If you want to format and reinstall your Windows 7 computer after a virus infection or hard drive-failure struck it, here is a detailed Windows 7 support guide for you. The guide will help you easily format as well as reinstall Windows 7 on your PC.

Instructions:

Before you begin, make sure that you back up your entire hard drive data to an external media. If you are a cloud storage service customer, store your entire data in cloud to avoid keeping external hard drives, CDs etc. Also, make sure that you have the original Windows 7 setup (installation) disk that came with the original Windows 7 setup kit.

Place the Windows 7 installation disk in the drive of your computer and boot it. Wait for the automatic prompt to come up. When prompted, press the Enter key on the keyboard (you can press any key you want to). Wait for the next prompt as it may take some time. When prompted, select your language (English), time and currency format (English United States), and keyboard or input method (US). When done, click the Next button.

Click the Install Now button to start the installation. Click the box beside “I accept the license terms” and hit the Next button. When prompted to choose installation type, click Custom (advanced). It will now ask you to select a partition to install Windows 7 on your computer. You will see the already existing partitions on the screen. Since you want to format a partition, click the Drive options (advanced) link.

Now click to select the partition on which you want to install Windows 7 and then click the Format button. If prompted, confirm the action by clicking the Yes button. Before you click the Format button, make sure that you have all your data backed up. Once the formatting finishes, click the Next button to start the installation. It may take a good amount of time, so be patient and do not turn off your computer during the procedure.

During the installation, your computer may reboot several times. Thus, you need not worry about booting up of your computer. When done, Windows 7 will prepare your computer for the first use. When prompted, type your user name and computer name and hit the Next button. In the next window, type your password, retype it, and give a password hint. A password hint can help you recover your forgotten password.

Make a note of all the details and keep it safe and away from the unauthorized reach. When done, hit the Next button. When prompted, click Use recommended settings and click the Next button. Select your time format and zone in the next window and click the Next button. Follow rest of the on-screen instructions and customize your Windows 7 settings. When done, download and install the recommended updates.

If prompted, reboot your computer and you are done. Use your computer as desired and reinstall all the necessary drivers if required. Though Windows 7 can automatically search for and install the latest driver software for your devices if prompted, but you can install them manually from their manufacturers’ websites.

Additional Tips:

If you face problems while formatting the drive or installing Windows 7, contact Windows 7 technical support.