New book: Training Guide: Configuring Windows 8

673229CVR.inddWe are happy to announce the availability of the Training Guide: Configuring Windows 8 (ISBN: 9780735673229) by Scott Lowe, Derek Schauland, and Rick W. Vanover. You can purchase a copy here or here.

A free PDF of this book’s sample chapters is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center here.

Here is a short excerpt from Chapter 2, Installing and migrating to Windows 8.

CHAPTER 2 Installing and migrating to Windows 8

The installation and migration process is always at the forefront of the minds of information technology professionals as they consider deploying new operating systems. This chapter is a journey through the Windows 8 installation process, using multiple installation methods. Specifically, you look at the installation process as performed from a blank disk or virtual hard drive (VHD) and as performed by using the upgrade method of installation. Because many organizations remain on versions of Microsoft Windows that are earlier than Windows 7, this chapter also explores the process of migrating to Windows 8 from an older operating system, a process that is accompanied by migrating user data to Windows 8 to enable a smooth transition to the newest version of Windows. You can find additional information about Windows 8 for IT professionals online in “The Springboard Series for Windows” at https://technet.microsoft.com/windows/hh771457.aspx.

In addition, this chapter introduces Windows To Go, one of the innovative new features in Windows 8. This new feature is a portable configuration of the operating system that enables many new deployment scenarios and can streamline an organization’s implementation of bring your own device (BYOD) initiatives.

Lessons in this chapter:
  • Lesson 1: Installing Windows 8 on a new or formatted system 38
  • Lesson 2: Upgrading or migrating from a previous version of Windows 49
  • Lesson 3: Installing Windows 8 on and starting virtual hard disk files 64

Before you begin

To complete the practice exercises in this chapter, you will need:

Lesson 1: Installing Windows 8 on a new or formatted system

If you are installing Windows 8 on a new system, you need to be familiar with the concepts and procedures in this lesson. This lesson shows you how to install Windows 8 by starting with a blank disk and formatting that disk during the installation.

After this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Install Windows 8 (32-bit or 64-bit) onto a new computer.
  • Configure Windows To Go on a removable USB device.

Estimated lesson time: 60 minutes

Starting the installation

Installing Windows 8 is similar to installing Windows 7 in that the number of tasks is kept to a minimum and much of the work occurs without user intervention. The Setup Wizard guides you through the installation.

Note Windows 8 installation media

Windows 8 can use several types of installation media. You can create media on a USB disk, start from an ISO file for virtual installations, start from a VHD, or use traditional DVD media. The media you choose depend on your environment.

To get started installing Windows 8, complete the following steps:

1. Turn on your computer and insert the media for the operating system.

2. In the Windows Setup dialog box that appears, select the language to install, the time and currency formats, and the keyboard or input method, and then tap or click Next.

3. Tap or click Install Now to start the installation of Windows 8.

4. When the Windows Setup dialog box requests a product key to activate Windows, type your product key and tap or click Next to continue.

5. Read the End User License Agreement (EULA), select I Accept The License Terms, and tap or click Next.

6. Windows Setup prompts you to identify the type of installation to perform:

  • Upgrade: Install Windows And Keep Files, Settings, And Applications
  • Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced)
  • Select Custom to advance to the next page of Windows Setup.

7. All the available disks and partitions visible to your computer are listed. When you are prompted to choose a disk for the Windows 8 installation, select the disk you want to use.

8. Select the Drive Options (Advanced) link to add or remove partitions on the selected disks or to create multiple partition systems within your environment.

Note Multiple partition systems

Using multiple partition systems can be valuable if you need to run multiple operating systems on your computer or when you want to separate your data from the operating system files and start files for Windows.

9. Select where you want to install Windows and tap or click Next.

The installer copies, unpacks, and installs the files, features, and updates from the operating system media to your computer, as shown in Figure 2-1. During this process, the system restarts and begins configuring devices. The installation time for Windows 8 varies based on a number of factors, including the type of installation media in use and the speed of the computer.

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Figure 2-1 The Windows 8 installation process

Configuring your account

After the devices have been configured, the system restarts and requests answers to some questions about configuring your account. During the final restart of the installation process, some configuration begins to initialize the computer for first use, which includes the following:

  • Getting devices ready
  • Getting the system ready

During the initialization process for the system and devices, the computer restarts and continues the configuration process.

10. When prompted, enter the following information, and then tap or click Next:

  • A color for the background and theme
  • A name for your computer

On the Settings screen, you are given two initial options to configure general settings for your computer: Express Settings or Custom.

11. If you select Use Express Settings (shown in Figure 2-2), the wizard turns on the following options for you:

  • Enabling automatic updates
  • Enabling the phishing and malware filters
  • Opting to participate in the Microsoft Customer Experience program
  • Checking for solutions to issues online
  • Enabling location-based services for personalized content
  • Enabling sharing and connecting to devices on the network

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Figure 2-2 Selecting how to handle initial settings

Select Customize and the wizard guides you through the available settings.

12. If a network is available, you can select the type of network sharing, depending on the network, on the first page.

  • For home or work networks, select Yes, Turn On Sharing And Connect To Devices.
  • For public networks, such as cafés or libraries, select No, Don’t Turn On Sharing Or Connect To Devices.

You can change these settings later; for now, select the one that best matches your available network.

13. Tap or click Next to configure settings that help protect and update your system, as shown in Figure 2-3.

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Figure 2-3 If you customize installation, a wizard guides you through configuration of initial settings

14. Select the amount of information that is exchanged with Microsoft, such as information about malicious applications or location data when location-aware apps are used and then tap or click Next.

The next page contains settings for online solution checking and information sharing between apps.

15. After configuring the settings for your computer, sign in, as shown in Figure 2-4. Choose from the following options and then tap or click Next.

  • Sign in with your Microsoft account by typing the email address associated with it.
  • Sign up for a new email address to use with a Microsoft account.
  • Sign in without a Microsoft account.

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Figure 2-4 Signing in with your Microsoft account

There are a number of benefits to using a Microsoft account to access your system. Most notably, your system can take direct advantage of Microsoft services such as Hotmail and SkyDrive directly from the desktop. Because some of these services are built into Windows 8, this configuration seamlessly connects the local desktop to cloud-based services.

Note Active Directory domain environments

If your Windows 8 system will be used in an Active Directory domain environment, selecting a local administrator user name and password is probably better than using your Microsoft account. To use an Active Directory domain account, select Sign In Without A Microsoft Account on the Sign In To Your PC screen shown in Figure 2-4. On the next page, select Local Account. On the next page, type a local administrator account name, confirm the password, enter a password hint, and then click Finish. Windows creates a profile and readies your environment for first use. When this process completes, you see your Start screen, and you can start using Windows 8.