Installing Windows 7 is very simple because of the
installation wizard. The installation wizard will walk you through the
entire installation of the operating system.
There are many decisions
that should be made before you insert the actual Windows 7 media into
the machine. The first decision is which version of Windows 7 you want
to install. Let's take a look at the different versions of Windows 7.
1. Different Versions of Windows 7
Microsoft has six different
versions of the Windows 7 operating system. This allows an
administrator to custom fit a user's hardware and job function to the
appropriate version of Windows 7. The six different versions of Windows 7
are:
Windows 7 Starter Windows 7 Home Basic Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Enterprise Windows 7 Ultimate
Many times Microsoft
releases multiple editions of the operating system contained within the
same Windows 7 media disk. You can choose to unlock the one you want
based on the product key you have. Let's take a closer look at the
different versions of Windows 7.
1.1. Windows 7 Starter
The Windows 7 Starter
edition was designed for small notebook PCs, and it is now available
worldwide. This is a change from the previous versions of the Windows
Starrer editions. Previously, the Starter editions were available only
to certain locations. Windows 7 Starter edition has some features that
work well on small notebook PCs:
A safe, reliable, and supported operating system HomeGroup,
which allows a user to easily share media, documents, and printers
across multiple PCs in homes or offices without the need of a domain Improved Windows Taskbar and Jump Lists Broad application and device compatibility with unlimited concurrent applications
NOTE
At the time this
book was written, the three concurrent applications restriction was
removed. Concurrent applications restriction meant that you could only
run a certain amount of applications at any one time. This was a
limitation in Vista Starter Edition. If you plan on using the Windows 7
Starter edition, please check Microsoft's website for any possible
changes to this restriction.
There are many limitations to using the Windows 7 Starter edition. Windows 7 Starter edition does not include the following:
Aero Glass, You are
allowed to use only the Windows Basic or other opaque themes. Also, you
do not get to use the Live Taskbar Previews or Aero Peek. Personalization features for changing Desktop backgrounds, window colors, and sound schemes. The ability to easily switch between users. You must logoff to change users. Multi-monitor support. DVD playback or Windows Media Center for watching recorded TV or other media. Remote media streaming for streaming your videos, music, and recorded TV from your home computer. Domain support for business customers. XP Mode for those who want the ability to run older Windows XP programs on Windows 7.
1.2. Windows 7 Home Basic
The Windows 7 Home Basic
edition is going to be issued only to limited areas throughout the
world. The Home Basic edition, at the time this was written, is not
going to be available to U.S. customers. Only emerging markets will be
able to purchase the Home Basic edition so that they can have an
inexpensive version of Windows 7. The Home Basic edition has some of the
following features:
Broad application and device compatibility with unlimited concurrent applications
A safe, reliable, and supported operating system HomeGroup,
which allows a user to easily share media, documents, and printers
across multiple PCs in homes or offices without the need of a domain Improved Taskbar and Jump Lists Live thumbnail previews and an enhanced visual experience Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Windows Mobility Center
1.3. Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium is the main operating system for the home users. Home Premium offers many features, including these:
Broad application and device compatibility with unlimited concurrent applications A safe, reliable, and supported operating system HomeGroup,
which allows a user to easily share media, documents, and printers
across multiple PCs in homes or offices without the need of a domain Improved Taskbar and Jump Lists Live thumbnail previews and an enhanced visual experience Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Mobility Center Windows Aero transparent glass design and advanced Windows navigation Easy networking and sharing across all your PCs and devices Improved media for mat support and enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To Multitouch Improved handwriting recognition
1.4. Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Professional
was designed with the small business owner in mind. Microsoft has
designed Windows 7 Professional so that you can get more done and
safeguard your data. Professional offers the following features:
Broad application and device compatibility with unlimited concurrent applications A safe, reliable, and supported operating system HomeGroup,
which allows a user to easily share media documents and printers across
multiple PCs in homes or offices without the need of a domain Improved Taskbar and Jump Lists Live thumbnail previews and an enhanced visual experience Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Mobility Center Action Center, which makes it easier to resolve many IT issues yourself Aero transparent glass design and advanced Windows navigation Easy networking and sharing across alt your PCs and devices Improved media for mat support and enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To Multitouch Improved handwriting recognition Domain Join, which enables simple and secure server networking Encrypting File System, which protects data with advanced network backup Location Aware Printing, which helps find the right printer when moving between the office and home Windows XP Mode to enable customers to run many Windows XP productivity applications
1.5. Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate
Windows 7 Enterprise and
Ultimate are the two versions designed for mid-size and large
organizations. These two operating systems have the most features and
security options out of all Windows 7 versions. Here are some of the
features:
Broad application and device compatibility with unlimited concurrent applications A safe, reliable, and supported operating system HomeGroup,
which allows a user to easily share media, documents, and printers
across multiple PCs in homes or offices without the need of a domain Improved Taskbar and Jump Lists Live thumbnail previews and an enhanced visual experience Advanced networking support (ad hoc wireless networks and Internet connection sharing) Mobility Center Aero Transparent glass design and advanced Windows navigation Easy networking and sharing across all your PCs and devices Improved media for mat support and enhancements to Windows Media Center and media streaming, including Play To Multitouch Improved handwriting recognition Domain Join, which enables simple and secure server networking Encrypting File System, which protects data with advanced network backup Location Aware Printing, which helps find the right printer when you are moving between the office and home Windows XP Mode, which enables customers to run many Windows XP productivity applications BitLocker, which protects data on removable devices DirectAccess, which links users to corporate resources from the road without a virtual private network (VPN) BranchCache, which makes it faster to open files and web pages from a branch office AppLocker, which restricts unauthorized software and also enables greater security
NOTE
Windows 7 Ultimate also includes the multilanguage pack; Windows 7 Enterprise does not.
