tutorials informatics: Installation of Windows XP

INSTALLATION OF WINDOWS XP

I had been maintaining my PC pretty much well and whenever I have problems I handle it myself. In a way I have managed to become a technician of my own PC and I sometimes help my friends to maintain their's as well. Often I am out of reach and my friends phone me up asking to directions of how to install Windows XP. It is pretty much hard to direct them via phone or on the chat. So I thought of writing this topic so that my friends and everyone who wants to install Windows XP would install it on their own following the instructions. What better way then to write it with step-by-step.

Below are the instructions with pictures.

You need to have following things at first:

1. Windows XP Professional/Home CD

2. Computer with CD/DVD optical appliance

Before you start installation take following things in consideration:

1. If you are reinstalling your Windows, then create backup for all your important files (documents, pictures, music, etc), and if needed take down net configuration settings.

2. You need to have CD/DVDs or download the newest drivers from producers homepages for your hardware like video card, sound card, motherboard, etc; and if needed driver for SATA disks controller.

3. You should unplug your net cable

4. Make sure that CD/DVD appliance is set as First Boot Device.

You need do this in BIOS setup. You can read it in your motherboard's manual for more information on how to do it. Usually to get to BIOS while system is starting you need to push one of the following buttons: "Del" (Delete), "F1", "F2", "F8" or "F10". (My PC follows "Del" key)

After you done it save changes with [Save & Exit]

With newest models pressing "F10" you can choose the appliance which will be the first booting device.

There are two types of BIOS version I mostly encountered. Below are the separate images for both of the versions:

a. BIOS version

b. BIOS version

Let's start with the installation process now…

To start Windows installation:

Put Windows XP CD and restart your computer.

You will see "Press any key to boot from CD …" so you must push any button on your keyboard to proceed.

Press any key, for example the SPACE hey, or a letter key.

1 - The system will boot from cd:

2 - Wait untill the following screen appears and press Enter

3 - Press PageDown to read the terms and conditions and after that press F8 when the screen appears:

4 - Press C to create a partition:

5 - Enter the desired partition size in Megabytes. (1 Gigabyte = 1024 Megabytes) and press Enter:

6 - Select the partition where you wold like the Operating System to be installed (I have only one here) and press Enter:

7 - Select the format type (you should choose NTFS) and press Enter to continue:

8 - Please wait while the Setup formats the partition:

9 - Formatting…

10 - Please wait while setup copies files:

11 - Your computer will reboot in 15 seconds after finishing copying files. You can also press Enter when the screen allows you to:

12 - DO NOT press any key when the computer reboots and asks for it. Just IGNORE it:

13 - You will see the first bootscreen of Windows:

14 - Setup screen will appear, continuing the setup process:

15 - The following setup step will ask you to customize your regional and language options. After selecting the apropriate one press Next:

16 - Here you have to enter your Name and Organisation(you can leave it blank) and press Next:

17 - The next screen will ask you for the Product Key found on the back of the case of the Windows XP CD:

18 - Insert the 15 character Product Key in the boxes (5 for each one) and press Next :

19 - Insert your Computer name and the Administrator password (MEMORIZE IT!), and press Next:

20 - Set the Time and the Time Zone and click Next:

21 - Be patient and do not take in consideration the countdown in the left

22 - Choose the typical settings and press Next:

23 - Select the second option only if your computer is part of a Domain, otherwise leave it as it is and press Next:

24 - Be really patient from now on:

25 - Only one minute left:

26 - Don't worry this is not THE Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) it's just a blue screen, look you can even see the mouse pointer

27 - The bootscreen again…

28 - Just click OK:

29 - If you see the following screen press ok in the next 30 seconds, otherwise wait for 30 seconds (the system will decrease the resolution and refresh rate):