Clean Install Windows 7

How to Do a Clean Installation with Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to do a clean installation with a retail Windows 7. A OEM Windows 7 may have a few different screens than below, but basically the same.

Yes, you can do a clean install from a upgrade Windows 7 version.
NOTE: See this tutorial for how: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

   Note

Do a Clean Installation if:

• Your computer has no operating system installed, or it’s running a version of Windows prior to Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (including Windows XP).
• You do NOT want to preserve your data, programs, or system drivers.
• You want to delete your current operating system and replace it with Windows 7.
• You want to create a multiboot system by installing Windows 7 on a separate hard disk partition.

   Tip

• Sometimes you may have a problem with installing Windows 7 with more than 2 GB of RAM installed on some older motherboards. If you have this problem, then you should install Windows 7 with a maximum of 2GB of RAM installed and add the rest of the RAM after Windows 7 is fully installed. You may need to flash your motherboard BIOS with the latest version to support more RAM like this. (WARNING - DO NOT FLASH THE BIOS if you do not know what you are doing. Please ask for help instead. One mistake can kill your motherboard permanently.)
• Before doing this clean install, you should download and save all of your device drivers to a USB flash drive, DVD, another HDD, or some other media to have them handy to make setting Windows 7 up easier when finished installing Windows 7. For example, having the network driver available in case you cannot connect to the internet until it's installed.

   Warning

Windows 7 Minimum Hardware Requirements:

NOTE: For more information on this, see: Windows 7 system requirements

• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
• 1 GB RAM for 32-bit Windows 7 OR 2 GB RAM for 64-bit Windows 7
• 16 GB available hard disk space for 32-bit Windows 7 OR 20 GB for 64-bit Windows 7
• Graphics card or chip that supports DirectX 9 with 128 MB memory (to have Aero theme enabled)
• DVD-R/W drive, or bootable USB 2.0 port with Windows 7 USB flash drive
• Internet or phone access to activate Windows 7.

Here's How:1. Boot the computer from your Windows 7 installation DVD/USB.
NOTE: Make sure that the CD/DVD drive is selected first and your HDD second in the boot priority order in your BIOS settings. Usually it is by default.

   Warning

If you want to install Windows 7 using UEFI instead of BIOS, then see this below first.

How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)

   Note

If you do not have a Windows 7 with SP1 installation DVD/USB, then you can download the latest official Windows 7 with SP1 ISO file at the links below.

:ar: Microsoft Software Recovery

:ar: Microsoft: Windows 7 Direct Download Links

You can use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the clean install with.

2. If using a DVD, then when prompted, press any key to boot from the installation DVD. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You will only have about 8 seconds to press this key. If you miss it, you will have to restart the computer.
3. Set up your language preferences, and click on the Next button. (See screeshot below).
4. Click on the Install Now button to start the installation. (See screenshot below)
5. Check the I accept the license terms box, and click on Next. (See screenshot below)
6. Click on the Custom (advanced) option. (See screenshot below)
7. Select the hard drive or partition that you want to install Windows 7 on, and click on the Drive Options (advanced) link. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If the hard drive or partition that you have selected is unallocated, then you can just click on the Next button instead and go to step 9 since it is already empty.
WARNING: You may not have the Drive options (advanced) option unless the installation is done at boot, and not running the installation from within your current OS.
8. Select a hard drive or partition that you want to do a clean install of Windows 7 on, do what Drive options (advanced) you want if any, and click on the Next button when finished. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If you have your hard drives in a RAID setup, then connect your USB key with the RAID drivers on it, click on Load Driver, select the folder on the USB key that contains the RAID drivers to install them. Afterwards, your RAID drives will be available to select from to install Windows 7 on.

   Tip

Drive options (advanced)

• If you have more than one partition for a disk # (hard drive) and want to get rid of them to make that disk # one partition drive again, then select a partition with that disk # and click on the Delete option for each partition with the same disk # until there is only one "unallocated space" with that disk # left as in the screenshot below.
• To shrink an existing partition to create another partition to install Windows 7 on instead, select the partition you want shrink and click on the Extend option. Type in how much in MB (1 GB = 1024 MB) that you want to shrink it by. Now select the new extended partition.

