I continue to enjoy... hmm, that’s probably the right word... enjoy the new creation of Bill Gates’ company. Well, maybe not completely new, as I wrote earlier in Installing Windows 7 Ultimate, but an old one brought to mind, nevertheless Windows 7 works surprisingly well.
Today I want to talk about how to painlessly install Windows 7 next to Windows Vista without consequences for both systems. Why, you ask? For example, I have quite a lot of installed programs, so I don’t want to suddenly find myself in front of a partially non-working computer, due to the fact that the new operating system does not support some drivers or old programs do not want to get along with it. Therefore, I prefer to have the old system working and calmly bring the new one to fruition.
But before getting into the details, I’ll share some more experience with Windows 7. The system installed successfully without any hitches on children’s computers of the most varied configurations. Sometimes the 7 kit does not include drivers for some outdated equipment (for example, it did not recognize Live Audigy, old video cards), but all problems are solved by installing drivers from Vista and sometimes even from XP. I got the impression that the “seven” included drivers for equipment up to 5 years old; if something is older, then you need to look for it. As a result, as of today I have installed 4 copies of the system and all are excellent. However, the simplicity with which Windows 7 is installed allows even teenagers who are far from IT to cope with the installation.
In addition to hardware, there are nuances with software. Some programs that worked in Vista refuse to be friends with Seven. But in most cases, the system, having detected an incompatibility, offers to fix it itself and does this very successfully. Nevertheless, there are cases when the software refuses to work in principle. For example, now GuitarPro 5.2 is stuck - you will need to download the new version.
So, let's move on to the main task - my home computer and work laptop. Let me remind you that I need both Windows 7 and Vista to work and I can choose any one I want. I’ll note right away that everything that I describe below can be done a little differently, but due to the specifics of my tasks, I chose exactly this path. And the last piece of advice is to read to the end first.
Step #1. We save valuable data
We make backup copies of the My Documents folder and the Desktop, as well as the mail program and Internet browser settings. Perhaps something else if you have your own specialized programs. We make backup copies on external media, in extreme cases, on another physical disk. Not the same one!
Step #2. We buy and installAcronisDiskDirectorSuite
For further work, I needed a wonderful software package - Acronis Disk Director Suite. The program is quite easy to install. Having installed Disk Director Suite, let's get started.
First of all, we will create a boot disk, with which we can restore the OS in case of problems. The program package includes the Acronis Media Builder utility (To run it, select the Acronic program group in the Start panel and run "Create Boot Disks").
Selecting downloadable components - select all.
Selecting boot media - select "CD burner"
Insert a blank CD matrix and click “Proceed”
We sign the recorded disc so as not to lose it and put it aside, it will come in handy. I also recommend making a boot disk using the operating system. Just in case too.
Step 3. Create a new partition on drive C to install Windows 7
In principle, you don’t have to create a new partition if you have additional logical drives, but I create it, it’s more convenient for me.
Launch Acronis Disk Director and use the “Create Partitions” Wizard. This wizard allows you to “bite off” free space from existing disks and create a new partition from it - a logical disk.
The size of the required partition for installing Windows 7 is at least 15 GB, however, if you “bite off from the C drive on which Vista is installed, do not select the maximum available size (i.e., do not bite off everything from Vista), it is better not more than 75%, suddenly, when working on Vista, you still need free space.
Type of partition to be created - select primary, default file system NTFS - suits us,
You can not assign a drive letter or select a suggested one. You can always change everything in the future.
Enter the drive label - I entered Windows 7.
We look at the graphic picture, and if everything is in order, click “Finish”
Now attention! Exit Acronis Disk Director and you will be prompted to:
Click “yes”, look at the list of pending operations and click “Proceed”.
A reboot will be required to complete the operation. We agree and go have tea.
When Windows boots, Acronis Disk Director will launch and begin disk conversion (Resizing partition). The duration of the procedure depends on many factors (size and performance of disks, processor). It took 40 minutes on my laptop. It is very important that your lights are not turned off at this moment, otherwise problems with data safety may arise.
Step 4. InstallWindows 7
Finally, we load the old operating system, make sure that we have a new (logical) disk and begin installing Windows 7. The installation is quite standard, the main and only nuance is that when choosing the partition on which to install the system, we select the newly created partition:
After installation, the computer reboots and upon boot you are offered a standard menu in which you can select one of the operating systems Vista or Windows 7. Now you have 30 days at your disposal to bring Windows 7 to perfection.
