Windows 7 Release Candidate Interactive Setup, Part 1

The Windows 7 release candidate (RC) interactive Setup process is no different than that of previous builds, providing an evolved and even more simplified series of steps than were available in Windows Vista Setup.

When you boot the DVD, Setup loads the files needed to install Windows 7, presents the familiar Windows 7 startup animation, and then jumps right into the Install Windows wizard.

From here, you can install Windows 7, as documented below, or run the Windows 7 repair tools, which is helpful if your existing Windows install is acting up.

Setup follows the following basic steps.

1. End User License Agreement. Before proceeding, you must agree to the Windows 7 EULA.

2. Type of installation. Next, you choose between an Upgrade install (for upgrading from Windows Vista, or, in limited cases, from a previous Windows 7 build to the RC--only builds 7077 and up are natively supported) and Custom (advanced), or what I call a clean install. This document describes a clean install on a new PC.

3. Where to install Windows. In the next step, you can access the Windows 7 Setup's new disk configuration tools if needed, and then choose a partition to which to install the OS.

4. Installing Windows. Over the course of a few reboots, Windows 7 Setup will copy all of the installation files to the hard drive, expand them, and the install them. Afterwards, it will install any discovered or online updates, and the finalized installation. This is where Setup spends the bulk of the install time, or about 10-12 minutes.

Continue to Part 2...