   Note

The 100 MB System Reserved partition is used for the Boot Manager code, BCD (Boot Configuration Database), System Recovery Options (Windows RE), and start up files for BitLocker (if turned on).

• If you want to have the 100 MB System Reserved partition in addition to the Windows 7 C: partition on a HDD or SSD after installation, then you would need to make sure that all partitions on the drive have been deleted until it is only unallocated space. Next, select the unallocated drive to install Windows 7 on. If there are no partitions on the disk, you will get the 100 MB System Reserved.
• If you do not want to have the 100 MB System Reserved partition and only the Windows 7 C: partition on a HDD or SSD after installation, then select a formatted partition or drive to install Windows 7 on. If there are any partitions on the disk, you won't get the 100 MB System Reserved.

9. The installation of Windows 7 will now begin. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: During the installation process, your screen may flash and computer will restart a few times.
10. After the final restart, you will see this screen for a moment. (See screenshot below)
11. Type in any user name that you want for your default administrator account and any computer name, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
12. Type in a password you want for your default administrator account. Type it in again to confirm it, then type in a hint for your password. Click on the Next button. (See screenshots below)
WARNING: The password will be case sensitive. The hint will be seen by all users on the computer, so do not type your password as the hint.
NOTE: If you do not want your your user account password protected at this time or do not want to have to type in a hint, then leave this blank and click on the Next button. You can create a password later for your user account in the Control Panel User Accounts after installing Windows 7 without having to type in a hint.


13. Type in your Windows 7 product key number. (See screenshot below step 14)

14. Uncheck the Automatically activate Windows when I'm online box, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: You can activate Windows 7 later after you make sure it is running properly. (See step 21 below)
If you chose to automatically activate Windows 7 online when you set up your computer, automatic activation begins trying to activate your copy of Windows three days after you log on for the first time.
15. Click on Use recommended settings to allow automatic Windows Updates and proper security settings. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: For more information about these recommended settings, click on the Learn more about each option link in this window.
16. Select your time zone and set your time and date settings, then click on the Next button. (See screenshot below)
17. Click on your computer's correct network location type location to select it and have the settings for that location automatically applied. (See screenshot below)
18. Windows 7 will now prepare your desktop to startup. (See screenshots below)


19. When it's finished and you are at your desktop, you can now remove or disconnect your installation DVD/USB from step 1 above.

20. Install all of your device drivers, then Windows Updates.

21. Refresh your Windows Experience Index (WEI) score.

22. When finished, all you will need to do is to activate Windows 7. (See screenshot below)

   Tip

If you are dual booting with another OS (ex: Vista), then that OS partition may not show up in Computer with a driver letter in Windows 7. You will need to add a drive letter to the OS (ex: Vista) partition in Windows 7 Disk Management for it to show up in Computer with a driver letter.

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Downgrade Windows 8 to Windows 7
• How to Do a Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version
• How to Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
• How to Do a Upgrade Installation with Windows 7
• How to Setup Windows 7 to Boot from a VHD (Virtual Hard Disk)
• How to Create a Windows 7 VHD at Boot to Start with from Boot
• How to Do a Repair Install to Fix Windows 7
• How to Activate Windows 7 Online
• How to Extend the Windows 7 Activation Trial Period Up to 120 Days
• How to Change the Default Operating System to Start in Windows 7
• How to Change Time to Display Operating Systems at Boot in Windows 7
• How to Delete an Operating System Listed in Windows Boot Manager
• How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
• How to Install Windows 7 from USB Pen Drive Using Grub4Dos
• How to Create a New Partition or Volume in Windows 7
• How to Fix Missing Vista Hard Disk Partition Letter in Windows 7
• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Setup a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP
• How to Install Windows 7 FAST without a DVD or USB Device
• Install Windows 7 Without Using Any External Device
• How to Do a Custom Installation of Windows 7
• How to Partition the Hard Drive in a Windows 7 Install
• How to Install Windows 7 on Computer with Less than 512MB RAM
• Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 and Updates to Create a Bootable USB, Installation DVD, or ISO File
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 7 from the Windows 7 Desktop
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 7 from the Windows XP Desktop
• How to Install Windows 7 Using "Unified Extensible Firmware Interface" (UEFI)
• How to Clean Reinstall a Factory OEM Windows 7
• New Installation: How to Create a General System Image in Audit Mode
• How to Clean Install Windows on a MSATA (SSD) Drive

