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70-620 MCTS Exam Prep: Mastering Vista OS Installation
Are you preparing for your 70-620 MCTS: Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client certification exam?
Great! Today we’ll get our hands dirty with an actual Vista installation — which means that I want you to install Vista to get some practice.
I’ll review the high level details of performing a clean installation of Vista on a system that does not include a running operating system (this is sometimes called a bare metal installation.)
Here’s what we’ve covered so far:
- 70-620 exam details and the certification tracks that you can follow
- 70-620 exam prep focusing on identifying hardware requirements Vista installs
Installing Vista
The Perform a Clean Installation subsection of the 70-620 exam, focuses on:
- Installing Windows Vista
- Configuring a dual boot configuration of Windows Vista with Windows XP
- Configuring the default operating system in the boot manager
I’ll walk you through the installation steps below and in my next post I will show you how to do a dual boot configuration of Vista and XP.
[NOTES FROM THE FIELD] – Many of the references that indicate exam details show that the Installing Windows Vista subsection is formally identified as “Installing Windows Vista Business Edition” and while this is technically correct, having a full understanding of any of the versions of Vista will help you on the exam.
Basic and generic steps to get started on your installation include:
- You need to review and confirm that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements
- Confirm that you have an installation source (DVD, network location, etc.)
- Verify that you have the 25-character product key
- Plan on a machine name for the completed installation (chose your own or allow for use of the default randomly generated name)
- Having access to a working Internet connection (for updates, product activation, etc.)
Some secondary considerations that you may need to consider include:
- Checking that system BIOS is up to date (before running the installation routine)
- Verifying the system will completely run through the POST routine (and fail properly when no operating system is found as a quick test to root out simple hardware issues that might be present)
- Verifying that the DVD drive is in the boot order (or otherwise selectable) before the system hard drive
Vista Installation Steps
Now we’re ready to do the installation.
The full details of a Vista install from a DVD complete with every screenshot that you can expect to see can be found at Petri: How can I install Windows Vista.
I will simply outline the steps and focus on what’s important to remember for the exam.
I will also suggest that since your exposure to this process is probably limited (I mean how often are you required to install an os at work) that you repeat test installs a few times to get used to the routine. I would also strongly recommend that you practice installing Vista on a bare metal system, and of course… do it more than once.
Also keep in mind that we’re doing a DVD installation, so you might notice some variance in the steps with other types of installs.
1. Booting from the DVD or a network installation point will start the installation routine (SETUP).
2. Press any key on the keyboard to boot from the DVD.
3. The setup routine will begin loading the pre-installation environment.
4. Once that completes the Install Windows dialog box will be shown.
5. On the Install Windows page choose any customization needed regarding language, time and currency format to be used and the keyboard layout / input method desired.
6. A second Install Windows dialog box appears next allowing you to review additional information if desired (What to Know Before Installing Windows).
7. Next is the Type Your Product Key for Activation page; you need to either enter a key you have for the version of Vista that you’re installing or you can opt to leave this field blank.
Note: Leaving the 25 character field blank will not prevent you from installing Vista; it will allow the Vista installation to complete and you will be able to run the operating system for a limited number of days until you are forced to supply a key and activate the product.
8. The next page is the EULA (End User License Agreement) where you will need to check the “I Accept the License Terms” checkbox in order to continue.
9. The next page allows you the option for an upgrade installation or custom (clean) installation.
Because this list review is of a bare metal installation you should expect to see the UPGRADE option grayed out as there is no existing operating system present.
10. The next screen should show you all of your available hard drives / volumes / partitions that can be used for the installation; choose one to continue. If your computer has a new hard disk that hasn’t been formatted before, your only option will be to create a new partition.
11. The next few steps will include Copying Windows files, Expanding the files, Installing features and so forth. The system will need to reboot itself at least a couple of times during this part of the installation and will do so automatically.
12. Once the final part of this segment of the process completes you will be presented with the Set Up Windows screen where you will need to Choose a User Name (and the icon to be associated with your local user account). You’ll also need to provide a password for use with this account.
13. The next screen is where you’d either accept the auto-generated system name for the new installation of Vista or you can choose to enter in a name of your own choosing. You also get to choose a desktop background.
14. The next screen is a continuation of the Set Up Windows configuration where you’d select the settings for protecting the system in the future (Windows Update settings). By choosing the Use recommended settings option you’ll be configuring the system to download updates at the default time of day and install them automatically without user intervention.
15. The next screen is where you’d review the date and time settings and make any necessary changes including specifying the time zone to be used.
And that is really the last formal step; progress from here will be to log in once the setup routine commits all of the final settings from the installation.
Next time we’ll continue with a dual boot configuration of Vista with XP. See you then!
Continue Learning about Vista Exam 70-620:
Related Posts:
- 70-620 MCTS Exam Prep: How to Install & Upgrade Vista
- 70-622 MCTS Exam Prep: Deploying Vista
- 70-622 MCTS Exam Prep: Preparing for Installations & Upgrades
- Certification Series: Exam 70-620 Configuring Vista Client
- Upgrading to Vista? Watch out!
- Certification Series: Exam 70-622 Vista Support & Troubleshoot
- Master the New and Improved MSConfig in Vista
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