Quick overview:
Although Windows XP only required an installation CD with around 600 MB storage capacity, the installation takes around 30-40 minutes, even on modern PCs. Windows Vista, on the other hand, comes on a complete DVD and installs in just 20-35 minutes - on some test configurations, we found the installation time to be 50% shorter. This is due to the new "image" based installation. Simply put, a pre-configured and hardware-independent Windows Vista installation is copied to your hard disk. Only then is this installation adapted to your hardware - this is of course much quicker than copying individual files as with Windows XP.
We will guide you step by step through the Vista installation process. A little tip: If you want to test Windows Vista first, you can also install it on a "virtual computer" with the help of Virtual PC 2007 carry out!
1. Start your computer or notebook and insert the Windows Vista installation DVD into the drive. In most cases, the message "Press any key to boot from DVD..." should appear. If not, you will need to enter the computer's "BIOS". To do this, (usually) press either the "Del" or "F2" key directly in the first few seconds of system startup. Switch to the "Boot" menu and set the CD/DVD drive as the boot drive. In some BIOS versions, for example, this option is called "Boot Priority" or "First Boot Device".
2. After around 30-60 seconds, you will be greeted by the welcome screen. Decide on the desired language and confirm by clicking on "Next".
3. To start the setup, click on "Install now".
4. You can now enter a product key. For the first time in the history of Windows, this is not mandatory for installation. If you leave the field empty and click on "Next", you will be asked whether you want to enter the product key. If you answer the "Question" with "No", the setup will continue. Then select the edition you wish to install.
5. Select "The selection above corresponds to the Windows edition you have purchased" and click "Next". However, you must enter the product key within 30 days to activate Windows, otherwise you will no longer be able to use the operating system.
6. The next step takes you straight to the license terms (which you have read carefully, yes?), which you accept by clicking "I accept the license terms/continue".
7. You can now choose between an upgrade installation or a new installation. However, an upgrade from Windows XP is often fraught with errors due to the orphaned remnants. If you want to run Windows Vista with the highest possible stability, a new installation is recommended - in this case, select "Custom (extended)".
8. The setup will now ask you "Where would you like to install Windows?". You will see a table of all partitions and hard disks. In most cases, Windows Vista will find the drivers for the hard disk controller, but for more exotic SCSI or SATA controllers, you should have the drivers ready on a floppy disk, USB stick or CD and search for them via "Load drivers".
Once all the required hard disks are in the list, you can create, format, extend or delete a new partition in "Drive options (extended)". When creating a partition, you have the option of specifying its size in detail.
Our recommendation: Split your hard disk into at least two parts. One for the operating system (drive C:) and one for your data or the swap file (D:) - but you will learn more about this in another article.
Now click on "Next".
9. The installation of Windows Vista will now start! The system will restart briefly in between, but you can leave the computer running for the next (min.) 20 minutes.
10. Now that you've had two coffees and tidied up your desk, most of the setup is over. Now enter a user name and password (if required).
11. Once you have (naturally) decided on the cat as the user account picture, click on "Next" to continue. In the next window, confirm the name of the computer - this is how it will appear later in the network overview. In my example, I use the terms "Living room" for the Media Center computer in the living room or "Office".
12. To ensure that Windows Vista updates itself automatically, you should always use "Use recommended settings". A large number of updates will be downloaded the first time you connect to the Internet. Once you have confirmed the time zone, date and time, you can almost start (after the obligatory click on "Next"): "Start"!
13. The computer's performance will now be checked, after which you can log in with your password for the first time!
Finito! In this "Installation" section, you will find further tips that are very important immediately after installation.
Yours, Sandro Villinger
On Windows Tweaks you will find time-saving tech guides for PC, software & Microsoft. For a stress-free digital everyday life. Already we have been "tweaking" Windows since 1998 and just won't stop!