Attention! Be sure to make an operating system recovery disk right away!
Once you are convinced that the seven is working, you can move on to the next step.
Step 5. DestroyVista
We launch Acronis Disk Director and mercilessly “Delete” the Vista partition - DO NOT CONFUSE IT!
Your Windows 7 disk should be “Primary and Active”. However, you wouldn't boot if that weren't the case.
Next, we perform the reverse operation of Step 3 –> “Wizard – Increasing free space.” Select a section which we want to increase– this is Windows 7, then select where we want to take free space. Of course, due to the remote partition. That’s it, click exit and before exiting “Proceed”, as before. The system will reboot and free disk space will be redistributed. After completing this procedure, you will again have 1 full-size disk (more precisely, the same number of disks as before installing the seven), but only with Windows 7. Vista will disappear without a trace.
Step 6. ATTENTION!
Do not try to crack Windows 7 until Vista is completely destroyed. I have already written several times that these are practically the same operating system, so they have the same “activation” mechanism. After “activating” the seven, you will completely lose its bootloader, and only Vista will load. What to do in this case? That's right, restart the installation of Windows 7, select "recovery" and take out the pre-burned recovery disc, which of course you made, right?
Step 7. Nuances
Unfortunately they can be. On one computer, after installing Windows 7, the system selection menu did not appear. Seven loaded, but Vista was left behind. It is for this situation that another product included in the Acronis Disk Director package was prepared
Step2-1 InstallationAcronic OS Selector
Before installing Windows 7 in Step 2, I recommend installing Acronic OS Selector (Start-All Programs-Acronis-Install Acronis OS Selector). This module will allow you to choose which OS we will load subsequently. The capabilities of OS Selector will allow you to use other operating systems, incl. Linux, if you want to experiment.
Installing Acronis OS Selector is also quite simple; only after installation, select “Tools” - “Disable OS Selector” from the menu. However, for fun, you can turn it on the other way around. Then, during boot time, an unexpectedly new window appears in front of us - this is the operating system selection menu. On one computer OS Selector immediately showed that Vista was installed, on the other “Unknown OS”, select it and continue launching Vista.
As a result, if after installing Windows 7 your old Vista is “lost”, boot from the SD disk that you made in step 2, Acronis Disk Director will launch, and call OS Selector. It already shows both operating systems. We activate OS Selector and launch the system we need.
Bottom line
My work laptop Asus U1 just started to fly. For example, before it took more than a minute to turn off a laptop, now it takes a matter of seconds, and the boot time has also decreased.
Of course, there are other options for installing two operating systems - for example, buy and attach a new disk, or if you already have two disks, install seven on the second one. But in some cases there are restrictions when it is impossible to do without reworking the disk space. Then the method I suggested may come in handy.
And let me remind you once again that I am not a systems engineer or an administrator; the last time I independently installed a new operating system was about 5 years ago, so in some places I could not have expressed myself quite correctly. In reality, the whole procedure, despite a lot of written text, is quite simple and does not take much time.
That's all. Don't forget to make backups.
PrefaceThis article examines the most real-life situation: installing the new Windows Vista operating system on top of Windows XP (with Service Pack 2), and this is not a synthetic test conducted in a laboratory. The subject is the author of this article himself, who will sacrifice on the altar of science his current home system, which is used every day for games and work, with a dozen or two installed applications, an email client with correspondence, network connections from a local Internet provider, etc., etc. . A sort of “deadly number - performed for the first time”, based on the results of which in the final conclusions I will either recognize the possibility of the current painless transition to Windows Vista or... Or, in the worst case, I will join the number of Microsoft accusers, if not all mortals, then certainly in a number of specific sins for sure :).
In the second part of this short article, a freshly installed Windows Vista system will face another test - an almost complete change of computer hardware - motherboard, CPU, video card, RAM. In fact, all that will remain is a hard drive with Windows Vista and a DVD-RW/+RW drive. How will the operating system survive such abuse? We will also learn the answers to these questions during our experiment...
Part 1: Installation over Windows XP
Preparation
So, we have the following system at our disposal:
Of the installed software, we note (this list is far from complete):
Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 4.0
PaintShop Pro 9
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 1.66
Microsoft .NET Framework (versions 1.1, 2.0, 3.0)
Microsoft Office 2003
PowerDVD version 6
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0
"Guild 2" (game)
What opportunities await the user of the licensed boxed version of Windows XP if he wants to upgrade (OEM versions do not count)? Here is the answer Microsoft itself gives:
Yellow dots indicate that you will need a “clean slate” installation, without the ability to save installed applications and settings. Green dot - the ability to install Windows Vista over the current version of the Windows XP operating system, while maintaining your settings and applications. The above table is valid for 32-bit versions of operating systems. You can read more about upgrading 64-bit versions of Windows here.
