ISO and Installation Question

I recently purchased Windows 7 with the student discount and burned the downloadable ISO to a DVD. I'm about to build a brand new desktop, and I just wanted to know if it's possible to install Windows 7 simply using the DVD with the ISO on it? Will my new PC even recognize it? I also ordered the backup DVD when I purchased 7; will that work? I've never built a custom PC before so I don't really know much about installing an OS. Any info would be appreciated, thanks.

Yes the Student offer is a full version I believe and not an Upgrade so you can clean install it by booting from the DVD, after entering BIOS setup and setting DVD drive to boot first before HD.

Be sure to use Custom Advanced drive tools to Create New Partition(s) as you desire and Format before installing.

Hopefully you have ethernet to plug in and select to "Connect to internet during install" as Win7 will update it's installer with even newer drivers and updates as it installs.

The installer is nearly driver-complete, but you may need to have your mobo CD and other drivers handy in case any are missing you can insert them via Device Manager. Newer ones will come in first Windows Updates.

gregrocker said:

Be sure to use Custom Advanced drive tools to Create New Partition(s) as you desire and Format before installing.

Hopefully you have ethernet to plug in and select to "Connect to internet during install" as Win7 will update it's installer with even newer drivers and updates as it installs.

So basically just hook up my DVD drive and internet before first startup? And when prompted, I select the DVD drive to go first rather than the hard drive? And will it ask me directly to select Custom Advanced drive tools? Or is that something that I'll only need if I'm doing things like RAID (which is way over my head)?

I would avoid RAID as it is problematic with Win7. But you need to study your mobo manual to understand its settings. This thread is hot here right now: AHCI, can someone explain?

In the BIOS setup page accessed by tapping the F-key given on first BIOS screen, it should have a Boot Tab (read your manual to be sure) which allows you to set which device boots first, second, third, etc.

Set the DVD drive to boot first so you can boot your Win7 install DVD.

It will prompt you after startup to "Hit any key to boot from CD/DVD drive" which will boot the DVD.

Thanks a lot for your help!