How to install Windows 7 from a disk yourself. How to reinstall Windows: step-by-step instructions. Drivers and programs

Not long ago I was faced with the fact that I needed to download the original version of Windows 7 x64 Maximum, but as it turned out, this is not so easy to do, I had to dig through a lot of pages on the Internet.

You cannot download Windows 7 from the official Microsoft website, since support for this product has stopped. At first I tried using a key to activate the Windows 7 operating system from the official Microsoft website, but due to the fact that support for this system was stopped, I could not do this and, accordingly, you will not be able to either.

Having started searching on the Internet, I was faced with the fact that I constantly came across “repacks” (modified versions of the OS by users) or versions with activators for Windows 7, but I needed exactly the original version of the OS without any activators added to it, since The original version works stably and without errors. And I’m used to activating Windows 7 using my own proven means.

If you are faced with a similar problem and you need the original version of Windows 7, then you can download it from our website completely free of charge. versions of Windows 7 x 64 Ultimate, as well as Windows x 86 Ultimate (for older computers), are available for download.

If you don’t know which version of the OS system you need, you can ask your question in the comments to the article, indicating the brand of your processor; I would like to note that all modern processors support Windows 7 x64.

You might be interested in an article about that, but I would like to note that the presented versions of Windows do not contain a built-in activator, as they are original boxed versions with a trial period, so you can use the 100% working version presented on this site.

You may also be interested in the Windows 10 Pro activation key on the page

USB 3.0 Driver Integration in Windows 7

After the release of the operating system, Microsoft stopped supporting the most common operating system today - Windows 7.

Because of this, many users began to face the problem that they could not install the Windows 7 operating system on modern computers and laptops via the USB interface, since the original distribution from 2016 did not have drivers for the USB 3.0 interface.

I have repeatedly responded in the comments to those who encountered this problem and wrote that to solve it they need to integrate USB 3.0 drivers into the Windows 7 installer. But many do not know how to do this and end up installing systems like this, completely refusing from the idea of ​​installing Windows 7.

Since the integration of USB 3.0 drivers into Windows 7 takes quite a long time, I decided to relieve you of this burden and integrate a good package of USB 3.0 drivers into the original Windows 7 distributions presented on this site.

I did not make any more changes or additions to the distributions. I want to say right away that integrating USB 3.0 drivers into Windows 7 is not a solution to all problems.

There are situations in which, even after installing the Windows 7 operating system, you will not be able to install drivers for other equipment on your computer, since many manufacturers refuse to support Windows 7 on their devices and do not release drivers for it for a version lower, so keep this in mind .

Thus, we are being forced to stop using Windows 7, which, it seems to me, is not entirely correct for us, consumers.

Reading your comments, I realized that problems when installing Windows 7 via USB drives began to occur more and more often, so I decided to integrate USB 3.0 drivers into Windows 7 presented on this site, I hope this will help you.

Original Windows 7 Ultimate:

Original Windows 7 Ultimate image with USB 3.0 drivers:

How to activate Windows 7 using the activator, read here

Buy now license key for Windows 7 Ultimate from our partners.

In the process, you will format the local drive that contains the current version of Windows. Simply put, before installing a new system there, you will have to erase all old data from it. The contents of the remaining disks should remain unchanged. But it’s better to play it safe and first copy absolutely all data from your computer that you are afraid of losing to the cloud or to physical media.

If paid programs are installed on your computer, be sure to read their documentation for the rules for working with licenses when reinstalling Windows, otherwise you may lose them.

2. Create a boot disk or flash drive

If you want to install/reinstall a licensed version of Windows, make sure you have the appropriate activation key. Even if you are already using an activated system and just want to install the same version again, the old activation key may come in handy again.

• If you already have a bootable USB flash drive or disk with the version of Windows that you are going to install, you can proceed to step 3. Otherwise, you need to download a Windows image from the Internet and burn it to any of the listed media according to the instructions below.
• Decide on the version of Windows you will be installing and check that your computer meets its system requirements. This information can be found on the official Microsoft website or on the disk with your purchased Windows. Don't forget to also check that your computer supports the new version's bit depth: 32 or 64 bits. To be on the safe side, you can install a version with the same bit depth as your current version of Windows.
• To create a bootable USB flash drive with any Windows image found on the Internet, you can use the program (with UEFI support) and proceed to step 3.