Here is information about the commercial side of the issue - how much will it cost to switch from a boxed version of Windows XP to a boxed Upgrade version of Windows Vista:
Just in case, Microsoft suggests that you check the possibility of upgrading to Windows Vista using the Windows Marketplace Upgrade Options Tool (see the "Useful Links" section at the end of the article).
Now as for the preliminary preparation for the transition to Windows Vista in the light of possible incompatibilities. Here you will be helped by another useful utility - Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor (also located in the "Useful Links" section at the end of the article). It allows you to preliminarily assess the consequences of switching to a new operating system, identifying possible pitfalls in advance. Moreover, inconsistencies are displayed for a specific version of Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate). I have a boxed version of Windows Vista Business...
After installing the utility and scanning it with it, you are informed about the compliance of the system requirements...
Device drivers...
and installed applications.
Actually, the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor utility found two real problems and six potential problems for me:
Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro by Agnitum Ltd. before upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista - must be uninstalled, and when installed after switching to Windows Vista - may not work due to lack of compatibility.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0.1.411 from Kaspersky Lab must be uninstalled before upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista, and when installed after switching to Windows Vista, it may not work due to lack of compatibility.
Potential issues with using the Windows Messenger IM client version 4.7.
There may be a slight limitation in the functionality of ABBYY Lingvo 9.0 Multilingual Dictionary from ABBYY (BIT Software).
There may be a slight limitation in the functionality of PowerDVD version 6.
There may be a slight limitation in the functionality of the Citrix ICA client.
No driver information available: Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM) from Creative Technology, Ltd.
No driver information: Creative Game Port from Creative Technology Ltd.
Well, let's start solving problems...
Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 4.0.1005.7229. Unfortunately, the problem cannot be solved, and the application will have to be deleted:
"The current version of Outpost Firewall 4.0 and the upcoming Outpost Security Suite 2007 are not compatible with Windows Vista. However, Vista-compatible versions of both products are under development and will be available to all registered users of Outpost products free of charge with a valid license."
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 6.0.1.411. After updating to version 6.0.2.621, the product became fully compatible with Windows Vista.
Windows Messenger version 4.7. Windows Messenger version 4 is installed automatically when you install Windows XP. With the help of one of the many Windows XP fine-tuning utilities, Windows Messenger version 4.7 was removed from the system.
ABBYY Lingvo 9.0 Multilingual Dictionary. The application was left in the system - to check its performance under Windows Vista.
PowerDVD version 6. The application is left in the system - to test its performance under Windows Vista.
Citrix ICA Client. The application was left in the system - to check its performance under Windows Vista.
Creative Audigy Audio Processor (WDM) driver. The driver update will occur after installing Windows Vista.
Creative Game Port Driver. The driver update will occur after installing Windows Vista.
So, to summarize: Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro will have to be uninstalled; the antivirus has been updated and the problem has disappeared; Windows Messenger has been removed; ABBYY Lingvo 9.0, PowerDVD 6 and the Citrix ICA client are left in the system; We will update drivers from Creative after installing the new operating system.
All potential issues highlighted by the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor have been resolved or addressed, and you're ready to install Windows Vista Business.
We insert the disc into the drive, and the window that appears after automatic launch offers four actions - check the compatibility of the computer via the Internet, install the operating system, display useful preliminary information, or transfer user files, settings and settings from another computer.
We will not check the compatibility of the computer - the Upgrade Advisor has already told you everything you need. Useful Preliminary Information is a document with a brief basic explanation for novice users. It contains the following items:
Steps to take before upgrading or installing Windows
To upgrade to Windows Vista...
To install a new (clean) copy of Windows Vista...
What you need to know before installing Windows Vista
The item offering to transfer files and settings from another computer - calls the Windows Easy Transfer wizard (this utility is also located in the "Useful links" section at the end of the article), which helps to copy the account, user files and settings from an old computer (running Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista) to a new one with the Windows Vista operating system installed.
We are interested in the update, so feel free to click “Install”...
When is it possible to upgrade to Windows Vista?
