After downloading the original image of Windows 7 Ultimate, many friends found that the computer did not have a CD-ROM drive or did not want to use a USB flash drive to boot, so they wanted to install the system directly on the hard drive. This method is completely feasible and valuable, and it is not extremely complicated to operate. Today, I will write down two main and popular hard disk installation methods in detail. Follow the steps and generally there will be no errors.
Preparations before installation
Before starting the formal process, there are several items that need to be prepared in advance. First, the downloaded Win7 Ultimate ISO image file is suitable to be placed in the root directory of the system disk such as D drive or E drive, so as to facilitate search. Second, a decompression software, such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, is used to extract the files in the image. Third, if your original system can still boot normally, you can just perform the operation directly; if you cannot enter the system, you must prepare a PE boot USB disk in advance. I will explain how to use it later. In addition, important data must be backed up in advance. Don’t be too troublesome. The biggest fear when installing the system is losing data.
Method 1: Run the installation program directly from the hard disk
One solution is that it is the simplest one and is suitable for situations where the system can still enter the desktop normally. Use decompression software to open the downloaded Win7 Ultimate ISO image, look for the two files SETUP_GHOST.EXE and 32win7.GHO in the image, and then copy them to the top directory of the D drive. Be careful not to put it on the C drive, because the C drive is the target drive that will be formatted and reinstalled at a later stage. After copying, double-click to run the SETUP_GHOST.EXE program and click Next according to the prompts. The program will automatically call the GHOST32 tool to restore the image to the C drive. The entire process does not require your manual intervention. When the progress bar is full, the computer will automatically restart and enter the system installation interface. Follow the on-screen prompts to set the user name and password to complete. This method saves the complexity of making a boot disk and is especially suitable for novices.
Method 2: Installation in PE environment
If the computer cannot be turned on, or you plan to clean up the C drive more thoroughly, then the PE system is a better choice. First, you must have a completed PE bootable USB flash drive. Insert it into the computer and turn it on. Press the F12 or Del key to enter the boot menu and select boot from the USB flash drive. After entering the PE desktop, there will generally be an icon named "Install Win7 to the hard disk" or "One-click installation system" on the desktop. Open it by double-clicking it, and the software will automatically search for the GHO image file on your hard disk. If it is not automatically recognized, you can manually select the previously stored 32win7.GHO file. Confirm that the target partition is the C drive, and then click Execute. Then the program will run GHOST32 on its own to perform the restore operation. You must also wait for the progress bar to complete. Remember to unplug the USB flash drive when restarting the computer so that the computer can boot from the hard disk. The subsequent installation steps will be the same as the first method. The advantage of installing in a PE environment is that it can be operated without entering the original system, and the C drive can be formatted. In addition, the installed system will be cleaner.
Things to note during installation
No matter which method is used, there are many details to pay attention to. First, it is best to disconnect the network before installation to prevent the system from automatically updating the driver during the installation process and causing the system to freeze; secondly, if you are using a 64-bit version of the Win7 image, you must ensure that the computer has at least 4GB of memory, otherwise the operation will fail. It will freeze when running; in addition, never force shutdown or cut off the power during the hard disk installation process, otherwise the partition table may be damaged, which will be troublesome; after installing the system and entering the desktop, the first thing to do is to install the universal driver assistant or the self-downloaded network card driver, otherwise you will not be able to access the Internet. Finally, remember to go to the official Microsoft website to update the system patch. Although this image has already integrated various updates up to 2014, there are still a large number of security patches that need to be applied in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions and Solutions
Some friends have encountered such a message during installation, that is, "the required CD/DVD drive driver is missing." This situation is usually because the U disk is inserted into the USB 3.0 interface when installing, but the original Win7 image does not contain a USB 3.0 driver. The solution is to change the USB flash drive to a USB 2.0 interface, or turn off XHCI mode in the BIOS. There is another situation, that is, a blue screen appears halfway through the installation, and the error code is displayed as 0x0000007B. This situation is mostly a problem with the hard disk mode setting. It can be solved by entering the BIOS and changing the SATA mode from AHCI to IDE compatibility mode. In addition, if it prompts that a valid system partition cannot be found, you can return to the installation interface and use the Diskpart command to manually format the C drive and set it as the active partition.
Summarize
Installing the original image of Windows 7 Ultimate through the hard disk is not a complicated matter. Whether you run the installation program directly in the system or use the PE tool, as long as the key files are prepared correctly and the steps are executed correctly, it will generally be successful. The core is to determine whether the current system can be used and select an appropriate installation path. After the installation is complete, remember to install patches and drivers. The functions and stability of Win7 Ultimate are very good, and it is still a very suitable choice for older models.
