Post installation
VM-Ware, virtual box, and Virtual PC
Clean install, dual boot, and in-place upgrade
Hard drive partition, Volume, file system
These steps carry off after you have finished installing Windows and your computer has started in Windows 7.
Type your username and computer's name and click Next.
Type your password and click Next. If you don't want a password, leave the text boxes blank and then click Next.
Enter your product key then click Next. Your product key is located on the case of your Windows 7 disc if you purchased the disc. To skip entering your product key, just click Next, but Windows will run on a 30-day trial, and you'll have to enter a key once the 30 day trial time is up.
Choose your Windows Update settings.
Use recommended settings automatically sets update and security settings recommended by Microsoft.
Install important updates only configures your computer only to install necessary updates.
Ask me later disables your security until you have made a decision.
Set your time and time zone.
Set your network type.
If the computer is connected to your own personal network, choose Home network.
If you are connected to the network at your workplace, choose Work network.
If you're connected to a public network from places such as restaurants and shops, choose Public network.
Once your computer is ready, format your USB drive back to its default settings (if you chose the Installing Using a Flash Drive or External Drive method). You can format your USB drive back to its default settings and place your files back onto it by right clicking your USB drive in Start→Computer, clicking Format, clicking Restore Device Defaults in Format, then clicking Start, which permanently deletes any data off of the drive. After the drive has formatted, you can move your files back onto it.
Be sure to reinstall any software you uninstalled, install any device drivers, and re-enable your security software. Also, to improve your security, run Windows Update to install the latest security updates.
(wikihow.com, NA)
VMware, VirtualBox, Virtual PC and other desktop virtualization software are well known among tech people, but most of the normal users do not have idea about them. So they are missing the all advantages of these desktop virtualization software products. If you are new to virtualization environment or thinking why to use these products or what are the advantages from them, this article explains them with basic points.
Desktop virtualization software such as VMware (VMware Player),Oracle VirtualBox and Microsoft Virtual PC are freely available for home users. So, these applications can be used by everyone without any cost. Before go further, let me clear a myth which is ‘more technical knowledge required to use desktop virtualization products’. Believe me!, it is very easy and simple. As long as you do not required high-end complicated setup in virtual environment, these products can be used well by all computer users.
Desktop virtualization software give ability to install and run multiple Operating Systems on your desktop or laptop computer in virtual environment without disturbing the host OS. You can have Windows XP, Linux OS and even Windows 95 on your latest Windows 7 laptop. In this case, your laptop will be the ‘host’ and virtual machines will be the ‘Guest’s. Creating or configuring a virtual machines is very similar to assembling a physical computer with processor, memory, hard disk, VGA…etc. So it is basically to utilize the unused resources on a physical computer to run multiple Operating Systems in it. Even though ‘Dual Boot’ is another option to have multiple Operating Systems on a computer, but you have to reboot the computer every time to use other Operating Systems. But with the desktop virtualization software, you can run and work on multiple Operating Systems simultaneously without rebooting.
The main and basic purpose of Desktop virtualization software VMware, VirtualBox and Virtual PC is to allow users to run multiple different type of Operating Systems simultaneously in complete isolated virtual environment on single physical computer .
(Dinesh, NA)
A clean install of windows is when you have windows delete everything on you computer and start from scratch. Windows will be installed just like when you bought it brand new.
A dual boot is a way to install 2 operating systems on one machine. You can boot into one operating system or the other a start up.
"An in-place upgrade is the final alternative before you have to reinstall the operating system.
Note that it takes the same amount of time to do the upgrade as to reinstall the operating system. Also, some of your customized Windows settings may be lost through this process."
(microsoft.com, NA)
Disk partitioning--separating one physical hard drive into multiple independent volumes--can relieve all sorts of computer-related headaches, and thanks to the Disk Management tool included with Windows 7 and Vista, you can perform the task without expensive third-party software. Here's how to use Disk Management to make the most of your hard drive.
(Patrick Miller, NA)