There is an important note to make. Upgrading (not to be confused with a clean install of a new version) to Windows Vista is only possible if you have an absolutely identical language version of Windows installed. That is, from the Russian version of Windows XP you can upgrade to the Russian version of Windows Vista, from English to English. If you want to upgrade, for example, from the English version of Windows XP to the Russian version of Windows Vista, you will be notified that this operation is impossible:
So if you decide to buy an Upgrade edition of Windows Vista - remember to match the language versions!
In addition, there are additional restrictions on the upgrade process to Windows Vista from other versions of operating systems. Unable to upgrade from the following versions of Windows:
Windows XP with the following language packs installed: Bulgarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Serbian (Latin), Slovak, Slovenian, Thai, Ukrainian, Croatian, Estonian.
Windows XP Media Center Edition: Danish, Spanish, Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Norwegian (Bokmal), Polish, Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Turkish, Finnish, Czech, Swedish.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition: Hungarian, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Turkish, Czech, Finnish, Swedish.
Continue with installation
First, the installer asks you to update it (Internet connection required).
When entering the serial number - pay attention to the checkbox "Automatically activate Windows when connected to the Internet". If you do not have plans to immediately activate Windows (for example, as in my case - after all, immediately after installation I will make a significant change in the hardware configuration), uncheck the box.
After entering the serial number and clicking on the “Next” button, information about the previous installed system, user settings, installed applications, etc. is collected. A warning appears indicating that there may be problems:
After which the routine installation (more precisely, updating) of Windows begins.
By the way, if you are trying to install Windows Vista over an operating system that cannot be updated (for example, you had an English version, and you are installing a Russian one), then in the case of the same hard drive partition, the old system will be left in the Windows.old directory:
But let's return to our case - updating the Russian version of Windows XP Professional SP2 to the Russian Windows Vista Business. It proceeds slowly, with a couple of scheduled reboots, but overall the time is quite comparable to installing Windows XP (for me the update took about one hour).
The first start of Windows Vista goes quite predictably - a problem with the driver for Audigy 2 immediately pops up, about which the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor warned us.
The fresh driver from Creative that was stored in advance was installed safely (there were no problems with other devices), the notification about the start of the 30-day countdown until Windows functionality is blocked in the event of lack of activation is accepted, and after the reboot we eagerly go to check whether everything is still in place ?
Desktop Wallpaper - carefully preserved.
All icons on the Desktop are saved.
All icons in the Quick Launch area are saved.
After completing the wizard for switching from Outlook Express to Windows Mail ("Windows Mail")...
...We see complete preservation of mail accounts and archives of e-mail correspondence.
All Favorites links in the Internet Explorer web browser are saved.
Documents in the My Documents catalog are saved.
The entire history of opening documents in applications like Word and even third-party applications like PaintShop Pro 9 has been preserved.
After several hours of normal full operation, no problems were found, the update went smoothly and painlessly. PaintShop Pro 9, Microsoft Office 2003, a number of other applications like the KeePass Password Safe password manager, and even the game Guild 2 worked without problems. We put "plus".
Part 2. Changing the system hardware
Initially, I devoted a whole section to the upgrade process, but it will turn out to be relatively small. The reason is banal - there is nothing to write about the problems that have arisen due to their absence.
The author of these lines replaced almost the entire hardware of the computer (it’s easier to say what I left behind - the sound card, hard drive, DVD-RW drive and power supply). And Windows Vista calmly swallowed it! Of course, new devices were found, but the installation process was quick and painless. I'll just note a flaw with the ATI Radeon X1950XT video card driver.
There is no information about the video card yet - it is in the process of being “identified”
At first, the device was recognized as an ATI Radeon X1900 series (it worked without problems), and only after installing a fresh set of ATI Catalyst did it “live” under its real name. This, of course, is a trifle, and I have no choice but to add a second “plus”...
Conclusion
The Windows Vista operating system as a whole left a pleasant impression, primarily due to the absence of pitfalls where a sophisticated user always expects them (for example, updating the system when installing over an old one or correct device recognition).The upgrade from the working version of Windows XP Professional SP2 to Windows Vista Business was completed correctly, the system is fully operational, the time loss is minimal, and the author did not find any problems.
Changing the hardware configuration went smoothly and transparently for the user. It is obvious that there is a database with up-to-date drivers for a wide range of hardware components inherent in the latest version of the operating system. However, it has always been so.
