As a Creative Professional, it is important to have a strong understanding of how to install and operate different software and hardware systems in order to keep up with the dynamic needs of the industry. One such important task that every computer user should know is how to reinstall or install operating systems like Windows 7 or Android via their personal computer.
How to Reinstall or Install Windows 7 using a Flash Drive
Do you need to reinstall your Windows 7 operating system but don’t have a CD/DVD drive on your laptop? No problem. Follow these simple steps to learn how to install Windows 7 using a flash drive:
Step 1: Get the Necessary Files Ready
The first step is to make sure that you have all the necessary files. Firstly, download the Windows 7 ISO file from a reliable source and save it on your desktop. As an alternative, you can also put the installation disk into the CD/DVD drive of another computer and then copy the files onto a flash drive. Make sure that the flash drive is 4 GB or larger and everything else is ready before starting the process.
Step 2: Create a Bootable Flash Drive
Next, format the flash drive and install the bootable process on it. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use the CMD prompt (command prompt) on your computer.
- Insert your flash drive into the computer, then click on the Windows button on the keyboard or the Start button on the computer screen.
- Type CMD on the search bar and an option for CMD will appear. Right-click on the CMD option and choose the “Run as administrator” option.
- A Command Prompt window will appear. Type “diskpart” and press Enter. A new window will appear with the title “Diskpart”.
- Now type “list disk” and press Enter, the list of hard drives will appear. Now identify the flash drive from the list. You can recognize it by its size.
- Now type “select disk #”. Replace the “#” with the number of the flash drive in the list.
- Type “clean” and press Enter. This removes all data from the flash drive, so make sure you have everything backed up.
- Type “create partition primary” and press Enter.
- Type “select partition 1” and press Enter.
- Type “active” and press Enter. This makes the partition active.
- Type “format fs=NTFS quick” and press Enter. This formats the partition in NTFS format and in a quick manner.
- Type “assign” and press Enter. Assigns a drive letter to the partition.
- Type “exit” and press Enter. This will exit the Diskpart window.
- Type “bootsect /nt60” and press the space key, then type the drive letter of the flash drive and press Enter. Note: Make sure that you are careful when entering the drive letter.
After these steps, your flash drive will now be bootable. It’s ready for Windows 7 installation. Just copy the Windows 7 files you saved on the desktop in Step 1 onto the flash drive.
Step 3: Install Windows
Now, that you have your bootable flash drive ready, you can use it to install Windows 7 on your device.
- Insert the bootable flash drive into your device’s USB port and start the machine.
- Press the button or key to enter the boot menu and set the boot device as the flash drive. It may differ depending on the computer model, but usually it’s the F2, F8, F10 or F12 key depending on the brand.
- Once you enter the boot menu, follow the instructions provided to complete the installation process.
How to Reinstall or Install Android using Your PC
If you are an Android user, you might need to reinstall or install the Android operating system in case of any technical issues. Though it may sound difficult, it’s quite easy to do. In this section, we will discuss how to reinstall or install Android using just your personal computer.
Step 1: Download Android OS Image and Win32 Disk Imager Software
The first step to begin this process is to download Android OS Image and Win32 Disk Imager on your personal computer. You can download both of these files from the official Android website.
Step 2: Installing Win32 Disk Imager on Your Computer
- Go to the official website of Win32 Disk Imager and download the software.
- After downloading the software, install it on your computer or PC.
- Now, insert the memory card into your computer. Note: Make sure to back up all data of your memory card elsewhere before formatting it for the installation of Android.
- Open the Win32 Disk Imager software from the Start menu.
- Select the Android OS Image file that you previously downloaded.
- Select the drive letter of the memory card that you inserted.
- Click on the “Write” button to begin writing the Android OS Image file to your memory card.
- Wait until the process is finished and you will be ready to install Android on your device from the memory card.
Step 3: Installing Android on your Device
- After the memory card is successfully formatted for the installation of Android OS, remove it from your computer.
- Insert the memory card into your device where you want to install Android OS.
- Turn on your device.
- You will now see a series of instructions on the screen to complete the installation process. Follow these instructions and you will have your device running on the most updated version of the Android operating system.
FAQs
Q1: What happens if I format my drive without backing up my data, while reinstalling Windows or installing Android?
Formatting your drive before reinstalling Windows or installing Android will delete all the data on that particular drive. You will lose all your personal data, including videos, photos, documents, music, and other files that are not backed up. It’s always important to back up your data before attempting these processes.
Q2: Can the same process be used for reinstalling or installing other operating systems like macOS or iOS?
No, the process is different for reinstalling or installing other operating systems like macOS or iOS. The process outlined above is only suitable for Windows 7 and Android. For other operating systems, you will need to use different techniques to ensure a successful installation.
Video Tutorial for Reinstalling Windows 7
If you prefer to learn by watching, this video tutorial on how to reinstall Windows 7 via a flash drive may be helpful:
