1. Running the Setup Wizard
When you insert the Windows 8 media in your computer and run
Setup.exe, the initialization process begins, and the Setup Wizard
guides you through the installation.
Setup checks for any updates that will help make the installation
process smoother. After the updates are installed, Setup guides you
through the installation setup process.
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Type the product key and tap or click Next to continue.
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Read the End User License Agreement (EULA), select I Accept The License Terms, and tap or click Accept.
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Select the type of install to perform:
If you are unsure which type of install to use, you can select Help
Me Decide, and Windows will provide some cases for each type of
installation. After you have chosen your path, Windows checks to see
whether any configuration items it locates need input from you; if not,
the next option is to install. If the installer discovers items that
require your attention, it prompts you to provide this information.
After the installation
begins, a message appears that informs you that your computer will
restart a few times during the process. As the process moves along, a
progress bar is displayed. There will be a few restarts during the
upgrade, but the installer will continue where it left off each time.
Saving your information during the installation process might slow
things down, so the upgrade might take slightly longer than a fresh
installation. Remember, this is your data that Windows 8 is preserving;
patience here will be rewarded with intact data!
2. Configuring your account
When the installation process is complete, the system restarts, and you need to configure your account.
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When prompted, enter the following information, and then tap or click Next:
On the Settings screen, you are given two initial options to
configure general settings for your computer: Express Settings or
Custom.
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If you select Use Express Settings , the wizard turns on the following options for you:
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Enabling automatic updates
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Enabling the phishing and malware filters
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Opting to participate in the Microsoft Customer Experience program
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Checking for solutions to issues online
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Enabling location-based services for personalized content
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Enabling sharing and connecting to devices on the network
Select Customize and the wizard guides you through the available settings.
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If a network is available, you can select the type of network sharing, depending on the network, on the first page.
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For home or work networks, select Yes, Turn On Sharing And Connect To Devices.
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For public networks, such as cafés or libraries, select No, Don’t Turn On Sharing Or Connect To Devices.
You can change these settings later; for now, select the one that best matches your available network.
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Tap or click Next to configure settings that help protect and update your system.
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Select the amount of information that is exchanged with Microsoft,
such as information about malicious applications or location data when
location-aware apps are used and then tap or click Next.
The next page contains settings for online solution checking and information sharing between apps.
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After configuring the settings for your computer, sign in. Choose from the following options and then tap or click Next.
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Sign in with your Microsoft account by typing the email address associated with it.
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Sign up for a new email address to use with a Microsoft account.
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Sign in without a Microsoft account.
When you have answered these questions, the system does some final
housekeeping and then displays the Start screen. When you see the Start
screen, your upgrade is complete, and Windows 8 is ready to use.
Upgrading from Windows Vista
With Windows 8, you can keep some aspects of your Windows Vista
installation; however, you will need to reinstall your applications to
use them on your newly upgraded computer. When migrating from Windows
Vista to Windows 8, your system will keep the following items:
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Windows Settings
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User Accounts and Files
All the applications that were installed in Windows Vista will need
to be reloaded in Windows 8, but personal settings and user data will
be migrated during the upgrade.
Upgrading from Windows XP
When moving from Windows XP to Windows 8, the installation process
for Windows 8 migrates user accounts and files from the Windows XP
installation. However, your Windows settings will need some
reconfiguration, and any installed applications will need to be
reinstalled. The computer and Windows settings will be just like new,
depending on your hardware, and your user accounts and files will
migrate to the new system.
Before beginning this process, check the specifications for
Windows 8 and match them against the existing hardware. If the computer
running Windows XP does not meet the hardware requirements for the new
operating system, it might not be worth attempting the upgrade.