Without a doubt, I do not pretend to give an objective verdict - my personal experience applies to a specific version of the operating system, with specific third-party applications and certain hardware components (motherboard and processor from Intel). Specific configurations and applications are a dime a dozen, and I can’t presume to say how everything will work out in your particular case. However, it is obvious that if you have a completely ordinary system, without any specific hardware and software components, and checked for compatibility by the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor utility, you can safely upgrade to Windows Vista now, and the risk will be minimal. The product was created over five years and underwent long-term testing - perhaps this factor had a sufficient impact on the absence of “raw” places directly in the operating system itself. The biggest problem at the moment seems to me to be the lack of high-quality and comprehensive driver support for Windows Vista by manufacturers of various peripheral devices and hardware components, as well as temporary incompatibility (for example, Outpost Firewall) with a number of applications.
useful links
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor: link
Windows Easy Transfer: link
Windows Marketplace Upgrade Options Tool (about 1.35 MB): link
If your computer's hard drive is empty or you have a previous version of Windows that you want to completely remove and replace with Windows Vista, follow these installation instructions.
Insert the Windows Vista installation disc into your computer's DVD drive.
First of all, in the BIOS settings, you must specify CD-ROM as the first boot device, since the system will be installed from DVD. Since you are a novice user and have probably never encountered BIOS, let’s take a step-by-step look at the entire process of changing the computer boot order using Phoenix-AwardBIOS as an example. If your computer has a different BIOS version, the appearance of the menu and the names of its items may differ slightly, but the fundamental procedure will remain the same.
Note
BIOS (from the English Basic Input-Output System - basic input-output system) is a program written on a permanent memory chip, which is mounted on the motherboard. The BIOS is executed when the computer is turned on; its task is to test the performance of all devices and prepare the computer to load the operating system.
To get to the BIOS menu, immediately after turning on the computer, press the Delete key repeatedly; this will prevent the system from starting to boot. As a result, the menu shown in Fig. 1 will appear on the screen. 1.1. Use the arrow keys to navigate to Advances BIOS Features and press Enter. In the submenu that opens, we are interested in the Boot Seq & Floppy Setup item, which is first in the list. Make sure it is highlighted in red and press Enter.
Rice. 1.1. BIOS settings menu
Now you have to change the device from which the download should be made (Fig. 1.2). Select First Boot Device from the list. Press the Enter key to open the device selection menu shown in the center of Fig. 1.2. Use the cursor keys to navigate to the CDROM option and press Enter to save your changes.
Rice. 1.2. Selecting a priority device for booting your computer
To exit the BIOS setup menu and save the new settings, press the F10 key and confirm exit by pressing the Enter key. After this, the computer will restart and the message Press any key to boot from CD or DVD may appear on the screen. Follow this recommendation to start booting from disk.
You can get acquainted directly with the installation process of Windows Vista by watching the video “Lesson 1.1. Installing Windows Vista."
After copying the files necessary to start the Windows Vista installation program, you will see its first window (Fig. 1.3), in which you have to select the language to install, date format and keyboard layout. If the Russian option is selected in all lists, do not change these settings and simply click Next.
Rice. 1.3. Window for selecting installation language settings
The next step is to select the action you want to perform using the installer. This can be either the installation itself or restoring the functionality of a system in which a failure occurred (we will discuss this issue in detail in Chapter 8). Since we are now interested in the first option, click on the Install button.
Next, a window for entering the product key for activation will appear (Fig. 1.4). Each edition of Windows Vista has its own activation key, so after entering it, the system will automatically determine which version of Windows Vista should be installed. You can install the system without entering the serial number by unchecking the Automatically activate Windows when connected to the Internet checkbox. In this case, when you click Next and confirm your actions, a list of versions of Windows Vista available for installation will appear. Select the one you want, select the Selected Windows edition you purchased check box, and then click Next. A system installed without an activation key will function for 30 days. To continue using it after the month has expired, you will need to take care of obtaining the key and performing activation.
Rice. 1.4. Window for entering a key to activate Windows
Now you need to select the type of system installation: upgrade from a previous version to Windows Vista or perform a full installation. For the first option to be available, you need to run the installer from Windows rather than booting it from the DVD. Since we are considering the second option, only this will be available.
At the next stage, a window will open for selecting the hard disk partition in which Windows Vista will be installed, indicating the full size and free space. Select the appropriate volume. If your hard drive is not partitioned, the list will only contain one item.
If the installer detects a previous version of Windows on the selected partition, you will be notified about it. By confirming your intention to install the new version of Windows, you agree that the old operating system files will be saved to the Windows.old folder after installation. You will be able to open them, but you will no longer be able to start the previous OS.
Next, the installation of Windows Vista will begin. It happens automatically and does not require your participation. During the installation process, the computer will restart several times. Since the BIOS settings are still set to boot from CD-ROM, do not press any keys after the Press any key to boot from CD or DVD message appears to allow booting to start from the hard drive.
When the installation of Windows Vista is successfully completed, the system will start, but before you can get to the Desktop, you will have to create an account, set the date, time and time zone, and select the computer name and Desktop background.
In the first dialog box, you need to enter a name and, if necessary, protect the computer from unauthorized persons with an account password, and also set a picture (Fig. 1.5). Details of what an account is are described at the beginning of Chapter. 7.
Rice. 1.5. Setting your account name, password, and picture
Click "Next. On the next page you will be asked to select a picture for the Desktop, and also enter the computer name (it is necessary for identification on the local network) (Fig. 1.6). The default computer name is based on your account name, but you can change it.
Rice. 1.6. Selecting a desktop picture and specifying a computer name
The next step is to select automatic update options. You can agree to install both important and recommended updates to protect your system, only important updates, or refuse this security method altogether. It is recommended to select the first option. Read more about automatic updates and types of updates in chapter. 7.
When installing Windows Vista as a second operating system, if a local network connection is detected in the original OS, a window will appear to select the network location of the computer. Click on the appropriate location to set the optimal detection parameters.
After this, the system will thank you for your settings. All you have to do is click the Start button to start testing the system performance. After it is completed, the login screen will appear (Fig. 1.7), where you will have to enter the account password specified in the first account creation window (see Fig. 1.5) and press the Enter key (in the future, the login screen will appear every time when logging in). Wait for the Desktop to load, which will end with the Initial Settings Center window appearing (Fig. 1.8).
Rice. 1.7. Login Screen
Rice. 1.8. Getting Started Center
Note
All settings that were made when you first started Windows Vista can be changed while you are in Windows Vista. Changing the Desktop settings, date, time, time zone and adding languages is described in Chapter. 2. Setting up account parameters is discussed in Chapter. 7.
The Welcome Center contains two groups of icons: Getting Started with Windows and Suggestions from Microsoft. The first is responsible for typical computer settings after installing the operating system, such as installing drivers for equipment, connecting to the Internet, creating accounts for other users if several people plan to work on the computer, and getting to know the new features of this version of Windows. All these issues are discussed in detail in the book in chapters on relevant topics. However, keep in mind that you can access some of the most important configuration tools not only through the Control Panel, but also through the Getting Started Center.
In this chapter, we will only look at the tool for transferring files and settings from an old computer to a new one, since for users who decide to work with a new operating system, it allows them to save a significant amount of time and effort when setting up the system and copying the necessary files.
The second group of icons provides additional suggestions for effectively using Windows Vista.
Welcome Center starts automatically every time Windows starts. To prevent this from happening, uncheck the Load at startup checkbox located at the bottom of the window.
After Windows Vista is installed, the next time you reboot or turn on the computer, return to boot from the hard drive in the BIOS settings by selecting from the menu shown in Fig. 1.2, parameter HDD-0.
| |
Let's say you purchased a new computer without software and now you need to install Windows, or you just want to reinstall an already installed operating system, but you don't know how to do this. This article is a step-by-step guide to installing Windows Vista and I think it will help you easily cope with this seemingly difficult task. Installing Vista is not much different from installing Windows XP, so a person who has ever installed XP will be able to install Vista without any difficulties. To install, we need an installation disk with Windows itself. (Personally, I recommend using licensed software, since there are much fewer problems with a license, it works more stable and constantly receives updates via the Internet.) The disk can be purchased at a computer store, but if your computer already had an operating system installed when you purchased it, then look for disk somewhere at home, maybe you purchased a computer with licensed Windows. Find the driver discs at the same time. If you have a system unit with integrated video, then there should be one disk, connected to the motherboard. Otherwise, there should be two disks, for the motherboard and for the video card, plus one disk for separate devices, if any, for example a printer or TV tuner. Also, during installation, you will need a product key, which is printed on a sticker located on the box with the disk or glued to the case of the system unit.
Turn on the computer, put the disk in the drive and reboot with the Reset button. If the boot priority is first set to the drive, then we will immediately boot from the disk; if this does not happen, then we set up the boot ourselves. To do this, when turning on the computer, press the Delete or F2 button (depending on the Bios manufacturer) and get to the Bios settings menu. Using the up and down arrows, select the Advanced Setup section and press Enter.
