Windows 7 RC Install and Tips

I just finished downloading Windows 7 RC1 from TechNet and will be installing on my gaming box at home later today. Now before jumping into a new operating system and/or formatting my current system I always go through a virtual check list of to do's and to think's before executing. This is important so you don't loose your data and don't have a hard time getting back up. Ed Bott from ZDNet wrote this great article on Windows 7 Setup Secrets. Most of these tips can be applied to any new system deployment.

I am currently running Windows Vista SP1 64bit and will be doing a clean install of Windows 7. My original setup has two internal hard drives and two external hard drives. All my user data is in the second internal hard drive as I leave the 75GB Raptor for my system drive and games. So from the Windows 7 setup secrets, I know what kind of install I will be doing and have my files backed up.

The next step is to get your drivers ready. I have ran Windows 7 on VM's and on some newer systems and the drivers have not become an issue. However since this is my gaming rig with a Geforce 260 GTX then video drivers will be an issue. Thankfully both ATI and Nvidia have released Windows 7 drivers. Here is a link to a Windows 7 GPU guide.

Now that I know the type of install I will be doing, have my data in the right drive, and all the drivers I will need, I am ready to go home and install! Too bad I still have 7 hours of work.

Till next time,
Jorge Orchilles