Table 1
shows a comparison of all the Windows 7 versions and what they include.
This table, based on Microsoft's websites, is only a partial
representation of the features and applications that are included on all
the different versions.
Table 1. Windows 7 edition comparison| | Starter Edition | Home Basic Edition | Home Premium Edition | Professional Edition | Enterprise and Ultimate Edition |
|---|
| Processor (32-bit or 64-bit) | Both | Both | Both | Both | Both | | Multiprocessor support | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | 32-bit maximum RAM | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB | | 64-bit maximum RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB | 16 GB | 192 GB | 192 GB | | Windows HomeGroup | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Jump Lists | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Internet Explorer 8 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Media Player 12 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | System Image | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Device Stage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Sync Center | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Windows Backup | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Remote Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | ReaclyDrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | ReadyBoost | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Windows Firewall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Windows Defender | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Taskbar Previews | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Mobility Center | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Easy User Switching | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Windows Aero Glass | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Multi-touch | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | DVD playback | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Windows Media Center | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | | XPMode | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | | Encrypting File System (EFS) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | | BitLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | | AppLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | | BranchCache | No | No | No | No | Yes | | DirectAccess | No | No | No | No | Yes |
2. Hardware Requirements
Before you can insert the
Windows 7 DVD and install the operating system, you must make sure the
machine's hardware can handle the Windows 7 operating system.
To install Windows 7 successfully, your system must meet or exceed certain hardware requirements. Table 2 lists the requirements for a Windows 7-capable PC.
Table 2. Hardware requirements| Component | Requirements |
|---|
| CPU (processor) | 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor | | Memory (RAM) | 1 GB of system memory | | Hard disk | 16 GB of available disk space | | Video adapter | Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme) | | Optional drive | DVD-R/W drive | | Network device | Compatible network interface card |
NOTE
The hardware requirements listed in Table 1.3 were those specified at the time this book was written. Always check Microsoft's website for the most current information.
The Windows 7-capable PC must
meet or exceed the basic requirements to deliver the core functionality
of the Windows 7 operating system. These requirements are based on the
assumption that you are installing only the operating system without any
premium functionality. For example, you may be able to get by with the
minimum requirements if you are installing the operating system just to
learn the basics of the software. Remember, the better the hardware, the
better the performance.
The requirements for the
graphics card depend on the resolution at which you want to run. The
required amount of memory is as follows:
64 MB is required for a
single monitor at a resolution of 1,310,720 pixels or less, which is
equivalent to a 1280x1024 resolution. 128
MB is required for a single monitor at a resolution of 2,304,000 pixels
or less, which is equivalent to a 1920x1200 resolution. 256 MB is required for a single monitor at a resolution larger than 2,304,000 pixels.
In addition, the graphics memory bandwidth must be at least 1,600 MB per second, as assessed by the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.
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The company you work for has
decided that everyone will have their own laptop running Windows 7. You
need to decide on the new computers' specifications for processor,
memory, and disk space.
The first step is to determine
which applications will be used. Typically, most users will work with an
email program, a word processor, a spreadsheet, presentation software,
and maybe a drawing or graphics program. Additionally, an antivirus
application will probably be used. Under these demands, a 1 GHz Celeron
processor and 1,000 MB of RAM will make for a very slow-running machine.
So for this usage, you can assume that the minimum baseline
configuration would be higher than a 1 GHz processor with at least 2 GB
of RAM.
Based on your choice of
baseline configuration, you should then fit a test computer with the
applications that will be used on it and test the configuration in a lab
environment simulating normal use. This will give you an idea of
whether the RAM and processor calculations you have made for your
environment are going to provide a suitable response.
Today's disk drives have
become capable of much larger capacity while dropping drastically in
price. So for disk space, the rule of thumb is to buy whatever is the
current standard. At the time this book was written, 500 GB drives were
commonplace, which is sufficient for most users. If users plan to store
substantial graphics or video files, you may need to consider buying
larger-than-standard drives.
Also consider
what the business requirements will be over the next 12 to 18 months. If
you will be implementing applications that are memory- or
processor-intensive, you may want to spec out the computers with
hardware sufficient to support upcoming needs to avoid costly upgrades
in the near future.
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Hard disks are commonly rated by capacity. The following measurements are used for disk space and memory capacity:
1 MB (megabyte) = 1,024 KB (kilobytes) 1 GB (gigabyte) =1,024 MB 1 TB (terabyte) = 1,024 GB 1 PB (petabyte) = 1,024 TB 1 EB (exabyte) = 1,024 PB
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If you are not sure if your
machine meets the minimum requirements, Microsoft includes some tools
that can help you determine if the machine is Windows 7-compatible.
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