Microsoft details radical overhaul for Windows 8 setup

Windows 8 will debut new ways of installing the operating system, including a web-based download alternative to purchasing a DVD box, simplification of the install process, and various methods to shorten the time taken to complete an installation.

Microsoft has yet to detail when Windows 8 will be delivered or even when a beta will be released, but the firm has disclosed significant changes coming to the install process when it is finally available, designed to make it easier for users of existing PCs to upgrade while still allowing professional users the ability to customise the experience.

Writing in the Building Windows 8 blog, Christa St Pierre of Microsoft's Setup and Deployment team outlined how there will be two setup user experiences; streamlined and advanced.

Streamlined setup is kicked off when a user starts the process from their old version of Windows and includes a web delivery option, while advanced setup is for users who want to do a clean install or custom configuration, and is entered by booting from a DVD or USB Flash drive.

"Most customers who buy a Windows upgrade from a retailer just want it to be fast and easy, but a few also want to be able to do some more complex things, such as setting up in a multi-boot configuration," St Pierre wrote.

The web-based setup experience will first check the PC for compatibility issues, before an integrated download manager pulls down the setup files, according to Microsoft.

During the checks, setup will look for applications and devices known to work in Windows 8 and those that will not, and produces a report allowing the user to decide whether or not to purchase and install Windows 8 at that point.

Microsoft even claims that users will be able to uninstall a problem application, free up disk space or make configuration changes without having to quit the Windows installer.

The pre-download check will also eliminate the need for users to specify which language or processor architecture to choose, and setup "pre-keys" the download image so that the user does not even have to type in the 25-digit product key, according to St Pierre.

The download package a user receives is also optimised using de-duplication and compression to shrink it down from about 2.32GB in size to just 1.51GB to cut download times, Microsoft claimed.

After download, users will be given the option to create a bootable USB drive or burn the operating system to DVD as an ISO image if they wish to run advanced setup.

For users upgrading, Windows 8 setup will offer three choices for personal data; keep all Windows settings, including personal files and apps; keep just personal files; or keep nothing. The middle option allows users to perform a clean install but still keep their data, Microsoft said.

The upgrade process itself is streamlined by moving entire folders instead of each individual file.

Also, instead of gathering data to be preserved during the install, Windows 8 will simply move folders such as program files and program data into the Windows.old folder and apply the changes after installation has finished.

These changes dramatically cut the time taken for an install where the user has a lot of data to preserve, according to Microsoft.

For IT professionals, Microsoft is also providing new options to automate installation, including the ability to choose language, dual-boot configurations and provide the product key, all using scripts.

"With Windows 8 setup we have greatly improved both speed and ease of use, while still retaining all of the advanced setup functionality that many customers will demand," wrote St Pierre.