Even though most modern operating systems give you the option of keeping your files when installing the operating system, backing up your files is a safety precaution that you shouldn’t skip.
Windows 10 Windows 8 Windows 7
Consult your computer’s manual or online support page to confirm your computer’s BIOS key.
The Boot tab may instead say Boot Options, depending on your computer’s manufacturer.
For a USB flash drive, select the Removable Devices option. For a disc installation, select the CD-ROM Drive option.
On some computers, you’ll instead press one of the function keys (e. g. , F5) to navigate an option up to the top of the menu. The key will be listed on the right side of the screen.
You may have to press ↵ Enter to confirm before you can exit the BIOS page.
Windows 11 Windows 10 Windows 8
If you’re on Windows 8, place the mouse cursor in the top- or bottom-right corner of the screen, then click the magnifying glass icon.
On Windows 8, type into the search bar instead. System Configuration is available on most versions of Windows.
If your current operating system is already the default, skip this step and the next one.
You won’t be able to use the Windows 7 hard drive space until you remove the partition that Windows 7 was using.
You won’t be able to use the Windows 7 hard drive space until you remove the partition that Windows 7 was using.
