Reinstalling Windows XP Home (Part 4): Installing Windows (896529)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

SUMMARY

This article is Part 4 of the Reinstalling Windows XP Home guide. This part explains how to install Microsoft Windows XP.

To view the other topics of the Reinstalling Windows XP Home guide, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles that are listed in the "References" section.

The Reinstalling Windows XP Home guide includes the following topics:
Part 1:  Introduction
Part 2:  Preparing Windows XP for reinstallation
Part 3:  Creating partitions
Part 4:  Installing Windows XP
Part 5:  Post-installing devices
Part 6:  Configuring the work environment
Part 7:  Running Windows Update

MORE INFORMATION

Now you are ready to install Windows. The Installation Wizard will guide you through the process.

Start Setup

  1. Insert the Windows CD into the CD drive, and restart your computer.
  2. Press any key to start from the CD.
  3. The Setup Wizard starts automatically, and a welcome screen appears. Press ENTER to start the installation.

    Preparing the installation
  4. Press F8 to accept the terms of the License Agreement.
  5. Press ESC to start a new Windows XP installation.
  6. You can now reconfigure the hard disk. All existing partitions are listed, and several options are available to you. The options include the following:

    Option 1: Delete existing partitions
    1. Use the arrow keys to select the first partition you want to delete, and then press D.
    2. Press ENTER to confirm that you want to delete this partition, and then press L.
    3. Repeat these steps for all other partitions you want to delete.
    4. Now you can create new partitions.
    Option 2: Create at least one new partition
    1. Use the arrow keys to select an unpartitioned area on the hard disk, and then press C.
    2. Specify a size for the new partition, and then press ENTER.

      Note If you want to create additional partitions, repeat these steps. Windows then automatically creates an extended partition with logical drives. For Windows installation, you only need one partition at first. You can conveniently create additional partitions as soon as the Windows installation is finished.
    3. Select the partition in which you want to install Windows, and then press ENTER.

      Note The Setup Wizard notes that the new partition is not yet formatted and suggests the FAT32 or the NTFS file systems. The best option is usually Format the partition using the NTFS file system.
    4. Use the arrow keys to select a file system option, and then press ENTER.
    5. Select the formatting type to start formatting the partition.
    Option 3: Reformat an existing partition for the Windows installation
    1. Use the arrow keys to select the partition in which you want to install Windows, and then press ENTER.

      Note The Setup Wizard suggests formatting the partition with the FAT32 file system or the NTFS file system. The best option is usually Format the partition using the NTFS file system.
    2. Use the arrow keys to select a file system option.
    3. Press F to start formatting.
  7. As soon as you have completed the partitioning and formatting steps, the installation process starts to copy files to the hard disk. This may take several minutes.

    Install Windows
  8. After you restart the computer, the Windows-based part of the installation starts. You will have to specify several entries to customize the Windows installation.
    1. Specify the Regional and Language Options. The default setting is usually English (United States). Make a selection, and then click Next.
    2. Enter your name and your organization, if applicable, and then click Next.
    3. Enter the product key, and then click Next.

      Note The product key appears on the Certificate of Authenticity label attached to your computer and consists of five parts, each with five characters.
    4. Enter your Computer Name, and then, click Next.
    5. Confirm the Date and Time Settings, and then click Next.
  9. If your computer has a network card, the Windows network will be installed. Click Default Settings, and then click Next.

    Note You can also reconfigure the network settings as soon as the installation is finished.

    Final steps
  10. The next time that you restart your computer, the Windows XP Welcome screen appears. Click Next.
  11. When you are prompted to activate the product, click Skip. At this point, there is no Internet connection. However, you can activate the product later. To do this, select No, remind me every few days, and then click Next.
  12. Enter your user name for your User Account, click Next, and then Finish.

    Note If you are using an Installation CD with integrated Service Pack 2 (SP2), the installation procedure may differ slightly.