 

[Brink]

No problem Pinklotus.

Once you click on the Drive options (advanced) link from step 7, you would Delete the partitions for your disk # until that disk # is showing as "unallocated" in step 8.

 

[Sir John]

Windows 7 install tutorial

I'm a new meber (Sir John, pass word: [removed]) and think I joined in past few weeks. I received a IE7 message from Windows 7 that had exactly what I've been looking for - titled
How to do a Clean Installatin with Windows 7.

What an excellent article it is and exactly what I need. I intended to close the article and after closing, realized I evidently hit the delete key in error, and had already removed files from the trash can It is GONE.

The article is dated 1-10-2009 and in the tutorial section. Stated the file wasn't where I could down load it or sent it to me by email again. I certainly will appreciate if you fan resend me the message that has URL link in it. Title is in bold
above of the article.

In hunting this article, came across Clean Reinstall Windows 7 - Factory OEM If I'm not too bold to ask for it, too, would like it. I plan to purchase Win7 Proffessional OEM. ( I just know you haven't heard "I'm retired and Social Security checks don't far as I'd like it to...)

So glad I found your list. Read few articles and comments - you write where people understand what you are saying - becoming unusual these days. <G>

If there is a problem resending, is there a way I can copy the article? Couldn't tonight, or rather this morning..... <G>

 

[Brink]

Hello Sir John, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Clean Reinstall Windows 7 - Factory OEM tutorial is for a store bought computer that has Windows 7 preinstalled instead.

For one that you want to install, you would want to use the tutorial on the first page of this tutorial instead.

You could save or print the tutorial out if you like.

 

[Sir John]

How to do clean Windows clean install tutorial

I'm a new menber and signed on when got above tutorial few days ago. What a great article, with photos to help the article two-dos, etc. Article written where it is easy to follow. Thanks guys/gals. Sir John Adding P S in that I've built a 'bunch' of computers sijce '93 but still can get lost about some programs - plus being stupid in not witing down my log-in. Sure gonna pass your group to the local P C Club (Golden Triangle P C Club) and the Southeast Louisiana P C Club - ya'll (yep, gotta prove I'm a Tesas <G>)

 

[Brink]

John,

I'm happy to hear that you liked the tutorial and found it helpful and easy to use.

 

[abdula]

Before doing this clean install, you should download and save all of your device drivers to a USB flash drive, DVD, another HDD, or some other media to have them handy to make setting Windows 7 up easier when finished installing Windows 7. For example, having the network driver available in case you cannot connect to the internet until it's installed.

If i got a laptop without a HDD, how am I supposed to do taht? Is it any different if I start with a blank drive in a old computer? I have a hp pavilion dv810us btw

 

[Brink]

Hello Abdula, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you have a friends computer, or another computer, to use, then you could download the drivers from that computer and save them on your USB flash drive.

This is mostly just to be safe in case your Windows 7 installation needs a network (ex: ethernet or wireless) driver to be installed before it will have access to the internet after you install Windows 7 as usual.

 

[abdula]

Hello Abdula, and welcome to Seven Forums.

If you have a friends computer, or another computer, to use, then you could download the drivers from that computer and save them on your USB flash drive.

This is mostly just to be safe in case your Windows 7 installation needs a network (ex: ethernet or wireless) driver to be installed before it will have access to the internet after you install Windows 7 as usual.

So since I have a HP laptop, i just go to he HP website and search around for it?

thanks

 

[Brink]

I couldn't find the drivers for your hp pavilion dv810us, but you might see if using the HP link below to try and have them found automatically for you may help.

HP Product Detection

 

[DucoHD]

No problem Pinklotus.

Once you click on the Drive options (advanced) link from step 7, you would Delete the partitions for your disk # until that disk # is showing as "unallocated" in step 8.

Hey, I'm kinda having the same problem. I guess it's the same with me, but I want to be sure

So I just got my new laptop, the Asus N56VM-S4050V with Windows 7 Home Premium installed on it. But there's a lot of bloatware on the laptop so I want to do the clean installation, and install Win7 ultimate.

I'm stuck at step 7, like pinklotus. I click on the Custom (advanced) option, then I see two partitions, the HDD on which the home premium edition is installed on, and a system reserved partition. Want I need to do next, is delete both partitions, and not format them right? After that I click on the HDD which by then is unallocated space, to install ultimate on it?

What is the difference actually? I hope you can help me.

Kind regards,

Duco

 

[Brink]

No problem Pinklotus.

Once you click on the Drive options (advanced) link from step 7, you would Delete the partitions for your disk # until that disk # is showing as "unallocated" in step 8.

Hey, I'm kinda having the same problem. I guess it's the same with me, but I want to be sure

So I just got my new laptop, the Asus N56VM-S4050V with Windows 7 Home Premium installed on it. But there's a lot of bloatware on the laptop so I want to do the clean installation, and install Win7 ultimate.

I'm stuck at step 7, like pinklotus. I click on the Custom (advanced) option, then I see two partitions, the HDD on which the home premium edition is installed on, and a system reserved partition. Want I need to do next, is delete both partitions, and not format them right? After that I click on the HDD which by then is unallocated space, to install ultimate on it?

What is the difference actually? I hope you can help me.

Kind regards,

Duco

Hello Duco, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, you have it correct.

Before starting, you might consider creating a set of Asus factory recovery discs for the Windows 7 Home Premium that came included with your laptop. This way you will be able to reinstall it back to factory conditions in the future if you should ever want to since wiping the HDD will also wipe the factory recovery partition(s).

If you format the HDD first, then the "System Reserved" partition will not be added.

If you do not format and select a "Unallocated space", then the "System Reserved" partition will be added. This is just the preferred method.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[DucoHD]

Hello Duco, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Yes, you have it correct.

Before starting, you might consider creating a set of Asus factory recovery discs for the Windows 7 Home Premium that came included with your laptop. This way you will be able to reinstall it back to factory conditions in the future if you should ever want to since wiping the HDD will also wipe the factory recovery partition(s).

If you format the HDD first, then the "System Reserved" partition will not be added.

If you do not format and select a "Unallocated space", then the "System Reserved" partition will be added. This is just the preferred method.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Alright!

Now I know everything I need to know. First I'll create the recovery disks and then I'm gonna go ahead and go down the preferred method, deleting the partitions.

Thanks for the help man!

Kind regards,

Duco

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Duco.

 

[JonathanV]

I did a clean install of Windows 7 with new purchased Windows 7 installation disc. But I didn't see Step 17.
For example: After setting date & time, it goes finalizing your settings instead of applying network location. After installation, I didn't get any network adapter.
How to solve this?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jonathan,

It sounds like you may need to install your network driver first, then you should be able to setup your network connection.

 

[JonathanV]

Oh, I think Windows 7 installs network driver itself while installing Windows 7.

 

[Britton30]

Oh, I think Windows 7 installs network driver itself while installing Windows 7.

Generally the LAN is one driver w7 does not install.

 

[Brink]

@Gary,

Agreed.

@Jonathan,

If needed, here's your driver download page from Acer below for your lan driver.

Acer Support: Downloads & Support Documents - Netbook / Aspire One / AO722

 

[NZCampbell]

Hey mate I didnt have to select F8 on mu Asus UX32VD. It just went straight to installing of the USB

 

[Brink]

Hello NZ,

You may have had your USB listed first in the boot priority order in BIOS.