And below I will tell you how to create a bootable disk or flash drive with an official system image using Windows 10 as an example.

3. Boot the system from a disk or flash drive

Now that you have physical media with the desired Windows image, you need to go to the special BIOS software environment and select a disk or flash drive here as the boot source.

Perhaps instead of the classic BIOS you will see a more modern graphical interface. In addition, even in different older BIOS versions, the settings may differ. But in any case, the procedure will be approximately the same: go to the boot menu, select the desired media as the source and save the changes.

After this, the computer should boot from the selected disk or flash drive.

4. Run the installation wizard

If you did everything correctly, the Windows Setup Wizard will appear on the screen. Further actions are no more complex than installing an ordinary office program. All you have to do is follow the system prompts and wait for the files to be unpacked. Unless you have to select a local disk to install the operating system and format it.

Also, be prepared to enter your activation key during the process. But if you are reinstalling Windows 10 that has already been activated on your computer, then you can skip the step with the key.

Once the installation is complete, your computer should boot into normal operating mode.

5. Install drivers

Modern versions of Windows load drivers themselves. But if, after reinstalling the system, you notice that the video card, speakers, or anything else is not working correctly, you can use the driver autoload utility. For example, the free Driver Booster is suitable.

Having completed all of the above, you can get to work. The computer must be ready.

In this article we will look at the process of installing Windows 7 on a computer. The Windows 7 operating system can be installed on a computer during a so-called “clean” installation (when there is no installed system on the PC’s hard drive), or you can reinstall Windows 7, replacing with this OS the operating system previously installed on the computer.

Windows 7 is a popular operating system that has proven itself well in operation. At the moment, Microsoft has released new operating systems: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8. Anyway, Windows 7 is slowly losing ground, the operating system will be relevant for many users for a long time.

Please note that many modern computers have a partition table in GPT; UEFI mode is enabled on such computers. It will not be possible to install Windows 7 on such a system. To be able to install Windows 7 on such a computer, you must first enable Legacy mode, disable Secure Boot, and then convert the partition table from GPT to MBR.

Before installing the system, prepare an installation DVD or bootable USB flash drive. If there is no installation disk, then you need to create a bootable USB flash drive in advance to install Windows 7.

This article describes the operating system installation process using the example of installing Windows 7 Ultimate. Installation of other editions of Windows 7 is identical. The bitness of Windows 7 (64-bit or 32-bit) does not matter for the system installation process. The choice of bitness of the installed system depends on the support of a 64-bit system by the computer processor.

How to install Windows 7

Insert the DVD disc with the operating system image into your computer's drive, or connect a bootable USB flash drive via the USB port.

Next, immediately after the motherboard logo appears, you will need to enter the BIOS to select the boot priority from the connected device: DVD drive or USB flash drive. Going to the BIOS is done using the keyboard keys (different computers have different ways, depending on the motherboard manufacturer). At this time, an inscription appears at the bottom of the monitor screen, which tells you which keys to press.

If the computer has not previously installed an operating system, then choosing a boot priority is not necessary, because the Windows installer will be loaded from the connected device. If you reinstall Windows 7, you must select a boot priority, otherwise the previously installed system will be loaded.

Immediately after selecting the BIOS settings, the following message will appear on the monitor screen: “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD.” You must press any keyboard key to start booting from Windows from bootable media (flash drive or DVD).

After this, the process of extracting Windows installation files starts.

Next, the “Windows Installation” window will open, in which you need to select the following parameters: “Installed language”, “Time and currency format”, “Keyboard layout or input method”. In most cases, these parameters are entered by default.

In the next window, click on the “Install” button.

In the next window you will need to select the installation type of Windows 7. Two options are offered: “Update” or “Full installation”.

When upgrading, Windows 7 will be installed on the previous operating system previously installed on the computer. For a clean installation of Windows 7, you must select a full system installation.

Click on the "Full installation (advanced options)" button.

Now you need to select the hard drive partition on which you want to install Windows 7. There can be one partition, or several partitions. If you are reinstalling the system, first write down the size of disk “C” so as not to make a mistake in choosing a partition.

