Backup your data

Of course, before you get started, you should back up your data. You
can use Windows 7's Backup and 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 the new light blue Windows logo on a black
background, as shown in Figure A. This image remained on the
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 A
The 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 specify your language settings before clicking
Next. When you do, Setup will perform some more initialization tasks
in the background.
Figure B

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 Figure C and will click the Install Now button.
Figure C

To get started, just click the Install now button.

Collecting Information
Once 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 input the Windows 8 product
key.
Figure D

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 take the 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 installed Windows 8, you can find the
Microsoft Software License Agreement in the Windows Help and

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

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 Figure F, you'll choose Custom: Install
Windows only (advanced) type in order to perform a clean install of
Windows 8.

Figure F

In order to perform a clean install of Windows 8, you'll select the

Custom option.
When you are prompted to choose where you want to install Windows,
as shown in Figure G, you'll see a list of any partitions that are
currently on your hard disk. As you can see in my example system
there are actually four separate partitions. You may have a different
combination depending on your system.

As I mentioned, performing a clean install means blowing away all

existing partitions. The first partition in this list is labeled System
Reserved and it was created automatically during the Windows 7
installation. A new System Reserved partition will be created by
Windows 8, so you can remove existing one. The partition labeled
Recovery contains the OEM recovery for Windows 7. I created the
recovery DVDs soon after I got the new system. It won't do me any
good going forward with Windows 8 anyway, so I will remove that
partition too. The partition labeled WIN7 contains the Windows 7
installation that I am replacing, so it is definitely going. The partition
labeled DATA contains all of my data that I copied to an external hard
disk, so it is safe to blow that one away too.
Figure G

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

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

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 combined together in one chunk labeled Unallocated
Space, as shown in Figure J. While you could create a new 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

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

Unallocated Space.
Installing Windows
When 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, as shown in Figure
K. This process will take a while to progress though, so you can sit
back and relax a bit.
Figure K

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 order to continue, as shown in Figure L. If
you are really impatient and really quick, you can click the Restart now
button.
Figure L

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 getting devices 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

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

Windows will restart again.

Configuring Windows
When 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

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 these settings or you can allow Windows to use
the express settings. If you are unsure, you can click the Learn 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

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 a Hotmail.com or a Live.com
account. If you don't have a Microsoft 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

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 to instantly 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 a Microsoft account, so I entered it here.

After filling the details of your account on the next couple of screens,
you'll eventually see a screen that 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

While this screen changes color often, it will remain for a few minutes
while Setup works in the background.
As you may know, Windows 8 comes with a host of native apps for the
Start screen interface that replace 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

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 begin using Windows 8.
Figure T

The Start screen appears when the installation procedure is

complete.