Performing a Clean Windows Vista Install (or Dual Boot Install)

Start up your PC from your Windows Vista DVD.

Every Vistacompatible computer can start up from a DVD instead of from its hard drive. Sometimes, if you start up the computer with a DVD in the drive, instructions for booting from it appear right on the screen (you may be directed to hold down a certain key, or any key at all). If you don't see such an instruction, you might have to check with the computer's maker for instructions on this point.

At the beginning of the setup process, you'll wait for a moment while the installer loads ups.

When the Install Windows screen appears, click Next to bypass the Regional and Language Options screen.

Bypass it, that is, unless you don't speak English or don't live in the United States.

At the next screen, click Install Now. On the "Type your product key" screen, enter the 25-character product key and click Next.

Again, the product key is the serial number that came with your Windows Vista DVD. If you turn on "Automatically activate Windows when I'm online," Vista will try to activate itself in the next three days.

Now the usual legal notice pops up.

Review the licensing agreement, if you like, click "I accept the license terms," and then click Next to continue.

Since you booted from the DVD, you don't have the option of performing an upgrade installation.

Click "Custom (advanced)" to proceed with a clean install.

Now Windows shows you a list of the partitions on your hard drive. Unless you've set up your hard drive for dual booting, you probably have only one.

By pressing the up and down arrow keys, highlight the name of the partition (or choose some unallocated space) on which you want to install Vista, and then click Next.

Use the Drive Options at the bottom of this window to delete, create, or format partitions.

After the formatting process is complete, the Setup program begins copying files to the partition you selected, and eventually restarts the computer a time or two.

Choose a name for your main account, a password, and a picture.

This very first account, the one you're creating here, is very important; it's going to be an Administrative account. Once you log in using this account, you can create accounts for other people.

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Tip: If it's just you and your laptop, you can leave the password blank; you'll be able to log in, wake the computer from sleep, and otherwise get to your stuff that much faster. Note, however, that if your account password is blank, some Vista features won't work.

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Click Next.

Vista asks you to type a computer name and choose a desktop background.

Either accept the proposed computer name (your name followed by "-PC"), or type one that's short and punctuation-free (hyphens are OK).

You can always change the computer name later

Click Next.

Now you can choose how to configure Vista's protection features.

Select "Use recommended settings."

The date and time settings screen appears.

Set the date, time, and time zone, and then click Next.

Now Vista tries to connect to your network, if you have one. If it succeeds, it asks whether your network is at home, work, or a public location.

Finally, Vista thanks you.

Click Start to begin your Vista experience!