Release Notes for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Setup (306856)

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Before You Begin

Before you install Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, read this section to ensure that your equipment meets the minimum requirements and that you have the information you will need during Setup.

Hardware Requirements

Before you install Windows XP, make sure your computer meets the following minimum hardware requirements:
733 megahertz (MHz) Intel Itanium-based microprocessor1 gigabyte (GB) of RAM (minimum)6 gigabytes (GB) of free hard disk space (minimum) for SetupVGA monitor or betterKeyboardMouse or compatible pointing deviceCD-ROM drive
For network installation:

Windows XP-compatible network adapter card and related cableAccess to the network share that contains the Setup files

Checking Hardware and Software Compatibility

Windows XP Setup automatically checks your hardware and software and reports any potential conflicts. To ensure a successful installation, however, you should determine whether your computer hardware is compatible with Windows XP 64-Bit Edition before you start Setup. This is particularly important if you are using a high-end video card for rendering three-dimensional graphics, or if you are using computer peripherals other than the minimum hardware requirements mentioned in the previous section.

You can view the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) at the Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/hcl During Setup, you can use Dynamic Update to ensure that you are getting the most up-to-date Setup files for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition.

Obtaining Network Information

The first step is to decide whether your computer is joining a domain or a workgroup. If you don't know which option to choose or if your computer won't be connected to a network, select the workgroup option. (You can join a domain after you install Windows XP.)

If your computer is currently connected to a network, request the following information from your network administrator before you begin the setup process: Name of your computerName of the workgroup or domainTCP/IP address (if your network does not have a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server) To connect to a network during Setup, you must have the correct hardware installed on your computer and it must be connected by a network cable.

Disk Partitioning Requirements for Itanium-based Workstations

Itanium-based computers have specific partitioning requirements. Two partitions are created automatically when you install Windows XP for the first time on your computer.
The first partition is a FAT partition of about 100 Megabytes(MB). Called the EFI System Partition, this partition is used to store programs and information files that the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) uses to automatically start Windows XP.The Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition is a 32 MB partition that allows the operating system to perform operations that require dedicated disk space, such as changing a disk from basic to dynamic.
The EFI system partition is the first partition on your hard disk and the MSR partition is the second partition. If you are using multiple hard disks, the MSR partition is the first partition on your second hard disk and all subsequent hard disks. Only one EFI system partition is necessary for a computer, and it must be on your boot drive.

For information about EFI utilities, see the documentation supplied by your computer vendor.

Installing Windows XP 64-Bit Edition

Setup for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition is divided into two phases. The first phase is text-mode Setup. During this phase, Setup copies files to the computer, checks your hardware, and configures your installation. You can also choose to create multiple partitions during this phase. Your computer will restart at the end of this phase.

The second phase is GUI-mode Setup. During this phase, Setup gathers information such as regional settings, user name and password, and network information. Your computer restarts again when Setup is complete.

Installing for the First Time

Setup creates the EFI system partition and the MSR partition automatically. It is recommended that you create a single data partition of no less than 6 GB for installing the operating system.

To install Windows XP on a clean machine:

1. Ensure that the hardware for your Itanium-based computer is set up properly and that everything is attached as it should be.
2. Turn on your computer.
3. Insert the Windows XP 64-Bit Edition CD into the CD-ROM drive.
4. When prompted in the EFI Boot Manager, boot to the CD-ROM drive.
   
   When you see "Press any key to boot from CD-ROM...", press a key and Windows XP text-mode Setup begins.
   
   If the CD does not start automatically, boot to the EFI shell, select the CD-ROM drive, and type:
   
   setupldr
   
   and then press ENTER.
   
   Note: Setup can create the EFI system partition and the MSR partition automatically. If you want, you can choose to create the EFI system partition yourself, but it is recommended that you let Setup create this partition.
5. When prompted to install Windows, determine the size of your data partition. The recommended minimum size for installing Windows XP 64-Bit Edition is 6 GB.
6. Follow the directions that appear. Once GUI-mode setup is complete, the computer restarts automatically.

Installing an Updated Version

Installing a newer version of Windows XP 64-Bit Edition over a previous version is simple. Setup detects and installs the appropriate drivers, or it creates a report on devices that could not be upgraded, so that you can be sure your hardware and software are compatible with Windows XP 64-Bit Edition.

To update from the CD:

1. Turn on your computer, and start Windows XP 64-Bit Edition.
2. Insert the Windows XP 64-bit Edition update CD into your CD-ROM drive.
   
   If Windows automatically detects the CD, the Windows XP CD dialog box appears. Click Install Windows to start your upgrade.
   
   Otherwise, click Start, and then click Run. Type the following command, replacing "d", if necessary, with the letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive:
   
   d:\ia64\winnt32.exe
3. Press ENTER.
4. Select Upgrade, and then click Next.
   
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
   

Collecting User and Computer Information

Windows XP Setup helps you gather information about you and your computer. Although much of this installation process is automatic, you might need to provide information or select settings on the following pages, depending on the configuration of your computer:

Licensing Agreement. If you agree with the terms and want to continue the setup process, select the option labeled "I accept this agreement."Select Special Options. Customize the Windows XP installation, language, and accessibility settings for new installations. You can set up Windows XP to use multiple languages and regional settings.Regional Settings. Change the system and user locale settings for different regions and languages.Personalize Your Software. Type the full name of the person to whom this copy of Windows XP is licensed and, optionally, the organization.Computer Name and Administrative Password. Type a unique computer name that differs from other computer, workgroup, or domain names on your network. Windows XP Setup suggests a computer name, but you can change the name.

