If the above instructions for
configuring your system to boot from CD
or you have acquired the necessary
boot floppy/floppies; you can now
boot the computer and follow the on
screen prompts. Have your Product Key
available, typical install is around
30 minutes. If setup seems to hang,
wait at least 10 minutes + before
restarting system. You should experience
momentary screen blackouts.
1. Power on the computer. Press the
Pause/Break key as soon as you see
text on the screen. [If you currently
are running in an OS of any flavor, insert XP CD and restart computer.
Skip to #3 if system is configured to boot from CD.]
2. Insert XP CD into CD drive. Press
ENTER to resume booting from the XP CD.
(BIOS must support booting from CD and
boot order must be set so CD boots before hard drive. If computer
does not support booting from CD go to 2a for floppy install).
2a. Floppy install: Boot from
Win98/Me/Special XP install floppy disk with smartdrv.exe added to the
boot disk; or the Win XP set of 6 floppy disks.
3. Look for message "booting from
CD" usually located at the bottom of the screen. If you have a factory
splash screen, press ESC to unload
it.
3a. Floppy install: From the A Prompt;
A:\type: smartdrv.exe. then
press ENTER. If you are using the XP
boot floppy setup disks skip
to step #5.
4. Press any Key when you see the
prompt to "Press Any Key"
4a. Floppy install: CD to the location
of the CD-ROM drive with the
XP setup files; CD to the i386 folder
where you will type: winnt.exe
to start setup.
5. Setup will start copying files, if
you need to install any third
- party or RAID drivers press F6 at this
time. the copying of files
can take awhile.
6. Next you will get the option to
repair or enter setup, choose to
enter setup. Press ENTER. To see
images full size, place mouse cursor over image and click/double click or
press the left button and open.
7. Press F8 if you agree to the
license.
8. Setup will scan for previous
Windows installations
9. If you are using the upgrade
version of XP on a computer without
any version of Windows currently installed,
this is where you will
replace the XP CD with your qualifying
CD, XP setup will scan the
qualifying CD and instruct you to
replace it with the XP CD to continue
XP setup; otherwise, you will not see
this screen. Clean install
qualifying media can be any of the
following Win NT3.51, 4.0, 2000,
Win 95, 98, Me. 10. Choose the
location to install.
10a If this is a clean hard drive, you
can choose to create a
partition in the un-partitioned space.
At this point, you can allow
Setup to use all the space or set a
size for the partition.
10b If the hard drive or partition has
a previous installation of
XP you want to remove, choose to
delete the partition by pressing
"D". You will then be
prompted to create a new partition in the
empty space. This will remove all data
from the delete space.
10c If you intend to use multiple
partitions, or dual boot, this is
where you specify the size of the boot
partition and or setup
location for XP. If you are planning
to dual boot XP, I would
create a small 100 meg DOS partition for the first primary
partition,
then an 8 to 10 gig partition for XP.
You can partition and format
the remaining space after XP is setup
from Disk Manager. If you do not
intend to dual boot, you can either
use all the un-partitioned space,
or create an 8 to 10 gig partition for
XP and leave the rest free to
partition later.
Note: If a fat32 partition larger than
32 gigabyte is desired, the
hard drive or partition will need to
be created before running XP
setup. XP will not create a fat 32
partition larger than 32 gig, but
will support one previously created.
11. Choose the file system from this
screen. If dual booting and you
created the small 100 meg partition,
make it a fat partition. NTFS is
configured at the optimal file size
during the initial setup. See this
link for more on NTFS
12. If you have more that one
partition or hard drive on your system,
make sure you are formatting the
correct partition/drive.
13. Select F to continue.
14. Setup will show a progress box and
reboot when copying files is
complete.
15. When you see the "Press any
Key to Reboot" do not Press any Key.
If CD boots anyway, remove CD and
reboot.
16. From this point, you will follow
the on screen prompts.
17. If you live outside the US, you
will probably need to modify the
default settings.
18. Personalize your XP Enter your
Name and Organization.
19. Enter the Product Key. The Key is
located on the back of the CD folder
in the Retail versions, and on a holographic
label with the OEM
versions purchased with a piece of
hardware. Write this key down and
secure it in a safe place in case the
original is misplaced destroyed
through natural causes or stupidity.
8-)
20. Choose a name for the computer, this should be a unique name
for
the computer, especially if it is to
be connected to a network. In Pro,
you are given the option of creating a
password or leaving it blank.
21. Set your Time Zone and Time and
Date.
22. Setup will scan for network.
23. If detected you will have the choice to
choose a typical
configuration or custom. Choose
typical if you are unsure.
24. For home you will choose your
workgroup, if a network is already
established and you intend to connect
to it, use the existing
workgroup name, otherwise, I suggest
using the default.
25. For Pro, the same goes for Pro as
suggested for Home, but you will
have the choice to join a Domain, if
you do not have a Domain or do
not know leave blank.
26. Setup will continue and reboot
when completed ignore the "Press
Any Key".
27. The loading XP window will now
display after reboot.
28. You will see a change display
settings, say yes, and accept the
setting if you can see the screen
after accepting.
29. You will see a welcome screen,
press next and unfortunately you
have to wait for the dialog to finish.
30. Set up you internet or network
connection.
31. This is the Activate, Register
screen. You must activate within
30 days of installing XP, but you do
not ever have to register,
Registration is completely optional
and if you do not register, no
personal information will be
transmitted during activation. If you
register, then activation will
transmit that information along with
the activation. The first Activation
is usually done over the internet
if the computer is connected to the
internet, otherwise, it can be
accomplished by copying the
alphanumeric string from
the activation
screen and make a phone call to the on
screen supplied phone number.
The activation center will then give
you a slightly longer number to
input into for activation. I suggest
you do not activate immediately
in case you need to make hard ware
changes, or install to a different
system within the thirty days, and you
will be reminded on boot up
until you do.
Blaster worm warning: Do not
immediately activate over the internet
when asked, enable the XP firewall
before connecting to the internet.
You can activate after the firewall is
enabled.
Control Panel - Network Connections.
Right click the connection you
use, Properties, and there is a check
box on the Advanced page.
32. Setup users screen. Set at least
one user for yourself or the person
that will be using the computer.
33. Thank You
34. Logon to XP and apply Service Pack and
Critical updates from Windows
Update before installing any software
or hardware.
35. Install your anti-virus software.
36. Install all applications and setup
your email.
37. Restore from Files and Settings
transfer after reinstalling all
applications.
Last updated 2/23/04 Michael Stevens
MS-MVP
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.