In the next window, select the 1ST Boot Device section, this is the boot priority, that is, whichever device we select here, the computer will first look for files to download.
Press the Esc key and exit to the main menu. Here we select the line Save & exit setup and press Enter.
In the confirmation window that appears, click OK.
After this, the computer will restart and boot from the disk will begin. A window for selecting language, time format and keyboard layout will appear on the screen. Everything should be clear here, choose what suits us and click next.
In the next window, simply click “install”.
Next, a window will appear for entering the product key, look for the key on the box with the disk or on the case of the system unit and enter it into the line on the screen. If you do not plan to immediately connect the Internet to your computer, then the checkbox against “automatically activate when connecting to the Internet” can be removed, and within 30 days you can activate Windows by phone. If, nevertheless, the Internet will be connected in the near future, then it is better to leave the checkbox and Windows will activate itself.
In the next window, select full installation.
Next, we need to indicate where we want to install Windows. If we already had an operating system installed, then we select the drive on which it is installed (mostly drive C), click format and install it again on this drive. If the computer is new, then we need to “split” the hard drive into local drives. To do this, click “create”.
In the next window, in the “size” line, indicate the size of drive C on which we will install Windows. For Windows Vista, the optimal volume will be about 35-40Gb. We indicate, say, 40,000 Mb, this is approximately 40 Gig, and click apply.
In the next window we will see the disk we created and the remaining unallocated area. Select the disk we created with the mouse and click next. We will partition the rest of the disk later, using Windows.
After a while, a window for entering your username and password will appear on the screen. We come up with and enter a user name; it is not necessary to enter a password. Click next.
In the next window, enter the name of the computer under which it will be visible on the network. You can come up with anything.
In the next window, select the time zone, set the time and date.
That's it, the operating system itself is already installed. What do we need to do next? If the computer is new, then we need to partition the remaining part of the hard drive. To do this, click the “start” menu and select “control panel”.
In the window that opens, select the “system and its maintenance” section.
In the next window, at the very bottom, in the “Administration” section, click “create and format hard disk partitions”.
In the window that opens, we will see the C drive we created and a separately unallocated area. Right-click in the “unallocated” window and in the context menu that opens, click “create simple volume.”
After this, we need to specify the size of the disk to be created. If you want to create multiple disks, you need to specify the size of the disk to be created, and repeat this procedure to create other disks. If you want to create only one disk besides drive C, then you don’t need to change anything, just click next.
In the next window, select the drive letter and click next.
After this, we can give the disc a name, for example, “Movies and Toys.” To do this, enter your name in the “volume label” line and click next. For quick formatting, you can check the “quick formatting” box.
After this, the “My Computer” icon will appear on the desktop. Next, install all the necessary drivers. We just install the disks and install everything that is installed from them. To check whether all drivers are installed, right-click on the “Computer” icon and select “properties”.
In the window that opens, in the upper right corner, click “device manager”.
In the next window we will see all the devices on our computer. If there are devices marked with an exclamation mark, then you have not installed all the drivers. You need to find and install the missing drivers.
The Windows Vista operating system belongs to the glorious Windows NT family developed by Microsoft Corporation. It was officially released in 2006 for corporate clients, and in 2007 its sales began for private users. This OS was the next in line after Windows XP, and was replaced by Windows 7.
Despite the fact that Microsoft stopped supporting this system in April 2017, it still remains on some computers and is liked by users. The advantages of this operating system include not too high hardware requirements, compactness, minimal loading time, sufficient protection from worms, Trojans, rootkits and other viruses, and an attractive interface with a transparent sidebar for placing a custom menu (applications and gadgets) ).
For those who do not want to part with Windows Vista, but due to circumstances are forced to reinstall this system, this article is offered.
In what cases is the Windows Vista operating system reinstalled?
Typically, the Windows Vista operating system is reinstalled if the old one does not cope with the task, showing poor computer performance, crashes and errors.
As a result of user actions that are not always correct, various inconsistencies invariably arise that affect the performance of a computer device and the efficiency of its operation. Some programs and applications begin to conflict with each other. In addition, viruses can penetrate your computer, causing crashes and other troubles. At one point, you realize that it is easier to reinstall the system again than to deal with errors and fix a whole bunch of various malfunctions.
In any case, before deciding to take drastic steps, you can try to perform a package of “resuscitation” actions: clean up the registry, clean the disk of junk files, defragment, scan and neutralize the device from viruses. If there is no improvement, there is only one thing left to do - reinstall the system.
