Things to Configure Before Coding?

Step 1 (remove index.php): if you do that, your CodeIgniter site won't work at all.
You probably mean to say that you want to use URL's without index.php in it. That's what you do in step 2 (.htaccess).

Step 6: Put your assets (images, stylesheets, javascripts) in the right place where CodeIgniter can find them.
Step 7: Configure the session driver you want to use (files or database)

+1 for step # 6. I usually do that.