Trained users can create new partitions on their hard drive. If necessary, the hard drive partition can be formatted.

The collection of information to start installing the operating system is completed, the next stage begins: “Installing Windows”.

During system installation, the computer will restart several times. Installing Windows 7 takes place in several sequential steps:

• Copying Windows files.
• Unpacking Windows files.
• Installation of components.
• Installing updates.
• Complete installation.

The Windows 7 installation process will take some time. Then the computer will restart.

A window will open in which you will see that Windows installation is completing.

The process of checking and configuring operating system components occurs on the computer.

In the “Windows Settings” window that opens, enter the user name and computer name, and then click on the “Next” button.

The next window will ask you to enter a password to protect your account. If you do not plan to protect the system with a password, do not enter anything in these fields, but simply click on the “Next” button.

To activate the Windows 7 operating system, you are prompted to enter your product key.

If you have a license key, enter the product key in the field and then click on the "Next" button.

If you will activate Windows later, after installing the operating system on your computer, uncheck the “Automatically activate Windows when you connect to the Internet” checkbox, and then click on the “Skip” button.

You can use Windows 7 for free for 30 days after installing it on your computer.

In the next window you need to select the automatic protection settings for your computer. There are three options to choose from:

• Use recommended settings.
• Install only the most important updates.
• Postpone the decision.

Security options include: update settings, Internet Explorer security, finding solutions to problems on the Internet, helping to improve Windows.

All these settings can be changed at your discretion after Windows is installed on your computer.

In the new window you need to select the current location of the computer. You can choose from the following networks:

• Home network.
• Work network.
• Community network.

If you use a computer at home, select your home network.

After the installation process is completed, the Windows 7 operating system desktop will open.

Conclusions of the article

The user can install the Windows 7 operating system on the computer. To install the system, you need to boot from a DVD or use a bootable USB flash drive. The process for a new clean installation or reinstallation of Windows 7 is identical.

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.
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If the call key is not indicated in the prompts at the initial stage of booting the computer, then you can find out this information from the instructions, on the website of the motherboard or laptop manufacturer, by 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.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that during the Windows installation process, the 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 will simply start reinstalling Windows from the beginning many times 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 simply the default input language that will be used when starting Windows 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 the previous version of Windows (Vista) to the new Windows 7 while 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” - installs a new copy of Windows on a new or existing hard drive partition. When installing on a new computer, partitions are created on the hard drive, and when installing on an old computer, the partitions are either deleted and created again, 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 that you did not forget from the “C” drive to the external drive, since during the process of reinstalling Windows, the “C” drive will be cleared.
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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 ensure maximum loading speed for programs and games, since Windows and the page file will be on one drive, 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 hard drive sizes to the nearest round number. A table with actual hard drive sizes can be downloaded at the end of the article in the “” section.

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

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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 restore the system, which we will 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 the old MBR system. If Windows Installer partitions the disk in a new GPT system, several service partitions may 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 in the BIOS settings of your motherboard or laptop, in the “Boot” section, UEFI boot devices are given priority.

In a modern motherboard Setup GUI, it might 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 a malfunction of the hard drive, 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 can have capital letters and numbers, and the input language can be switched 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 the 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. It is better to do this after completely setting up the computer and creating a backup copy of the system. In principle, if no one except you will use the computer, you have nothing to hide and you do not plan to exchange files over a local network, then you don’t need 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 setting up Windows. 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 modes for installing Windows updates.

“Use recommended settings” – all important and recommended updates will be installed automatically. Important ones include security updates and bug fixes. Recommended ones include 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.

“Postpone decision” – does not enable automatic updating, but configures 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 mainly for games, your security is well set up, you have a backup copy of the system and all your personal files, then in principle you can do without updates and your 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 the “Automatic change to daylight saving time and back” checkbox, since time change is 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 the network and during Windows installation you were able to install the required driver for the network card, the “Select the current location of your computer” window will appear.

“Home network” - select this item if your computer or laptop is now 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 at work, where there is a computer network for exchanging 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 sharing of the 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 the main Windows screen, called the “Desktop”. This completes the installation of Windows 7.

