This article will follow my progress of a Windows 7 Beta installation on a 32 bit machine.

Platform: VMWare ESX Server 3.5.0, build 110268
Installation Media: ISO (7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULFRE_EN_DVD.iso)
CPU: 2 dedicated 2.0Ghz
RAM: 1024mb
Disk: 60GB

1. Windows will boot off of the ISO image

1. I am choosing to keep the defaults, press “Next” to continue

1. Press “Install Now”

1. Accept the license terms, Press “Next” to continue

1. Choose Custom (Advanced) – I feel upgrade should be grayed out, Windows 2008 detects if you have Windows installed and if not it does not allow you to select this option and grays this option out.

1. You can select the disk where you want to install Windows 7 on. Press “Next” to continue

1. Set up will copy the files to your hard disk and complete the installation

1. Windows 7 will reboot during the installation process, Press “Restart Now” or wait 10 seconds and it will automatically reboot

1. After the reboot, Windows installation will automatically start up to continue with the installation

1. Set up will now complete installation

1. After the initial setup is complete, Windows 7 will reboot once more

1. After this reboot Windows 7 makes checks video performance and makes changes to the registry

1. Now its time to configure and personalize our environment. Enter your desired user name and computer name. Press “Next” to continue

1. Enter your password and a password hint. Press “Next” to continue

1. Enter your serial number (this has been skewed so MS doesn’t send men in black suits after me). Press “Next” to continue

1. For this installation I will choose “Use recommended settings”, although as a power user I never allow Windows to update itself.

1. Choose your time zone, date and time settings. Press “Next” to continue

1. Windows 7 will prepare your desktop

1. Viola, the installation is complete.