for successful loading.

First: go to the "Disk Management" snap-in (Win + R, in the "Run" line type diskmgmt.msc and click OK) and see what letter is assigned to the first disk partition on the left that you plan to keep. We will make this partition bootable and active: right-click on the selected partition and select context menu"Make the section active." Please note that this section must have a "primary" attribute.

Second: run command line with administrator rights. All commands discussed below will be executed sequentially without exiting the command line.

DISKPART list disk sel disk X list partition sel part 1 active exit

where X is the number of the disk that is supposed to be left in the list of disks (command list disk).

To do this you will need a utility bootsect.exe, which, in the absence of an installation disk, can be taken. Download and unpack it in advance, for example, into the root directory of the C: partition.

C:\bootsect /nt60 All /force

note: experience shows that if there are 2 or more HDD keys in the configuration /force necessary.

Bcdboot %Windir% /l ru-Ru /s C:

Key /l- selecting language settings for the download manager. If your system is not Russian-language, use other values ​​for this key, for example, for in English- en-Us, for German - de-DE, etc.

Key /s- specifies the volume letter assigned to the target system partition to which the boot environment files are copied. This is the section that we have made active. Since the command firmware defaults to the current system partition (before removing the hard drive, this is the D: partition), applying this key with the letter of the intended boot partition is Necessarily!

1. Let's make the disk active. There are two ways to make the desired section active.
2. We rewrite the boot sector (make it compatible with bootmgr):
3. We transfer the BCD and the bootmgr file to the new active partition:

Checking and editing BCD

Run the command

Bcdedit /store C:\boot\bcd

Based on the results of the command, check the parameters (underlined in the screenshot):

• in the "Windows Boot Manager" section the option device must be equal to the letter of the new active partition, in our case - and osdevice must be equal to the letter of the partition on which the Windows directories are currently located. In our case, this is also C:.
• in case of discrepancy, make the necessary changes using the commands:

bcdedit /store C:\boot\bcd /set (bootmgr) device partition=C: bcdedit /store C:\boot\bcd /set (current) device partition=C: bcdedit /store C:\boot\bcd /set ( current) osdevice partition=C:

Usually there is no need to run commands, but it doesn't hurt to check. Instead of an identifier (current), it can be (default), or even alphanumeric. Then in commands you need to use the one that is used for loading.

So, moving download files to another drive is not such a difficult task.

Instead of a conclusion, or "Russian-language multiboot menu"

Due to the fact that the startup recovery program running from the recovery environment uses the default parameters, the boot manager language becomes English. If there is one bootable system, this is not noticeable, but if there is a multiboot menu, it is noticeable. If you are not satisfied with this, run on the command line:

Bcdboot %Windir% /l ru-Ru

You need to run it after transferring the download files to the new partition.