Reinstalling Windows XP for dummies. Installing Windows XP

Probably every second computer-related website has an article about how to install Windows XP operating system. I thought that let my blog be no exception and remain on it Windows XP installation instructions.

You can install Windows on a clean HDD; on top of an already installed system; or as a second (third, etc.) operating system. Each of these options has its own characteristics. Today I want to tell you how to completely reinstall your existing operating system while formatting the system disk.

In general, you can start installing Windows XP in two ways: 1) by booting from the installation disk; 2) directly from the installed system. The first option is preferable, and we will consider it.

A small digression: I did not take the screenshots used in the article myself. I borrowed them from the site compbegin.ru. I hope the author won’t be offended by me for this :)

So, for installation we need boot disk with Windows XP operating system. Only such a disk contains a special hidden section with important system files that will allow the computer to boot directly from this CD.

We turn on our computer and first of all go to the BIOS to configure booting from disk. To do this, immediately after turning on, press the key on the keyboard Delete or F2(other keys may also be used, so you need to carefully watch the prompts on the screen).
Once in Bios, you need to find the section with the word Boot, and then change the order of boot devices in it so that the CD-ROM is in first place. Depending on the BIOS version, the device from which the computer will boot is either selected from the list or moved to the top using the keys F5/F6, +/- .
After changes made, we exit the BIOS, saving the settings. Before leaving, you need to insert a disk with Windows XP into the drive so that the computer can boot from it.

If any Windows operating system was already installed on your computer, then after rebooting you will see “” on the screen (this means “Press any key to boot from CD”). Accordingly, you need to press any button on the keyboard. If you wait more than 10 seconds, the current operating system installed on the hard drive will begin loading (then you will have to restart the computer again).
The Windows XP installer shell will appear on the screen. The OS will check the hardware installed on the computer and begin downloading installation files.
At the end of this process, a window will appear asking you to begin installing Windows. Click Enter on keyboard.
Next, accept the license agreement by clicking F8.
It will then search for previous copies of Windows installed on your computer. If any are found, you will see a screen with a list of these systems.
Here you will also be offered:

1) Restore the found copy of Windows by pressing the R key .

Recovery can help in case of damage, deletion or replacement of infected system files Windows files.
If you select this item, you will have to go through the entire system installation procedure, during which everything system files old copies will be replaced with new ones from the CD. All your data, settings and installed programs however, they will not disappear anywhere.

2) Install new copy Windows by pressing the Esc key .

Because we want to install new Windows XP, then press now on the keyboard Esc.

List box installed systems you will not see if you are installing the system on a new hard drive, or if the previous one copy of Windows has a different edition or service pack.

Because in my case, the operating system was already installed on the computer, and the hard drive was already distributed into logical drives. Therefore, a window appears listing all found partitions.
If the current partition hard drive you are not satisfied, you can delete existing partitions by pressing D(you can select the desired section using the arrows on the keyboard). After deleting a partition, the area it occupied becomes unallocated, and all data located on this logical disk is deleted.

The existing structure of the hard drive suits me, so I use the arrow on the keyboard to select the partition in which the system will be installed. Let it be C: Section2 (SYSTEM). Then I click Enter.

If the following window appears, just click Enter.
Then select “Format partition using NTFS” and click Enter.
The formatting process will begin:
When it’s finished, Windows XP files will begin copying to your hard drive:
After the copying is completed, the computer will reboot. If after rebooting a screen appears that says “”, do not press anything (just wait 10 seconds). IN otherwise the installation will start again.

Next, Windows will offer to configure the language and region. Click “Next”.
In the “Setting program affiliation” window, enter some name (for example: Ivan) and the name of the organization (for example: Nome). Click “Next”.
The “Product Key” window will appear, in which you must enter serial number Windows XP.
Next, come up with and enter the name of the computer under which it will be visible on the network (use Latin letters). The administrator password can be left blank.
In the “Setting time and date” window, check all the settings and click “Next”.
You will see the next two windows only if the Windows XP distribution contains a driver for your network card. In the first of them, we leave the marker in the “Normal settings” position, and in the second, we agree with the name of the working group WORKGROUP and simply click “Next”.

Windows will then begin setting up the network and copying files. After the installation is complete, the computer will restart and offer to automatically adjust the screen resolution - click “OK”.
A welcome screen will appear - click “Next”.
The next window will ask you to enable automatic update. You can select “Delay this action” and click “Next”.
If a network card driver was installed during installation, two more windows will appear in front of you. In the first “Test Internet connection” click “Skip”. And in the second, put the marker in the “No, some other time” position and click “Next”.