Setup automatically creates an Administrator account during installation. When you use this account, you have full rights over the computer's settings and can create user accounts on the computer. Logging on as an Administrator after you install Windows XP gives you administrative privileges that you need in order to log on and manage your computer. Specify a password for the Administrator account. For security reasons, you should always assign a password to the Administrator account. Take care to remember and protect your password.Date and Time Settings. Verify the date and time for your region select the appropriate time zone, and then select whether you want Windows XP to automatically adjust for daylight saving time.Networking Settings. Unless you are an advanced user, select Typical settings for your network configuration. To manually configure network clients, services, and protocols, select Custom settings.Workgroup or Computer Domain. During the setup process, you must join either a workgroup or a domain. For details on both of these options, see "Providing Networking Information" in section 2.5 of this document.Network Identification Wizard. If your computer is connected to a network, this wizard prompts you to identify the users who will be using your computer. Each person with an account on the computer can be assigned different levels of access.

Providing Networking Information

During or after the setup process, you need to join either a workgroup or a domain. If you will not be working on a network, select the option to join a workgroup.

Joining a Workgroup

A workgroup is one or more computers with the same workgroup name (for example, a peer-to-peer network). Any user can join a workgroup by simply typing the workgroup name--you don't need special permissions to join a workgroup. You must provide an existing or new workgroup name, or you can use the workgroup name that Windows XP Setup suggests.

Joining a Domain

A computer account identifies your computer to the domain, while the user account identifies you to your computer.

A domain is a collection of computers defined by a network administrator. Unlike joining a workgroup, which you can do yourself, joining a domain requires permission from the network administrator.

To join a domain during the setup process, you must already have an existing computer account in the domain you want to join, or have the rights to create one. You are prompted to type a new computer account name. Before you run Windows XP Setup, ask your network administrator to create a computer account. Or, if you have the appropriate privileges, you can create the account during the setup process and join the domain. To join a domain, you need to provide your user name and password.

Creating a User Account

Your user account identifies your user name and password, the groups you are a member of, which network resources you have access to, and your personal files and settings. Each person who regularly uses the computer should have a user account. The user account is identified by a user name and a password, both of which the user types when logging on to the computer. You can create individual user accounts after logging on to the computer by using an account with Administrator rights.

To create a user account:

1. Log on to the computer as a user with Administrator rights.
2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
3. If your computer is on a domain, click Add and then follow the instructions that appear.
   
   If your computer is not on a domain, under Pick a task, click Create a new account, and then follow the instructions that Appear on your screen.

Advanced Setup Options

This section provides more detailed information and can help you make decisions about how you install Windows XP.

File Systems

Before you install Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, you should decide which file system you will use. A file system is the method by which information is stored on a hard disk.

Windows XP supports the NTFS file system or one of the file allocation table file systems (FAT or FAT32). To set up a dual-boot configuration, you should select one file system for all your partitions: FAT32 or NTFS.

NOTE: The 102 MB EFI system partition will automatically use the FAT file system. You should not change this, because using another file system will cause problems.

NTFS

The NTFS file system is the recommended file system for use with Windows XP. It has all of the basic capabilities of FAT, and it provides the following advantages over the FAT and FAT32 file systems:
Better file securityBetter disk compressionSupport for large hard disks, up to 2 terabytes (TB). (The maximum drive size for NTFS is much greater than for drives formatted as FAT, and as drive size increases, performance with NTFS doesn't degrade as it does with FAT.)

FAT and FAT32

FAT32 is an enhanced version of the FAT file system that can be used on drives ranging from 512 MB to 32 GB. FAT and FAT32 offer compatibility with operating systems other than Windows XP.

Disk Partitions

Disk partitioning is a way of dividing your hard disk so that each section functions as a separate unit. You can create a partition to provide a place to back up data, or to dual-boot with another operating system. When you create partitions on a disk, you divide the disk into one or more areas that can be formatted for use by a file system, such as FAT32 or NTFS.

During text-mode Setup, you can create and delete partitions. Follow these guidelines for partitioning:

A minimum of 6 GB is recommended for installing Windows XP 64-Bit Edition. A partition of this size provides flexibility for adding future updates, operating system tools, or other files.During Setup, you should create and size only the partition on which you want to install Windows XP. After Windows XP is installed, you can use Disk Management to further partition the unallocated space. For more information about Disk Management, open Help and Support Center from the Start menu in Windows XP Help.

Modifying the EFI Boot Manager

The EFI Boot Manager enables you to boot to the shell, to Windows XP or another operating system, or to the CD-ROM drive. Your computer will attempt to boot to each of the listed options, starting with the first option, until it finds a valid bootable entry. You can change the order of items on the boot menu. For example, if you want to boot to the shell first, you can make Shell the first item on your boot menu. If you install more than one operating system, you can choose which is listed first.

You can also make other changes to the Boot Manager menu, such as renaming a boot option or exporting the boot options to a floppy disk.

To make changes to your boot options:

1. Boot to the EFI shell.
2. Switch to the hard disk. Your hard disk is normally located at fs0 or fs1. For example, type:
   
   fs0:
   
   and then press ENTER.
3. Change to the Msutil folder. Type:
   
   cd msutil
   
   and then press ENTER. If there is no Msutil folder, you are not in the correct place.
   
   Try a different fs option.
4. Use the nvrboot.efi program to modify EFI Boot Manager options.
   To start it, type
   
   nvrboot
   
   and then press ENTER.
5. Make the changes to your boot options. For example, to rename a boot option, type M to Modify, and then follow the directions that appear on your screen. To move a boot option to the top of the boot option menu, use the Push command. To save a copy of your boot options to a floppy disk, use the Export command.

For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: