Windows 7 Installation and Activation Guide XP Users When installing Windows 7 you must do a custom installation which requires you to format your hard drive and you will loose all your information saved on your hard drive. If you want to keep a backup of your files and programs you can make a partition but you will not be able to access it from Windows 7.

Vista Users You can only upgrade to Windows 7 by using the Upgrade advisor found here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-towindows-7-custom - T1=tab01 If you want to upgrade, follow the instructions in the link above and disregard the rest of the directions in this guide. If you do not use the upgrade advisor, you will need to do a custom install which requires you to format your hard drive and you will loose all your information. If you want to keep a backup of your files and programs you can make a partition but you will not be able to access it from Windows 7.

Custom Installation Guide First open up your email with the subject “Download Instructions”. Download either the 32bit or 64bit ISO file. Then Create the Windows 10 installation media by either burning the ISO file to a disc or by creating a bootable USB drive. How to Burn to a disk: With a blank DVD in the PC, navigate to the ISO file you just downloaded. Right-Click on the file and select “Burn to Disc”. How to Create Bootable USB: 1. Insert an 8MB or larger flash drive into an open USB slot on your computer. All the information on the flash drive will be deleted so make

sure it is either blank or the information on it is backed up. 2. Download Rufus from https://rufus.akeo.ie/ 3. Click and Open rufus.exe 4. After that, look for the “Create a bootable USB drive option” and from the drop-down, select an ISO Image. 5. Then, click on the button next to the dropdown and select the Windows 10 ISO file you downloaded from your email. 6. Lastly, click on “Start” and wait for the software to create the bootable USB drive.

Boot from Installation Media and Install Windows After you have burned your DVD or created your bootable USB drive you will need to boot from it to install Windows 7. With the DVD or USB inserted in the PC restart the computer. If your PC does not automatically boot into the installer you may need to change your boot order. On most PCs this involves holding F12 while the PC is booting up, but you may have to search for your specific brand of PC. Once you have booted into the installer you will see the following screens.

Once you have booted into the installer you will see the Windows logo. Select the Language, time, and keyboard setting, then click “Next”.

Select “Install Now”.

Please wait, Windows 7 is installing in the background. This could take several minutes.

Check the box next “I accept the license terms” and select Next button.

Select “Custom (advanced)”.

In this screen, you'll see each partition of your hard drive. Click “Drive options (advanced)” link to show the delete option. In the next few steps you'll delete the partitions containing the operating system you're replacing with Windows 7, be it Windows Vista, Windows XP, a previous installation of Windows 7, etc. Important: Before continuing, be aware that deleting a partition will permanently erase all data from that drive. By all data, that includes operating systems installed, all programs, all data saved by those programs, all music, all video, all documents, etc. that might be on that particular drive.

Highlight the partition you want to delete and then click “Delete”.

Note: Your list of partitions may differ from the ones shown below. If you have multiple hard drives and/or multiple partitions on those drive(s), take great care in confirming that you're deleting the correct partition(s). Many people, for example, have second hard drives or partitions that act as backup drives. That's certainly not a drive you want to be deleting.

If you are really sure you are ready to erase your hard drive (all data will be lost), select “OK”.

Optional: delete additional partitions. If you have any additional partitions and you want them deleted, you can do that now by selecting them and hitting “delete”.

Select the disc that you would like to install Windows 7 on and select “Next”.

Windows will now begin installing. This may take up to an hour and the computer will restart several times

When Windows is finished installing everything you will see the screen below.

After a few minutes of extra setup your computer will boot into the Windows 7 setup screen. Choose your user name and select “Next”.

Choose your password and password hint and select “Next”.

Enter the product key from the “Download Instructions” email.

Choose which settings you would like to use. Recommended settings are the most common.

Choose your Time Zone and select “Next”.

Choose your network profile. For a personal computer “Home Network” is the most common.

Windows will finalize your settings; this generally takes a few minutes.

When you see the desktop Windows 7 is now finished installing.

Congratulations Windows 7 is now installed and activated!!