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Installation of “CentOS 7.0″ with Screenshots

CentOS 7 is a popular open - source Linux distribution known for its stability and reliability. It was widely used in servers and enterprise environments. However, CentOS 7 reached end - of - life on June 30, 2024, and is no longer maintained or receiving security updates. For new installations, it is recommended to use CentOS Stream, Rocky Linux, or AlmaLinux as alternative distributions that provide long - term support and active maintenance. This blog will guide you through the step - by - step process of installing CentOS 7 on your system, accompanied by screenshots to help you visualize each stage of the installation. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced Linux user, this guide will provide you with the information you need to successfully install CentOS 7.

2026-06

Table of Contents#

  1. Prerequisites
  2. Downloading CentOS 7.0
  3. Creating a Bootable USB Drive
  4. BIOS/UEFI Configuration
  5. Starting the Installation
  6. Language and Keyboard Selection
  7. Installation Destinations
  8. Software Selection
  9. Setting Up the Network
  10. User and Root Account Setup
  11. Installation Process
  12. First Boot and Initial Configuration
  13. Conclusion
  14. References

1. Prerequisites#

Before you start the installation of CentOS 7.0, make sure you have the following:

Hardware Requirements#

  • A computer system with at least 1GB of RAM (2GB or more is recommended for a smoother experience).
  • A minimum of 8GB of free disk space.
  • A working optical drive or a USB port to create a bootable media.

Data Backup#

Ensure that you have backed up all important data on the target disk where you plan to install CentOS 7.0. The installation process will overwrite any existing data on the selected disk.

2. Downloading CentOS 7.0#

As CentOS 7 has reached end - of - life, official ISO downloads are no longer available from the CentOS website. If you still need to install CentOS 7 for legacy systems or testing purposes, you may find ISO images through alternative sources such as vault.centos.org or other third - party mirrors. For new deployments, consider using CentOS Stream or switching to Rocky Linux or AlmaLinux, which offer long - term support and are actively maintained.

Note: Using end - of - life distributions is not recommended for production environments as they no longer receive security patches or updates.

3. Creating a Bootable USB Drive#

  1. Download a USB creation tool such as Rufus (available for Windows) or UNetbootin (available for Windows, Linux, and macOS).
  2. Insert a USB drive with at least 8GB of free space into your computer.
  3. Open the USB creation tool. For example, if you are using Rufus:
    • Select the USB drive in the "Device" dropdown.
    • Under "Boot selection", click on "SELECT" and choose the CentOS 7.0 ISO file you downloaded earlier.
    • Leave the other settings as default and click "START".
    • Rufus will format the USB drive and copy the necessary files from the ISO image to make it bootable.

Rufus

4. BIOS/UEFI Configuration#

  1. Insert the bootable USB drive into the target computer.
  2. Restart the computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI settings. The key to enter the settings varies depending on the computer manufacturer (common keys are F2, F10, Del, etc.).
  3. In the BIOS/UEFI settings, navigate to the "Boot" section.
  4. Change the boot order so that the USB drive is the first boot device.
  5. Save the settings and exit the BIOS/UEFI.

BIOS Boot Order

5. Starting the Installation#

  1. After exiting the BIOS/UEFI, the computer will boot from the USB drive. You will see the CentOS 7.0 installation menu.
  2. Select "Install CentOS 7" and press Enter.

Installation Menu

6. Language and Keyboard Selection#

  1. On the first screen of the installation wizard, select your preferred language and keyboard layout.
  2. Click "Continue".

Language and Keyboard

7. Installation Destinations#

  1. On the "Installation Destination" screen, select the disk where you want to install CentOS 7.0.
  2. You can choose the automatic partitioning option if you are new to Linux. For more advanced users, you can select the manual partitioning option to customize the disk layout.
  3. Click "Done" when you are satisfied with your selection.

Installation Destination

8. Software Selection#

  1. On the "Software Selection" screen, you can choose the type of installation you want. For a server installation, you might select the "Minimal Install" option. If you want a desktop environment, you can choose options like "GNOME Desktop".
  2. Click "Done" after making your selection.

Software Selection

9. Setting Up the Network#

  1. On the "Network & Hostname" screen, you can configure your network settings. If you are using a wired network, make sure the network adapter is detected and enabled.
  2. You can also set the hostname for your system.
  3. Click "Apply" once you have configured the network settings.

Network Setup

10. User and Root Account Setup#

  1. On the "User Creation" screen, create a regular user account. Enter the user's full name, username, and password.
  2. On the "Root Password" screen, set a strong password for the root user. The root user has administrative privileges on the system.
  3. Click "Done" after setting up the accounts.

User and Root Setup

11. Installation Process#

  1. After completing all the above steps, click on the "Begin Installation" button.
  2. The installation process will start, and it may take some time depending on your system hardware.
  3. You can monitor the progress of the installation on the screen.

Installation Progress

12. First Boot and Initial Configuration#

  1. Once the installation is complete, remove the USB drive and restart the computer.
  2. On the first boot, you may be asked to accept the license agreement and other initial configuration steps.
  3. After logging in with your user account, you can start exploring your new CentOS 7.0 system.

First Boot

Conclusion#

Installing CentOS 7.0 is a relatively straightforward process if you follow the steps outlined in this guide. With the help of the screenshots, you should be able to visualize each stage of the installation and avoid any potential issues. CentOS 7.0 provides a stable and reliable platform for various applications, whether it's a server or a desktop environment.

References#