• Most Windows 7 installations are clean installations. A new computer always has a clean installation. In addition, network administrators in corporate environments often prefer clean installations on existing computers.
• When performing a clean installation, the hard drive of the computer is usually wiped out and reformatted. Clean installations can be performed by any installation method.

Before you begin, check to make certain that you have gathered all the information you need and are prepared to install. You should have the following:

• A computer that meets the minimum hardware requirements.
• Windows 7 drivers from the manufacturer for any hardware that does not appear in the Windows 7 Logo Program. It's imperative that you have the hard disk drivers, especially if they are RAID or SCSI devices.
• Windows 7 DVD or installation files available across a network.
• BIOS that meets the minimum requirements for Windows 7 compatibility. Product code, which should be listed on the DVD package or provided to you from the network administrator.
• If across a network, a boot disk that can access network shares and appropriate network adapters.
• Internet connection for Automatic Updates and access to updated drivers and WPA.
• A backup of all your existing data and the drivers for the backup device so that you can restore the data.