Korean Job Discussion Forums

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Ok, I've never installed an OS before and need some advice....

I've got Windows Vista (32) on my PC now and have offloaded all necessary files to an external drive.

Do I simply plunk the Win 7 CD in and let her roll, or do I need to do anything else?

ttompatz · Joined: 05 Sep 2005 Location: Kwangju, South Korea

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Sticks · Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Location: Seoul, Korea

Clean install, always.
It'll ask you to format and partition, then everything from that point is automated.

Enjoy your new OS. I need to get rid of my XP at some point...

jackdaniels · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Location: Korea

Don't forget to download the drivers.
Desktop:
INF
Sound
Lan
Video
Laptop:
too many to list!

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

And where would one go about finding said drivers?

I've had a blue screen issue of late (with Vista) that keeps advising me to download certain drivers. When I go to that page, there's nothing to download.

jackdaniels · Joined: 13 Feb 2008 Location: Korea

Do you have a desktop or laptop?

Swampfox10mm · Joined: 24 Mar 2011

Windows 7 may find basics for most or all of the main drivers, but you'll need to get the specific drivers for your machine to use it to its full potential. Use this program, Speccy, to find out the model number your mainboard and then search online for your drivers. The manufacturer's website will have driver downloads.

Speccy is from the guys who make CCLeaner (awesome freebie). Speccy gives you information about all of the hardware, including video/audio chips in your system, Ram speeds, CPU, and often will give you the mainboard model number, too.

Free download here:

http://www.piriform.com/speccy

Sticks · Joined: 13 Mar 2011 Location: Seoul, Korea

Ah yeah, you'll most likely need your mainboard driver, sound (if it's not built into your mainboard), Video and LAN/Wifi (if win7 doesn't detect it automatically).

Everything else win7 should detect and install generic drivers for it. They'll work fine.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

If the computer is pretty new.....less than 2 years old.....then W7 should be able to detect all the hardware and install virtually all the drivers......at least that's what happened in the last few installs I've done.

Just another way that W7 is vastly superior to XP.........I sure don't have many good memories of doing clean installs with XP......driver hell!!

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

Nope, not that new. When did Vista come out? If I recall, I got my desktop soon after.

I've been thinking of buying a new one, but thought I'd try this as a possible stop gap.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

akcrono · Joined: 11 Mar 2010

jhicks99 · Joined: 04 Mar 2009 Location: Seoul, South Korea

Also check if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit processor and make sure to install the correct version of win7. I upgraded my Vista to 32-bit win7 on a 64-bit system. I had some issues (it would sometimes not refresh the screen, usb ports flaked out, HDMI didn't work). I did a fresh install with 64-bit win7 and the system not only performs better but all issues have been stamped out completely, and it had no issues locating any of my drivers. I'm not sure if it was the upgrade install that caused the issues or the version of windows. Either way, you'll be kicking yourself if you go 32-bit on a 64-bit capable cpu. Might as well do that now Smile

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

No one should be bothering with 32-bit Windows anymore. 64-bit hardware and software is the standard now.