How to install Windows XP ?

Bit late, as windows Vista is out. However Vista has almost the same process of installation.

1) Minimum Requirements: Make sure that you have the enough resource for you to install the windows XP. Assuming that you have the input devices like keyboard, mouse, 800x600 display adapter etc, we require a minimum configuration as shown below.
  • 300 Mhz Intel or AMD CPU
  • 128 Megabytes of system RAM (It can work with 64 Megabytes of RAM but its not recommended)
  • 1.5 Gigabytes of available drive space.
  • Windows XP CD and the Product Key (5 group with 5 letter in each group). Make note of the Key in a separate paper or CD cover, if your Key is printed on the CD itself.
  • Driver softwares required for your various hardware.
2) Before inserting windows XP installation CD, start you computer and press F2 or Del (may vary depending on your system) to get into BIOS setup. You have to set "CD-ROM" (or May be DVD-ROM) as the first priority in the Boot device priority list. This allows BIOS to check the drive for any bootable CDs/DVDs before loading the necessary programs to run the OS (if existing). After Changing the Boot sequence, you need to save the changes and before restarting the system, insert the XP installation CD into the drive set as first boot priority.

3) If your CD is bootable, it will ask to press any key to boot from the CD. If you press any key, Windows XP installation starts. If you did not press any key in the specified time (Mostly 5 seconds or less) it will start to boot from the next boot device selected.

4) Once you press the key, some files required to start the installation and some drivers will be loaded. You can see a blue screen showing the files that are copied from the CD.

5) After loading the files required, it will ask you whether to repair or install. Repair will take you to command prompt. There you have limited access to the files existing and you need to do the repair work manually, which you can do only if you know what the error is in the existing OS or Windows.

6) When you give Install, it will take you to an agreement form. Press F8 to agree to the agreement after reading it.

7) Then it will show you a screen which will ask you whether to repair or put OS freshly. Repair will install the OS over the existing one. Careful u might lose data in the Desktop and My Documents.

8) If fresh installation is give it will ask where to install the windows. Give the option (that is, in which Drive to install).

9) If the drive already contains an OS, it will ask whether to add the new OS in the existing OS (highly not recommended) or to format the drive and then install (recommended).

10) Format the drive which already has an Windows. (Note: You can also install the Windows XP in another drive that do not have an OS. This will give you an option to select the OS you want to enter everytime you start the system.)

Or if you don't have an OS installed already, you have to create partition from the un-partitioned space.

If you have only one partition, and that contains an OS and if you need to have two OS, it is recommended to partition the single drive into two using softwares like Partition Magic and install the OS in the empty partition.

When doing format or partition, you need to select the type of file system, FAT or NTFS. NTFS is a newer file system, and it is recommended. And Quick Format is not recommended. Give Full format.

11) After selecting the drive, it will start installing. While installing it will ask you for the administrator (one who has all the accessibility options of the OS) username and password. Then it will ask you for the Date, time, Region where you belong to or country, Language etc.

12) When installing it will restart many times, at those times you should not give boot from CD. That option will start the process of installation again from the beginning.

13) After sometime, it will ask you the key. Give the key in the CD cover or paper and continue.

14) After installing, you will require the drivers for your various hardware installed on your PC. For that you will need the Motherboard Driver CD, which will be given with the PC when you bought it. If you don't have the drivers CD, and don't know the Motherboard model, check here to find out the motherboard model. However, not all times you will get the motherboard model by the method shown in that link. In case you don't know what drivers to install, you can use driver detective or similar softwares to detect the drivers you will require.

15) Install all the drivers required for your PC, like Audio drivers, Video drivers, LAN drivers etc.

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