How To Install Windows 8 Professional

Windows 8 is Microsoft's latest operating system which is completely re-designed interface. The familiar start menu is now gone, Icons and windows are replaced with New styled interface.

This step-by-step guide how to install Microsoft Windows 8 Professional. You can follow this guide if you have Windows 8 basic edition or any other version as the steps are very similar.

The best way to install Windows 8 is to do a fresh installation. Before you start the installation process I recommend that you check System Requirements Components to ensure that your hardware is supported by Windows 8. If you don't have Windows 8 drivers for all your hardware, it is a good idea to download all the drivers from the hardware manufacturer’s website and save all the necessary drivers on a CD/DVD or a USB drive before you start the installation.

Windows 8 Professional DVD is bootable. In order to boot from the DVD you need to set the boot sequence. You configured your BIOS Setup and make sure that the first boot device is set to CD-ROM/DVD-ROM.

Step 1 - Place Windows 8 DVD in your DVD-ROM drive and start your PC. Windows 8 will start to boot up and you will get the following screen with a rotating progress bar.

Step 2 - The next screen allows you to setup your language, time and currency format, keyboard or input method. Choose your required settings and click next to continue.

Step 3 - The next screen allows you to install or repair Windows 8. Since we are doing a fresh install we will click on "install now".

Step 4 - The setup process starts as shown.

Step 5 – Now check your product key that came with your copy of Windows 8. Click next once you have entered the product key correctly.

Step 6 - Read the license terms and Check  I accept license terms. Then click next to continue.

Step 7 - Choose the type of installation you want. Since you are doing a fresh install you need to click on custom.

Step 8 - Choose where you would like to install Windows 8(choose your Drive or You can create partition of your Hard Drive.  You can click next to continue then go to next Step

Step 9 - If you want to partition an existing drive then click new. Choose the size of the partition and click apply.

Step 10 - Click OK to create the partition. Windows will create additional system partition.

 

Step 11 - Choose partition 2 (Primary Partition). This is where I will install Windows 8. Click next to continue.

Step 12 - At this stage Windows starts to copy files to your hard drive and begins the installation. This process might take a few minutes depending on your computer specification.

Step 13 - When all the necessary files are copied Windows 8 will automatically restart as shown.

Step 14 - You will go through various progress bar and information messages. Windows might restart automatically second time.

Step 15 - You are now presented with "Let's go through a few basics" screen. It will automatically select personalize option.

Step 16 - Choose your PC name and personalize the color.

Step 17 - Here you can choose express settings or choose customize. I will choose customize to make further customization.

Step 18 - Choose Yes, turn on sharing and connect to devices.

Step 19 - Help protect and update your PC. Choose your preferred option and click next.

Step 20 - Choose your preferred options or leave the default settings. Click next to continue.

Step 21 -Choose your preferred options or leave the default settings. Click next to continue.

Step 22 - Sign in to your PC. Here you can login to your PC using a Microsoft email account such as your hotmail account.

Step 23 - Sign up for a new email address. If you want to create a new email account you need to complete the form below.

Step 24 - Click local account

Step 25 - Here you can choose a local user name and password. Choose finish to continue.

Step 26 - At this stage Windows starts to finalize your settings. You will get the following information screen as the installation moves forward.

 

 

Step 27 - As Windows 8 setup progresses you are given a presentation of the new interface.

 

 

Step 28 - Soon as the demonstration finishes windows moves into the final stages of the setup.

Step 29 - Finally the setup process is finished and you are presented with a completely new and unfamiliar Metro user interface. You have your most common application right in front of you. At this point you can start using your computer. You need to make sure that all the hardware is detected correctly and the necessary device drivers are installed. This can be done from the device manager.

Step 30 - To go to device manager click search on charm bar on the right. Then type devmgmt.msc. Click on the Device Managers icon on the left.

Step 31 - You will see all your hardware listed as shown on the image below. You need to check if you have any yellow exclamation marks next to the name of the devices, similar to "Base System Device" on the image below. This indicates that the driver has not been installed for this device.

At this stage you can install the driver for this device. To do so, Right Mouse click on Base System Device -> Update Driver Software...

Step 32 - You can choose to "Search automatically for updated driver software" or "Browse my computer for driver software". If you have the driver CD or if the driver is on a USB drive then choose "browse my computer for driver software". Window 8 will search and install the driver from the CD or you can locate the driver manually.

Once you have removed all the yellow exclamation marks from the device manager your Windows 8 configuration would be fully complete.