12. Links

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In some cases, it is necessary to install the Windows 7 operating system on top of the same operating OS. For example, it makes sense to perform this operation when there are malfunctions in the system, but the user does not want to completely reinstall so as not to lose current settings, drivers or running programs. Let's figure out how this can be done.

Note: Without a significant reason, it is better not to install one OS over another, as there is a possibility that the problems of the old system will remain or even new ones may appear. However, there are many cases when, after installation using this method, the computer, on the contrary, begins to work more stably, without any failures, which means that in some situations these actions may be justified.

To complete the procedure, you must have an installation flash drive or disk with the system distribution. So, let's take a step-by-step look at the process of installing Windows 7 on a PC with an existing OS with the same name.

Step 1: Prepare your computer

First of all, you need to prepare your computer for installing a new OS on top of the existing Windows 7 in order to save all the important settings and prepare the PC to boot from the desired device.

Step 2: OS Installation

After the preparatory procedures have been completed, you can proceed to the actual installation of the OS.

1. Insert the distribution disk into the drive or the installation flash drive into the USB connector and restart the PC. When you run it again, the installation program start window will open. Here, specify the language, time format and keyboard layout, depending on which initial settings will be more convenient for you to carry out the installation procedure. Then click "Further".



2. In the next window, click on the big button "Install".



3. Next, a window with license terms will open. Without accepting them, you will not be able to carry out further installation actions. Therefore, check the appropriate checkbox and click "Further".



4. The installation type selection window will open. Under normal installation conditions on a clean hard drive partition, you should select the option "Full installation". But since we are installing the system on top of working Windows 7, in this case click on the inscription "Update".



5. Next, a compatibility check procedure will be performed.



6. After it is completed, a window with a compatibility check report will open. It will indicate which components of the current operating system will be affected by installing another Windows 7 on top of it. If you are satisfied with the result of the report, then in this case, click "Further" or "Close" to continue the installation procedure.



7. Next, the process of installing the system, or more precisely, updating it, will begin. It will be divided into several procedures:
   • Copying;
   • Collection of files;
   • Unpacking;
   • Installation;
   • Transferring files and settings.

   

   Each of these procedures will automatically follow one after the other, and their dynamics can be monitored using the percentage informer in the same window. In this case, the computer will restart several times, but user intervention is not required.

Step 3: Post-installation setup

After the installation is completed, you need to perform a number of steps to configure the system and enter the activation key so that you can work with it.

1. First of all, the account creation window will open, where you must in the field "Username" enter the name of the main profile. This can be either the name of the account from the system on top of which the installation is performed, or a completely new option. In the lower field, enter the computer name, but unlike the profile, use only Latin letters and numbers. After that press "Further".



2. Then a window for entering a password opens. Here, if you want to increase the security of the system, you must enter the password twice, following the generally accepted rules for choosing a code expression. If a password has already been set on the system on top of which the installation is being performed, then you can use it. A hint is entered in the very bottom field in case you forget the keyword. If you do not want to install this type of system protection, then just click "Further".



3. A window will open where you will need to enter your product key. This step confuses some users who think that activation should automatically be pulled from the OS on which the installation is being made. But this is not so, so it is important not to lose this activation code left over from the time you purchased Windows 7. After entering the data, click "Further".



4. After this, a window opens where you need to select the type of setting. If you do not understand all the intricacies of settings, we recommend choosing the option "Use recommended settings".



5. Then a window opens where you need to configure the time zone, time and date settings. After entering the required parameters, click "Further".



6. Finally, the network settings window opens. You can perform it immediately by entering the current parameters, or postpone it for the future by clicking "Further".



7. After this, the installation and pre-configuration of the system on top of the existing Windows 7 will be completed. The standard one will open "Desktop", after which you can start using the computer for its intended purpose. In this case, the basic system settings, drivers and files will be saved, but various errors, if any, will be eliminated.

Installing Windows 7 on top of a working system with the same name is not much different from the standard installation method. The main difference is that when choosing the type of installation, you should choose the option "Update". In addition, there is no need to format the hard drive. Well, it is advisable to make a backup copy of the working OS before starting the procedure, this will help to avoid any unexpected problems and provide the opportunity for subsequent recovery, if necessary.