Installation of OS

& Application
Software
 WHAT IS AN OPERATING SYSTEM?

An operating system is the most essential program that allows a computer to run and execute
programs. Without an operating system, a computer cannot be of any important use since the
computer's hardware won't be able to communicate with the software.

An operating system plays an important role of managing software, processes, memory and
hardware. It allows a user to execute programs and communicate with the computer. It also allows
communication between the hardware and the software thus making it easy for tasks to be
completed. It tells the computer what to do by controlling the system components, such as the
processor and disk space. The three most common types of operating systems include Microsoft
Windows, Linux and Mac OS X.
Installing Windows
 HOW TO PLAN A WINDOWS INSTALLATION?

As a PC support technician, you can expect to be called on to install

Windows in a variety of situations. You might need to install Windows on a
new hard drive, after an existing Windows installation has become
corrupted, or to upgrade from one OS to another. Many decisions need to
be made before the installation. Decisions to consider about Windows 7
and most of these decisions apply to any Windows operating system.
 EDITIONS OF WINDOWS 7
Microsoft has produced several editions of Windows 7 designed to satisfy a variety of consumer
needs:

Windows 7 Starter has the most limited features and is intended to be used on netbooks or in
developing nations. In the United States, it can only be obtained preinstalled by the manufacturer on a
new netbook computer. Windows 7 Starter comes only in the 32-bit version. All other editions of
Windows 7 are available in either the 32-bit or 64-bit version.

Windows 7 Home Basic has limited features and is available only in underdeveloped countries and can
only be activated in these countries.

Windows 7 Home Premium is similar to Windows 7 Home Basic, but includes additional features.

Windows 7 Professional is intended for business users. You can purchase multiple site licenses (also
called volume licensing) using this edition.

Windows 7 Enterprise includes additional features over Windows 7 Professional. The major additional
features are BitLocker Drive Encryption used to encrypt an entire hard drive and support for multiple
languages. The edition does not include Windows DVD Maker. Multiple site licenses are available.

Windows 7 Ultimate includes every Windows 7 feature. You cannot purchase multiple licenses with
this edition.
The major features for all editions are listed in Table 7-1.
 32-BIT OR 64-BIT VERSIONS

Recall that an operating system can process 32 bits or 64 bits. A 64-bit installation of
Windows generally performs better than a 32-bit installation if you have enough RAM. Table 7-2
shows how much RAM each edition and version of Windows 7 can support. Another advantage
of 64-bit installations of Windows is they can support 64-bit applications, which run faster than
32-bit applications. Even though you can install 32-bit applications in a 64-bit OS, for best
performance, always choose 64-bit applications. Keep in mind that 64-bit installations of
Windows require 64-bit device drivers.
VERIFY YOUR SYSTEM QUALIFIES FOR WINDOWS 7

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7 are listed

in Table 7-3. (These minimum requirements are also the Microsoft
recommended requirements.) The requirements are the same as
those for Windows Vista. Know, however, that Microsoft occasionally
changes the minimum and recommended requirements for an OS.
 The simplest way to find out if a system can be upgraded to Windows 7 is to
download, install, and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. You can find the software
and instructions on how to use it at windows.microsoft.com/en-
US/windows/downloads/upgrade-advisor. Microsoft also offers the Windows 7
Compatibility Center at www.microsoft.com/windows/ compatibility. You can search
under both software and hardware to find out if they are compatible with Windows 7.
The site sometimes offers links to patches or fixes for a program or device so that it will
work with Windows 7.
 When a computer is first
turned on, it uses some devices
such as the keyboard, monitor,
and hard drive before the OS
starts up. The motherboard
BIOS is contained on a chip on
the motherboard (see Figure 7-
4) and manages these essential
devices. This chip is called a
firmware chip because it holds
programs.
 The motherboard BIOS provides three main functions:

 The system BIOS (basic input/output system) contains instructions for running essential
hardware devices before an operating system is started. After the OS is started, it might
continue to use system BIOS or use device drivers to communicate with these devices.

 The startup BIOS starts the computer and finds a boot device (hard drive, CD drive, or USB fl
ash drive) that contains an operating system. It then turns the startup process over to this
OS.

