How to Install Windows 7 on a Computer or Laptop

Read this article to find out how to make a clean installation of Windows 7 on a desktop computer or laptop. Although this operating system is becoming less relevant every day, the army of its fans it still large enough, and this article is intended for those who wouldn’t like to part with the version of Windows they have got used to.

How to create a boot disk with Windows 7

To install the operating system, you will need a Windows 7 installation disk which can be bought – or created on your own.

I don’t see any point in describing how to create an installation CD/DVD. Installing Windows with a USB pen drive is much easier.

To create a bootable drive, you can use an official tool by Microsoft – Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool. It is free of charge and you can download it from the Microsoft official website. This app is also good for Windows 8 and 10.

Now,

  • download and run it.

  • Select a suitable system image file and click Next.

  • Now choose the media type, in this case USB device.

  • Select the necessary flash drive from the list of all devices in your computer (in my case, it is disk J) and click Begin copying.

  • You will see a warning that all data in this flash drive will be deleted. If you don’t have any important files on this drive, click Erase USB Device.

  • Confirm your decision to delete all files and wait until the files are copied to your USB drive.

  • When it is over, you will see a message saying Backup completed, which means the bootable pen drive is ready to use.

How to start a computer with a bootable pen drive

To start the installation, plug the bootable drive into the computer where you want to install the operating system, and make it boot from that pen drive.

The boot sequence – that is, the command for your computer to boot from a USB device is configured in BIOS or UEFI.

If you need advice on how to enter BIOS / UEFI and boot a computer from a USB drive or DVD, watch our video on this topic:

Installing Windows 7 step by step

When the computer boots from the installation USB drive, this is what you are going to see.

  • Select preferred language and click Next.

  • In the following window, hit Install now.

  • Accept the license terms.

  • Select the installation type. If you mean clean installation like in my case, select Custom….

  • Specify, where exactly you want to install Windows. That is, select a disk for installation. If your computer has several disks, choose the one you wan to be the system drive. If your computer is limited to using one disk (like mine), just select it.

    Please remember that all data from the disk where the operating system is installed will be erased.

  • The installation wizard will copy required files to the computer and launch the installation.

  • In the process, the computer will reboot several times. It is absolutely natural and supposed to be that way.

  • Select user name for your account as well as the computer’s name in network.

  • Set the password to protect your account. If you just click Next and don’t enter the password, the operating system will always boot directly to desktop, without asking for a password.

  • Enter the product key for Windows 7. If you do not have the product key at hand you can still click Next and proceed with the installation. You will be asked to enter the product key after Windows is installed.

  • The system will offer you to deal with additional settings. You can postpone it and change settings later or use the recommended settings (if you are a beginner).

  • Select the time zone and click Next.

  • If your computer is connected to a network, Windows will also suggest selecting network settings. Select Home network.

  • After that, the operating system will apply the settings and finish the installation.

As a result, the computer will reboot and Windows 7 desktop will appear in the screen.

How to recover data you have lost as a result of reinstallation

If you lost some files as a result of installing, reinstalling, updating or resetting Windows, you can bring them back with Hetman Partition Recovery.

If you have any problems, errors or question during the installation, feel free to ask us in comments.

Author: , Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Editor: , Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

When was Windows 7 released?

Windows 7 operating system was released on 22 October 2009.

Can I upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7?

If your computer or laptop meets the system requirements for Windows 7, you can upgrade to it. Unfortunately, upgrading directly is quite difficult, so it is recommended to perform a clean installation of the new operating system.

Is it possible to install two operating systems, Windows XP and Windows 7 onto the same partition?

It is, but you’re likely to encounter system conflicts. To avoid trouble, Windows XP should be installed, and the partition should be formatted - or you can even use a different partition of the same hard disk.

How installing an operating system on a laptop differs from doing that on a desktop PC?

There’s no difference.

How can I fix the error: “Windows cannot be installed on this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style” ?

