Tutorials

Fresh Windows Installation

This tutorial explains step by step, with illustrations, on how to reformat your computer and a complete guide to reinstalling Windows XP on you system.

Pre installation procedures

When you run the Windows XP Professional Setup program, you must provide information about how to install and configure the operating system.

Thorough planning can make your installation of Windows XP Professional more efficient by helping you to avoid potential problems during installation.

An understanding of the configuration options will also help to ensure that you have properly configured your system. Check System Requirements.

Check Hardware and Software Compatibility Determine Disk Partitioning Options Choose the Appropriate File System: FAT, FAT32, NTFS  Decide on a Workgroup or Domain Installation 

Complete a Pre-Installation Checklist

Once you have done this you may proceed with the installation Windows XP Professional Installation Instructions Boot from CD

1. Plug in unit power and switch on.

2. Hit the delete key at the first screen to enter bios mode.

3. Using arrow keys highlight the boot sequence.

4. Highlight the CD-ROM device to boot first the press f10 and enter to save changes.

5. Insert the windows disc and boot from CD.

6. Windows will inspect your computers hardware configuration.

7. To install additional SCSI adaptors or other mass storage devices, you will need to push F6; if you do you will need to have the drivers handy on a floppy disc.

8. Pressing F2 will run the ASR sequence but this is not needed if you are installing a new Copy.

9. All the files and drivers will be loaded by setup

10. The next screen gives 3 options: To set up Windows XP now, press ENTER To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R To quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3 As we are doing a new installation we will press ENTER.

11. The next display is the License agreement which, to progress with the installation, you must read and agree to by pressing F8.

12. The next step it to create a partition on the hard disc drive to install XP on. This is done on the next screen where it will display any partitions already made.

Partitioning the Hard Disc Drive

There are a few options here in this next step

1. If the HDD (hard disc drive) is already partitioned, but has enough un-partitioned disk space, you can create an additional partition in the un-partitioned space. Press C

2. If the existing partition is large enough then Windows XP Professional can be installed on to that partition. Keeping in mind, if there is an existing operating system on the partition in question then it will be overwritten if you accept the default installation path. However, files other than the operating system files i.e. program files and data files will not be overwritten. Press ENTER.

3. You can delete the existing partition to create a bigger partition for the new operating system. This will, in fact, erase all data on the partition. Press D.

4. If a new partition is selected during setup then only create and size only the partition on which Windows XP Professional is to be installed. When installation is complete you will use the Disk Management option to partition and format the remaining space on the hard drive.

5. The next screen will ask what type of format you would like your hard drive to be configured with. There are 3 formats that windows XP professional supports NTFS, File Allocation Table (FAT) and FAT 32. Data on a HDD that is formatted with NTFS can only be accessed by Windows XP, XP PRO, Windows 2000 and Windows NT. If files are to be accessed with Windows 95 or 98 then the partition should be formatted as FAT or FAT 32 system otherwise we will use NTFS.

6. Setup will begin to copy all the necessary files from the installation point.

7. If the installation process begins from an MS-DOS floppy then please make sure you have and run SMARTDRV from the floppy. Otherwise the copying process can take a lot longer than an hour. With the SMARTDRV running it would take no more than 5 minutes.

8. The computer will restart in graphical mode and continue the installation. The GUI-Based program setup portion Setup will reboot your system and load a GUI (graphic user interface ) mode phase. It will then proceed to load the drivers for the devices based on what is detects on your computer. You will not be needed for any part of this stage.

The GUI section

1. Regional and Language Options is the next stage of user input.

2. Here you will customise regional settings. Click customise to change Current System Locale - This is where you will determine how programs on your system will display the time, date, currency, numbers and country. Current Keyboard Layout Provide the special characters and symbols used in other languages. The keyboard layout will determine what appears on the screen when what key is pressed

3. Next enter your Name and Organisation. This will be the entry User for the name and the company will be (Your company name) then click Next

4. Type in the product key which is the site license of the company.

5. Next type in the computer name and administrator password. (Make one up)

6. Select your date time and zone settings.

7. Setup will now install the networking components.

8. Press Next to accept the typical settings option if you have one of the following situations: You have a functional DHCP on your network. You have a computer running Internet Connection Sharing (ICS). You're in a workgroup environment and do not plan to have any other servers or Active Directory at all, and all other workgroup members are configured in the same manner.

9. The next screen has 2 options. To be a member of a domain or workgroup. Here is where you will join your Domain by entering the DNS or Domain name suffix. We are not joining a domain we are joining a workgroup. The name to enter here in the workgroup section is (Your workgroup name) then click Next

10. Setup will continue to copy files and configure the setup.

11. Once windows has completed the copying and configuring XP may find that you have a badly configured screen resolution , it will ask you to change it and then ask if you can see the new settings. Click ok if they are ok.

12. Setup finishes and boots Windows.

13. A Windows default welcome screen is the first thing you will see. Click next

14. This next stage is where the computer will check your connectivity (needed for the mandatory activation and registration).

15. Windows will next ask if you are connecting directly to the net or through a network. At this point make the required selection.

16. You may at this point Decline the registration process.

17. You will next be asked for the default user name that will log onto the computer. Five is the maximum that can be created at this time but more can be created later after the installation has finished.

18. Once you have completed that, Windows XP Professional is successfully installed on your computer and you are finished. To download this complete tutorial with illustrations

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