Sometimes the need to reinstall Windows Vista arises when selling or transferring an old computer or laptop to strangers.
What you need to have to reinstall Windows Vista
One of the main advantages of Vista (comparison of all versions of Windows) is its relatively low demands on computer system resources and its compactness, which is why it is most in demand on devices with a small hard drive. Although in this regard they still win.
For a basic home model, it is enough to have the following equipment parameters:
- Processor – 800 MHz for x86 and x
- RAM – 512 MB.
- DirectX 9 video adapter.
- Video memory 32 MB.
- Hard drive from 20 GB.
- Free hard disk space from 15 GB.
- CD-RUM or DVD-RUM.
- Keyboard.
- Mouse and other peripheral devices.
To install, you need a licensed installation disk or a high-quality image of it located on a CD/DVD or flash drive, as well as a product key and a set of necessary drivers.
When installing a system from a USB drive, you need to know that preparing this device as an installation device is not done by simply copying files, but using a certain technology: there are programs that assemble the installation disk onto a flash drive, they can be found on the Internet.
Preparatory stage
Before installing an operating system, experienced system administrators follow several rules:
- Save all necessary files, drivers, applications to an external drive - flash drive or removable disk, since during the installation process the disk space will be formatted, during which all data will be erased. Learn more about how to save data when reinstalling.
- Format the system partition of the disk. It is believed that some errors present in the old system, when installed “on top”, may leak into the newly installed OS. And only formatting, during which a new formation of the file system structure occurs, can guarantee the complete neutralization of old errors.
- If the capacity of the hard drive allows, it is best to split it into two or more virtual disks, one of which, designated by the letter C, is allocated for the operating system, and the second and all subsequent ones are intended for user programs, applications and various files with information. This will make it possible, if you need to reinstall the system in the future, not to transfer your programs and files to an external drive.
Note: InstallationWindows Vista takes about 20 minutes, but if you decide to install over the old system, it will take much longer - about an hour and a half, because... in this case, partial saving and replacement of old settings with new ones will be performed. The most optimal installation option in terms of time and quality is “clean”, i.e. with full formatting of the installation disk partition.
Step-by-step instructions for reinstalling Windows Vista from the installation disk
After turning on the computer, press the “F2” key; other options are also possible, for example, “Del”, “Esc”, “F9”, etc. depending on the manufacturer of the computer device. Using these buttons you need to go to the BIOS menu to make changes to the boot order. By default there is a hard drive, but we need to change it to CD/DVD or flash memory. If you have any problems, check out the table of hotkeys for entering the BIOS.
Changing BIOS Settings
BIOS is the hardware and software part of the computer that is responsible for setting the components of the system unit.
In the BIOS menu, we find the Boot or Boot Sequence tab and using the up and down arrows (since the mouse will not work) we find the Boot Priority Setting item, in which we change the boot order, putting CD/DVD-ROM first DRIVE, and drive C is second.
Installing a boot disk
Using the arrows, we get to the Save Changes option, press the Enter button, and then exit the BIOS by pressing Exit, selecting the Exit Saving Changes action and confirm the actions by pressing “Y”.
After this, we reboot the system and wait until the disk spins up and the installation of the new operating system begins.
Reinstalling the system from an installation flash drive is practically no different from a DVD, only the BIOS puts booting from USB in first place.
Steps to boot your computer from the installation disk
After the installation disk has spun up, the message “Windows is loading files...” will appear on the screen.
After some waiting, a window will load on the screen with a choice of language and keyboard layout options. Make the desired selection and click the “Next” button.
The next window prompts you to start the installation, we agree by clicking the arrow button.
Now you need to accept the license agreement.
And select the installation type. Select "Full".
The next step is to select a partition on the disk to install the system. This will be partition 1 on disk 0.
We agree with the “Ok” button. Now you can wait about 20 minutes, during which the system will begin copying the necessary installation files.
Final setup
The installation will continue. Now the program will prompt you to enter your data sequentially: name, password and select a picture for your account.
Then enter the time parameters: date, time, time zone.
At the end, a window appears thanking you for the installation and after clicking the “Start” button, the updated OS is downloaded.
The installation is complete, now you can install device drivers and perform custom settings. The next time you log in, be sure to change the order of your devices, moving the boot from your hard drive to the beginning. It also wouldn't hurt to defragment it to make your computer run faster.