New hardware

As soon as you have logged on, the Add Hardware Wizard will usually start. This wizard lets you install additional hardware components, such as a monitor or a printer. Follow the Wizard instructions to enable the software to install automatically. Alternatively, you can click Cancel and add the hardware later. Part 5 of this guide provides detailed information about how to install drivers after you install Windows.

Use Disk Management to create partitions later

If you only created one partition for the Windows installation, and there is still space on the hard disk, you can use Disk Management to create additional drives.
  1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
  2. Double-click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Computer Management.

    Administrative Tools icon (Control Panel)

    Computer Management shortcut icon

  3. Click Disk Management. This shows an overview of existing drives and lets you reorganize the empty areas on the hard disk.

    Computer Management window - Disk Management

Create a new primary partition

  1. Right-click an empty part of the drive, and then select New Partition.

    Right-click to create new partition

  2. The New Partition Wizard starts automatically. Click Next.

    New Partition Wizard welcome screen

  3. Select Primary partition, and then click Next.

    New Partition Wizard - Select partition type (primary)

  4. Enter a partition size, and then click Next.

    New Partition Wizard - Specify partition size

  5. Assign a drive letter to the partition, and then click Next.

    New Partition Wizard - Assign drive letter or path

  6. Select a file system, assign a volume name to the new drive, click Next, and then click Finish.

    New Partition Wizard - Select file system and volume label

  7. The system creates the new drive. You can see the progress on screen.

    The new partition is created - Progress display

  8. When the process is finished, the new partition appears with its volume name, drive letter, file system, and the status "Healthy." Its blue color denotes that it is a primary partition.

    New primary partition created and displayed

Delete a primary partition

To delete a primary partition, right-click the partition, and then select Delete Partition.

Caution If you delete a partition, all the data that is stored in that partition will be deleted.

Right-click to delete primary partition

Create an extended partition

  1. Locate Disk Management, right-click an empty part of the drive, and then select New Partition.
  2. The New Partition Wizard starts automatically. Click Next.
  3. Select Extended partition, and then click Next.

    New Partition Wizard - Select partition type (extended)

  4. Enter a partition size, click Next, and then click Finish.

    New Partition Wizard - Specify partition size

  5. The new partition will appear. It is dark green and contains only free space.

    New extended partition created and displayed

Create a logical drive

  1. Right-click an empty part of the extended partition, and then select New Logical Drive.

    Right-click extended partition to create new logical drive

  2. The New Partition Wizard starts automatically. By default, the Logical Drive option is selected. Click Next.

    New Partition Wizard - Logical drive selected automatically

  3. Enter a partition size, and then click Next.
  4. Assign a drive letter to the partition, and then click Next.
  5. Select a file system, assign a volume name to the new drive, click Next, and then click Finish.
  6. The system creates the new logical drive. You can see the progress on screen.

    The new logical drive is created - Progress display

  7. When the drive is ready for use, it will appear with a volume name, drive letter, file system, and the status "Healthy." Its light blue color denotes that it is a logical drive.

    New logical drive created and displayed

  8. If you want to create additional logical drives, repeat steps 1 through 5.

Delete an extended partition

To delete an extended partition, you must first delete all logical drives. You can then delete the extended partition.
  1. Right-click the logical drive, and then select Delete Logical Drive.

    Caution This will also delete all data that is stored on the logical drive.

    Right-click to delete logical drive

  2. Repeat step 1 to delete all other logical drives on the extended partition.
  3. Right-click the extended partition, and then select Delete Partition.

    Right-click to delete extended partition

REFERENCES

For more information about this topic, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Part 1 Introduction

Part 2 Preparing Windows XP for reinstallation

Part 3 Creating partitions

Part 5 Post-installing devices

Part 6 Configuring the work environment

Part 7 Running Windows Update

This article is a translation from German. Any subsequent changes or additions to the original German article may not be reflected in this translation. The information that is contained in this article is based on the German-language versions of this product. The accuracy of this information relative to other language versions of this product is not tested in the framework of this translation. Microsoft makes this information available without warranty of its accuracy or functionality and without warranty of the completeness or accuracy of the translation.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/7/2006
Keywords:kbhowto KB896529
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