How To Clean Install Windows 7 From XP or Vista

Jason | Oct 11, 2009 | View Comments

Tip: Click here to run a free scan for common PC errors

Finally, Windows 7 Installation

If you have made it to this point, everything else is fairly simple. It will be a matter of following the on-screen instructions. With the correct boot sequence selected, the computer should start Windows 7 setup from the disc (if you see the windows loading screen instead of the Windows 7 installation screen, the boot sequence is not set to boot from the Windows 7 disc, repeat the previous step). To continue, select which language for the install and click Next.

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Click on the Install Now to begin the installation process.

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Check the box that’s marked I accept the license terms and click the Next button (after thoroughly reading the terms, of course).

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On the next screen, click the Custom (Advanced) option

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Select the hard drive or partition that you want to install Windows 7 on and click on the Drive Options (advanced) link. With the correct drive or partition still selected, click on the Format button to erase the previous version of Windows from the selected hard drive and then click the Next button.

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The installation should begin automatically and the setup should proceed by itself. The screen will turn on and off and the computer will restart itself during setup, this is normal.

Once the installation process completes, you will chose a username and password (password is optional) and click Next.

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On the next screen, you will be prompted for the Windows Product key, enter it and click Next.

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The next three screens will be personal options for Security settings, Time zone and Date settings & Setting up your home network.

Once finished with the personal settings, the computer will prepare itself to startup and you will be taken to the desktop. You will want to run Windows Update from the Programs menu to update any drivers that may not be working correctly.

At first, for a new user, clean-installing a new OS can be a little daunting, but once you get past the boot sequence it’s as simple as following the on-screen instructions and moving from page to page. There are no DOS-like screens anymore, so any user that feels comfortable pointing and clicking their way on a Windows machine should be just fine performing a clean install of Windows 7.

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About the Author: Jason Lefevers currently works doing website support for insurance companies and spends free time building and troubleshooting computers for both friends and family. He has a degree in History and Poly Sci and experience in programming and computer hardware. You can also check me out on windows8news.com.

  • Thanks for sharing these tips. For XP users, doing a clean install and wiping your hard disk seems intimidating, but it is the only option. For Vista users, it depends on their system—if it is only a few months old, they should go for the upgrade option, but if it has problems and runs slowly, a clean installation will be their best bet. XP and Vista users should definitely make sure their PC is ready for Windows 7. To make the upgrade a smooth process, you should remove any unnecessary programs, defrag your hard disk and of course back up your data, as you mentioned! These posts have more details on upgrading to Windows 7 and should be helpful: http://bit.ly/3A8OPq and http://bit.ly/u4SVo.
  • rsriram
    'upgrade install' from vista home basic (x32) to win 7 home premium on toshiba L305-S5919 here:
    http://bubhutsa.blogspot.com/2009/09/clean-inst...
  • Jason
    I'm not sure exactly how they will do it, but you will have to chose to install the 32 or 64-bit version. Some people are saying there will be two disks. Some say it will be a dual layer DVD and give an option for which you'd want to install. I do hear that the product key will be the same for both editions. I will try and get a definitive answer. Anybody else know for sure?
  • Pike
    Question?

    Does the DVD you get automatically know if your processor is 32/64 bit? I understand they are packaging Windows 7, as 1 or 2 DVD of either 32/64bit?

    Is there a way to clarify how the install is able to go 64 bit if the DVD is 32/64 bit?
  • When buying Windows 7, you'll get two DVDs in the box: one is 32-bit and the other is 64-bit. If your processor is 32-bit, you'll have to install the 32-bit version. If it was 64-bit, you could install either the 32- or the 64-bit one. But you should obviously go for the 64-bit one if processor is 64-bit to take advantage of it.

    What's the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit? Basically 64-bit has better performance. Microsoft is only providing 32-bit so that older (32-bit) processors can run Windows 7.

    What happens if you insert the 64-bit DVD on a 32-bit machine? Nothing, you'll just get an error message telling you that it's not compatible. So you’ll have to use the other disk anyway!

    Good luck :)
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