Installing Windows 8

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I hope this tutorial will help those people who find it difficult to install windows 8:

Source: about.com

A Windows 8 clean install involves removing the existing operating system installed on a partition (a previous Windows 8 installation, Windows XP, Linux, Windows 7... it doesn't matter) and then installing Windows 8 from scratch on that same drive. A clean install is also sometimes referred to as a"custom install."

Backup Your Important Data

So the first thing to do, if you can, is to backup whatever data you'd like to keep like your saved documents, downloaded music and videos, etc. Backing up your actual programs isn't usually possible, so locate all the installation media and downloaded installation files that you used to install the programs so they're available to reinstall once the Windows 8 clean install is done. Be sure also to backup any data files from your programs, assuming they have any, that might not be located with your other saved files.

Locate Your Product Key

Your next concern should your product key. This 25-digit alphanumeric code is required during the Windows 8 clean install process. If you've purchased Windows 8 yourself, the product key should be included with the DVD media you received or in the email confirmation you received when you purchased Windows 8 for download. If Windows 8 came preinstalled on your computer, look for a sticker with the product key somewhere on your desktop, laptop, or tablet device.

To start the Windows 8 clean install process, you'll need to boot your computer from whatever installation source you happen to be using: either a DVD disc or a flash drive.

In other words, if you have a Windows 8 DVD and you would like to install Windows 8 from an optical drive, then boot from the Windows 8 DVD. Alternatively, if you have the Windows 8 installation files properly copied to a USB based drive, then boot from the USB device.

Note: See the What To Do... section further down this page if you need to change the media (disc vs flash drive) that you install Windows 8 from, or if you have an ISO file of Windows 8 and you're not sure what to do with it.

There are really three basic steps here:

Insert the Windows 8 DVD into your optical drive, or plug into a free USB port the flash drive with the Windows 8 installation files on it, and then turn on or restart the computer.

Watch for a Press any key to boot from CD or DVD... message (shown above) if you're booting from a disc, or a Press any key to boot from external device... message if you're booting from a flash drive or other USB device.

Press a key to force your computer to boot from either the Windows 8 DVD or a flash drive with the Windows 8 installation files on it.
If you don't press a key to force the boot from the external drive or DVD disc, your computer will try to boot from the next device listed in the boot order in BIOS, probably your hard drive, in which case your currently installed operating system will start. If that happens, just restart your computer and try again.

Note: If you see one of the messages above, and your current operating system starts or you receive some kind of error, the most likely reason is that the boot order is set incorrectly. You probably just need to change the boot order in BIOS, being sure to rank the CD/DVD Drive or External Devices entry somewhere before or above the hard drive in the list.

It's also OK if you don't actually see one of the above messages, but the Windows 8 setup process (see the next step) beings automatically. If that happens just consider this step over and move on.

 

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You'll know that the Windows 8 setup process is starting properly if you see the Windows 8 splash screen as shown below.

During this time, Windows 8 Setup is preparing by loading files into memory so the setup process can continue. Don't worry, nothing is being erased or copied to your hard drive right now. That all happens a bit later on.

 

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Choose the Language to install, the Time and currency format, and the Keyboard or input method that you'd prefer to use in Windows 8 and throughout the Windows 8 clean install.

Once your options are selected, click or touch Next.

 

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Click or touch the Install now button in the middle of the screen, right under the Windows 8 logo.

This will get the Windows 8 installation process underway.

 

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The Windows 8 setup process is now beginning.

Nothing to do here but wait. You might see this screen for several seconds but not for too much longer than that.

 

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Here is where you enter your product key, the 25-digit code you received when you purchased Windows 8. You do not need to enter the dashes that are probably shown as part of your product key.

If you downloaded Windows 8, chances are the product key is in your purchase confirmation email. If you purchased a Windows 8 DVD in a retail store or online, your product key should have been included alongside your disc.

If Windows 8 came preinstalled on your computer, and you are now performing a clean install of Windows 8 on that same computer, your product key is probably located on a sticker located somewhere on your computer or device.

Once you've entered the product key, click or touch Next.

Important: Entering your product key at this point in the Windows 8 clean install process is not optional. This is unlike in previous versions of Windows where you could skip the product key entry during installation as long as you provided one within a certain time frame, usually 30 or 60 days. Also unlike in pervious versions, activating your Windows 8 product key online is automatic and part of this process.

 

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The next screen you encounter will be the Microsoft Software License Agreement page, which is essentially a giant text box containing the license terms for the edition of Windows 8 you're installing.

Read through the agreement, check the I accept the license terms box, and click or touch Next.

Note: It's completely legal to reinstall Windows 8 via this clean install method. So long as the product key you use to install Windows 8 is only used on one computer at a time, you're not breaking any rules.

 

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The next screen presents you with an important question: Which type of installation do you want?. You have two options: Upgrade and Custom.

Click on, or touch, Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).

Important: Even if you're upgrading from a previous version of Windows to Windows 8, I don't recommend that you upgrade. It sounds like a great option, with your files, settings, and programs all remaining in place, but the reality is often much different. You'll get better performance from Windows 8 and whatever software you choose to install again if you continue with this clean install procedure.

 

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On the Where do you want to install Windows? screen you'll see a list of all the partitions that Windows 8 sees on the computer.

The thing that makes a Windows 8 clean install "clean" is the removal of the partition that the current operating system is installed on, as well as any auxiliary partitions that the operating system was using, usually for recovery purposes. This is what we're going to do over the next several steps.

Windows 8 Setup considers partition management an advanced task so before we can remove any partitions, you'll have to touch or click on Drive options (advanced).

Over the next few steps you'll remove the partition(s) for the operating system that you're replacing with Windows 8. Remember, it doesn't matter what operating system is currently on the computer - an old installation of Windows 8, Ubuntu Linux, Windows 7, Windows XP, etc.

 

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Now that you have access to the full range of partition management options, you can delete any partitions from your hard drive that are used by the currently installed operating system.

Important: Before you delete a partition, please know that all data on that partition will be erased forever. By all data I mean all data: the operating system itself, all installed programs, all saved documents, movies, music, etc. that might be on that drive. It's assumed that, by this point, anything you wanted to keep you've backed up elsewhere.

Highlight the partition you want to delete and then click or touch Delete.

Note: Your list of partitions may differ considerably from mine, which you can see in the screenshot above. I have one 60 GB physical hard drive on my computer that I previous had Windows 8 installed on. My primary partition, which is the C: drive when I'm logged into Windows, is 59.7 GB. That other small partition (350 MB) is a supporting partition that I also plan on deleting, which we'll get to in a few steps.

Warning: If you have multiple hard drives and/or multiple partitions on any of your drives, make sure you're deleting the correct partition(s). Many people have second hard drives or partitions that they use for backup. That's not a drive you want to be deleting.