If you encountered this error when trying to install Windows 7, you’ll need to convert the GPT format into MBR:

  • As soon as the installation progress reaches the stage where the disk partition should be selected (and this is where this error appears), press the key shortcut Shift+F10;
  • Type the command diskpart. This command lets you perform various actions with disk partitions;
  • After that, type the command list disk (after this command is performed, you’ll need to note the number of the disk to be converted);
  • Follow it with the command select disk N (where N is the number of the disk received with the help of the previous command);
  • Type the command clean (disk cleanup);
  • Now you need to convert the disk into the MBR format. For this purpose, type the command "convert mbr"
  • After that, run the command "create partition primary";
  • At the next stage, type these commands one after another "active > format fs=ntfs quick > assign > exit"

Comments (14) #

  • jerry 25.09.2021 09:39 #

    Thus, there's a fascinating wonder in regards to this. For reasons unknown, it's more steady to vigorously undervolt under load than out of gear. I have encountered comparative issues with eGPUs when running "power saving" profiles. Inactive profiles appear to require more voltage to be steady, potentially in light of the fact that they're now set low.

  • Sapna 18.03.2021 06:52 #

    Hi if I install new window than my all files will be deleted

  • Jeremiah Tomson 3.12.2020 06:10 #

    What is the difference between a clean installation and an upgrade installation of Windows 7?

    • Hetman Software 3.12.2020 06:35 #

      A clean installation of Windows 7 involves completely erasing the existing operating system and then installing a new copy of Windows 7 from scratch. An upgrade installation involves upgrading the existing operating system to Windows 7, usually by installing a new version of Windows 7 over the existing version.

  • Bubby Jinkins 3.12.2020 02:04 #

    Can I install Windows 7 on a computer or laptop that currently has Windows 10 installed?

    • Hetman Software 3.12.2020 02:39 #

      Yes, you can install Windows 7 on a computer or laptop that currently has Windows 10 installed. However, you will need to perform a clean installation of Windows 7, which means you will need to back up any data and applications you have on the computer before beginning the installation process.

  • Daniel Stuckey 2.12.2020 23:56 #

    How do I access the BIOS or UEFI settings to boot from a USB drive?

    • Hetman Software 3.12.2020 00:26 #

      The exact steps to access the BIOS or UEFI settings will vary depending on your computer's make and model. Generally, you can access the BIOS or UEFI settings by pressing a specific key or combination of keys during the boot process. Common keys used to access BIOS or UEFI settings are F2, F10, F12, and Delete. Once you have accessed the BIOS or UEFI settings, you will need to navigate to the boot menu and select the USB drive as the boot device.

  • Dirk Hart-Davis 2.12.2020 21:55 #

    Can I use a USB drive larger than 4GB to install Windows 7?

    • Hetman Software 2.12.2020 22:29 #

      Yes, you can use a USB drive larger than 4GB to install Windows 7. However, you will need to use a utility such as Rufus to create a bootable USB drive. Additionally, you will need to ensure that the USB drive is formatted with the NTFS file system.

  • Braden Wind 2.12.2020 19:03 #

    How can one create a bootable USB drive for installing Windows 7?

    • Hetman Software 2.12.2020 19:26 #

      1. Download the Windows 7 ISO file.
      2. Download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool from Microsoft.
      3. Insert your USB drive into your computer and launch the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.
      4. Select the ISO file you downloaded in Step 1 and click “Next”.
      5. Select “USB Device” as the media type you want to use and click “Next”.
      6. Select the USB drive you want to use and click “Begin Copying”.
      7. Wait for the files to be copied to the USB drive.
      8. Once the process is complete, you will have a bootable USB drive that can be used to install Windows 7 on your computer.
  • Maxim Cherniga 2.12.2020 18:41 #

    If you have any questions about installing Windows 7 on a computer or laptop in 2020, leave a comment to let us know.

    • Olav 26.09.2021 13:12 #

      The BIG issue after 2020 is that Microsoft no longer activates perfectly legal reinstallations of Windows 7. An installation of Win 7 should be activated of course, and given the fact that Windows 7 is almost as good as the excellent Windows XP (the best OS Microsoft ever made) and everything after Win 7 has been useless trash - especially due to Microsoft's junk replacement for the universal PC BIOS, there are many users who swear by older versions of Microsoft's OS. They are simply better. Microsoft has let users down by its attempts to force us to buy the garbage known as Windows 10. Hence, no help with activation of Win 7.

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