 The setup BIOS is used to change motherboard settings. You can use it to enable or disable a
device on the motherboard (for example, network port, video port, or USB ports), change the
date and time that is later passed to the OS, and select the order of boot devices for startup
BIOS to search when looking for an operating system to load.
 Recall that device drivers are small programs stored on the hard drive that tell the computer
how to communicate with a specific hardware device such as a printer, network card, or scanner.
These drivers are installed on the hard drive when the OS is first installed, or when new hardware is
added to the system. A device driver is written to work for a specific OS, such as Windows 7 or Vista.
In addition, a 32-bit OS requires 32-bit drivers, and a 64-bit OS requires 64-bit drivers.

Windows provides some device drivers, and the manufacturer of the hardware device provides
others. When you purchase a printer, video card, digital camera, scanner, or other hardware device,
a CD that contains the device drivers is usually bundled with the device along with a user manual
(see Figure 7-5). You can also download the drivers for a device from the manufacturer’s web site.
 Be sure you have Windows 7
device drivers for all your critical
devices such as your network card
or motherboard. To find the
drivers, look on the CD that came
bundled with the device or check
the web site of the device
manufacturer. Remember that a
64-bit OS requires all 64-bit
drivers.
 If you are not sure if your devices will work with Windows 7, one solution is to set up a dual
boot. A dual boot, also called a multiboot, allows you to install the new OS without disturbing the
old one so you can boot to either OS. After the installation, you can test your software or
hardware. If they work under the new OS, you can delete the old one. If they don’t work, you can
still boot to the old OS and use it.

If you have applications written for Vista or XP that are not compatible with Windows 7, you
can use compatibility mode or Windows XP Mode to solve the problem. Compatibility mode is a
group of settings that can be applied to older drivers or applications that might cause them to
work in Windows 7. Windows XP Mode is a Windows XP environment installed in Windows 7 that
can be used to support older applications.
CHOOSE THE TYPE OF INSTALLATION: IN-PLACE UPGRADE, CLEAN
INSTALL, OR DUAL BOOT
If you are installing Windows on a new hard drive, you must perform a clean install. If an OS
is already installed on the hard drive, you have three choices:

 Clean install: You can perform a clean install, overwriting the existing operating system and
applications. In the Windows 7 setup program, a clean install is called a custom installation.
The main advantage of a clean install is that problems with the old OS are not carried forward
and you get a fresh start. During the installation, you will have the option to reformat the hard
drive, erasing everything on the drive. If you don’t format the drive, the data will still be on
the drive, but the previous operating system settings and applications will be lost. After
Windows is installed, you will need to install the applications.
 In-place upgrade: If the upgrade paths allow it, you can perform an in-place upgrade installation. An
in-place upgrade is a Windows installation that is launched from the Windows desktop and the
installation carries forward user settings and installed applications from the old OS to the new one. A
Windows OS is already in place before you begin the new installation. An in-place upgrade is faster
than a clean install and is appropriate if the system is generally healthy and does not have problems.

In order to perform an in-place upgrade, Microsoft requires that certain editions and versions of
Windows be installed. These qualifying OSs are called upgrade paths. Table 7-4 outlines the acceptable
upgrade paths for Windows 7. Notice in the table that there is no upgrade path from Windows XP to
Windows 7 or for certain editions and versions of Vista to Windows 7. Even though you can purchase
an upgrade license to install Windows 7 on these systems, you must perform a clean install.
 In addition to the information given in Table 7-4, keep in mind these tips:
 A 64-bit version of Windows can only be upgraded to a 64-bit OS. A 32-bit OS can only be upgraded to a 32-bit
OS. If you want to install a 64-bit version of Windows on a computer that already has a 32-bit OS installed, you
must perform a clean install.
 You can only upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7 after Vista Service Pack 1 or later has been installed in Vista.
 Dual boot: You can install Windows in a second partition on the hard drive and create a dual-boot
situation with the other OS. Don’t create a dual boot unless you need two operating systems, such
as when you need to verify that applications and hardware work under Windows 7 before you
delete the old OS. Windows 7/Vista/XP all require that they be the only operating system installed
on a partition. So to set up a dual boot, you’ll need at least two partitions on the hard drive or a
second hard drive.