Last Update: Sep 24, 2024 | Published: Jan 07, 2009
How can I install Windows Vista?
As a Microsoft Windows Vista support professional, one of your tasks may be to install the operating system.
When you run the Windows Vista Setup program, you must provide information about how to install and configure the operating system. Thorough planning can make your installation of Windows Vista more efficient by helping you to avoid potential problems during installation. An understanding of the configuration options will also help to ensure that you have properly configured your system.
I won’t go into that part right now (I might later this month, no promises…) but here are some of the most important things you should take into consideration when planning for your Windows Vista installation:
After you made sure you can go on, start the installation process.
You can install Windows Vista in several methods – all are valid and good, it all depends upon your needs and your limitations. In this manual I will focus on the simplest form of installation – directly from the Windows Vista DVD media.
More on other forms of installation can be found in the Windows Vista Information, Tweaking, Tips and Tricks section.
So, insert your Windows Vista DVD media into your DVD drive and reboot your computer. A black window will appear momentarily while the DVD content is read.
Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows Vista does not have a noticeable text phase of the setup process, and it will boot directly into the Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode.
Press Next unless you want to change some regional settings for the installation process.
You can skip this part if you don’t have the product key handy (read Install Windows Vista Without Supplying the Product Key for more info). However, if you do have a valid product key at that time (and you should have one, we’re dealing with legal issues here), then by entering the right key the setup program knows which version of Vista to install.
If you skip it, you’ll be prompted for a Vista version that matches your product key (the one you don’t have handy at that moment):
The Upgrade button is disabled because this specific installation if performed on a new computer without any previous operating system on it.
Since we don’t need to perform any additional task we will just press on the Next button. The installation process will then create a partition on all the available disk space, and format it.
Although the setup program will let you continue without entering a password, note that it is very advisable to enter a password here, and the best option would be to choose a complex password made of at least 7 characters or more (something like P@ssw0rd or MYpa$$w0rd). Make sure you remember it.
Also pick your user’s display picture. This can be changed later.
Also pick a background for the user’s desktop. This can be changed later.
Note that this setting will also have effect on how the computer uses the Microsoft Windows Update (Automatic Updates) features.
A note for Israeli users: Finally! Windows Vista has the DST setting enabled for us!!!
Note that if the computer was connected to the Internet while installing it, it will automatically download and prompt you to install any missing hotfix or update it finds for the current state of the operating system.
Done!