win8 guide

8/12/2019 Win8 Guide

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Backup your data

Of course, before you get started, you should back up your data. You can use Windows 7's Backupand Restore to create a backup or you can simply copy your data files over to an external hard disk.You might even want to do both operations. After all, you really can't have too many backups, can

you?

Getting started

After booting from the DVD that I created from my download, the first thing I encountered was thenew light blue Windows logo on a black background, as shown in Figure A. This image remained onthe screen for a few moments while Setup was initializing. I was kind of hoping that the flag would be

animated, but the only animation was the dots spinning in a circle.

Figure AThe new light blue Windows flag is introduced.

After a few minutes, you'll see the Windows Setup screen shown in Figure B and you will specifyyour language settings before clicking Next. When you do, Setup will perform some more

initialization tasks in the background.

Figure B


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The first step in the installation is to specify your language settings.

As soon as the initial steps are taken care of, you'll see the Windows Setup screen shown in FigureC and will click the Install Now button.

Figure C


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To get started, just click the Install now button.

Collecting InformationOnce you click the Install now button, you'll see the beginning of the information collection phase of

the installation procedure. As you can see in Figure D, the first step here is to inputtheWindows 8product key.

Figure D
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You'll enter your product key to start the information collection phase of the installation procedure.

The next step is to acknowledge that you accept the license terms, as shown in Figure E. If you takethe time to read through them, you will see that Microsoft has indeed radically overhauled EULA as

Ed Bott over at ZDNet wrote about in a recent column.Even if you don't take the time to read the license terms during the installation, once you have

installedWindows 8,you can find the Microsoft Software License Agreement in the Windows Helpand Support system - just search with the term License. Not only is the license shorter in length, but

it is also much clearer and easier to read.

Figure E


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The new EULA is much easier to read that previous versions.

When you are prompted to choose which type of installation you want to perform, as shown in FigureF, you'll choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) type in order to perform a clean install

ofWindows 8.Figure F


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On you example system there are four partitions that I will be blowing away.

To begin blowing away partitions, you start by clicking Drive options (advanced). When you do so,you'll see a list of commands for managing partitions, as shown in Figure H.

Figure H


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When you click Drive options (advanced), you'll see a list of commands for managing partitions.

Now, you'll select each of the partitions, one by one, and select the Delete command. When you do,you'll see a confirmation prompt like the one shown in Figure I. Just click OK to delete the partition.

Figure I


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As you delete each partition, you'll be prompted to confirm the operation.

Once you delete each of the existing partitions, you'll see that all of the space will be combinedtogether in one chunk labeled Unallocated Space, as shown in Figure J. While you could create anew partition and format it, you don't have to. Windows 8 will automatically take care of that in the

next step. So just go ahead and click Next.Figure J


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All of the space will be combined together in one chunk labeled Unallocated Space.

Installing WindowsWhen you click Next, Setup creates the partition, formats it, and then instantly moves into the

Installing Windows phase which begins with copying and getting files ready for the installation, asshown in Figure K. This process will take a while to progress though, so you can sit back and relax a

bit.Figure K


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The Installing Windows stage begins with copying files from the DVD to the hard disk.

When this phase of the process is complete, Windows will alert you that it is going to restart in orderto continue, as shown in Figure L. If you are really impatient and really quick, you can click the

Restart now button.Figure L


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Windows will restart after the first part of the process is complete.

Upon restarting you'll see the black screen with the blue Windows logo and see that Setup is gettingdevices ready, as shown in Figure M. As soon as that part of the process is complete, Windows will

alert you that it is going to restart again, as shown in Figure N.Figure M


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Windows Setup will get all installed devices ready to work with Windows 8.

Figure N


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Windows will restart again.

Configuring WindowsWhen the system restarts, you'll be prompted to choose a color scheme for Windows 8 and a PC

name, as shown in Figure O. I chose a light blue color scheme for now. I can change it later.Figure O


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You can choose a color schema and name your computer.

When the Settings screen appears, as shown in Figure P, you can choose to customize thesesettings or you can allow Windows to use the express settings. If you are unsure, you can click theLearn more link and get more details. I chose to use the express settings. I can change any or all of

these setting later if I want.Figure P


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You can customize the settings or just go the express route.

On the next screen, you'll choose how you want to sign on to Windows 8, as shown in Figure Q.While you can choose to sign in with a local account, I would recommend that you use an existing

Microsoft (email) account, such as aHotmail.comor aLive.comaccount. If you don't have aMicrosoft account, you can sign up for one or you can use any email address that you want

and Windows 8 will create an account for you.Figure Q
http://hotmail.com/http://hotmail.com/http://hotmail.com/http://live.com/http://live.com/http://live.com/http://live.com/http://hotmail.com/


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It will be to your advantage to use an existing Microsoft account or to create one.

The advantage of using an existing Microsoft account or creating one is that you will be able toinstantly use the Windows Store, will be able to easily sync settings between multiple Windows

8 computers, and be able to easily take advantage of other Windows 8 features. I already have aMicrosoft account, so I entered it here.

After filling the details of your account on the next couple of screens, you'll eventually see a screenthat changes color as it alerts you the Setup is getting your PC ready. The green version of this

screen is show in Figure R.Figure R


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While this screen changes color often, it will remain for a few minutes while Setup works in thebackground.

As you may know, Windows 8 comes with a host of native apps for the Start screen interface thatreplace and add to the group of applications that used to come with previous versions of Windows.

The screen shown in Figure S indicates that Setup is installing those apps.Figure S


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As the last step in the installation, Windows 8 installs its set of native apps.

Once the apps are installed, you'll see the Start screen, as shown in Figure T, and can beginusing Windows 8.

Figure T


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The Start screen appears when the installation procedure is complete.

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