The account creation window will appear. In the “Name” field account”Enter any name in Latin letters and without spaces. You can also create a second, third, etc. now. users, but for now one is enough. Click “Next”.
This completes the installation of Windows XP. After clicking the “Finish” button, the Desktop will appear.

Do not forget to return the computer to boot from the hard drive in BIOS.

Installing Windows XP is easy! In this article, we provide step-by-step instructions for installing the operating system for beginners.

An illustration of each step will help you quickly master the process of installing the Windows XP operating system from a disk.

What is Windows XP?

Windows XP is an operating system (OS) produced by Microsoft, released at the end of 2001. Windows XP can be called improved Windows version 2000 Professional. After XP came Vista (in 2007) and Windows 7 (at the end of 2009).

By the beginning of 2011, Windows XP is the most popular operating system in the world and in Russia.

Windows XP has 3 official add-ons, the so-called SP (Service Pack) 1,2,3,4. They added and improved basic version programs.

Most compatible with XP operating system different programs and utilities.

Why install Windows XP?

Why do you need to install Windows at all? In what cases is this necessary?

Typically, Windows XP installation occurs for two reasons:

1. You bought a computer without a pre-installed operating system.
You won’t be able to work on such a computer, since you simply won’t find the folders, pictures and files that are familiar to our eyes, but only a blinking cursor, and the BIOS.

2. You are not satisfied with your current operating system.
- You want to install a clean system to get rid of system errors, all kinds of garbage, viruses, rubbish in the form of remnants of programs that have not been completely removed.
- You prefer Windows XP to all other operating systems due to its unique features.

How to install Windows XP?

Windows XP can be installed in several ways: from a floppy disk, from a CD/DVD disk, from a flash drive. We will look at the classic installation of an operating system from a disk.

Installing Windows XP is easy! Our step-by-step instructions will help you with this.

1. Preparation.
Prepare: a multiboot disk with Windows XP, a set of drivers for your equipment.
2. The installation process takes place in several stages:

First stage: BIOS
BIOS is basic software, launching bootstrap computer.

How to enter BIOS: when you turn on the computer, press the DEL button (sometimes the F2, F10 or F12 keys, mainly on laptops)

BIOS setup: you need to boot from CD-ROM. BIOS language is English.
We find the Advanced Setup section, then set First Boot Device from CD-ROM(on the right are hints on which buttons to use to change the position of the devices)

Saving changes to BIOS: Press the F10 button and select Y (Yes). The computer will restart, but with the changed settings.

Press F8 to agree and continue installation licensed Windows XP

Select the partition on which you want to install Windows.

To create a new partition, use the C key and set the desired size (for XP, the optimal size is at least 15 GB.)
To delete the highlighted partition, use the D key.

Quickly format your partition by confirming your decision by pressing the F key. Formatting to NTFS will rid you of all records on the hard drive partition of your choice.

Warning! Formatting deletes ALL data from your disk.

Be careful and save the documents you need in advance.

After formatting the hard drive and copying files, the system components are unpacked and installed. During the installation process, the computer will restart several times.

At the 33rd minute you set language and regional standards, assign a name and name of the organization (any)

enter from the sticker, case insensitive

Stage three: Complete the installation of Windows XP.

Let's set it up now working group and domain.

Setting up Windows XP

Despite its hopeless obsolescence, the Windows XP operating system still remains very popular among users, thanks to the ease of working with it and its fairly high stability. In some ratings, it is even ahead of the “seven”. Next up for consideration is the question of how to install Windows XP from a disk and make initial setup systems. It is believed that the installation of this particular modification should not cause any particular difficulties, but in reality it is necessary to pay attention to some important nuances, without understanding of which the installation of the system may be unsuccessful.

Create a Windows XP installation disk

At the first stage, we will assume that the user does not have the original installation disk. Booting Windows XP can be implemented in the form of an image from the official Microsoft website or from another (necessarily trusted) source.

In this case, you should immediately pay attention to the contents of the downloaded distribution. It is recommended to download only the one that initially contains the second and third service packs, so as not to have to install them manually later.

It is not difficult to record an image onto optical media. To do this, you can use many programs for working with images (for example, UltraISO or Nero Burning ROM). If you need to create a multiboot Windows disk XP, it is best to use a tiny utility called WindowsSetupFromUSB, but to write the distribution to a flash drive.

BIOS Presets

So, we assume that the installation distribution is recorded. Now you need to make it so that you can boot from it. To do this, you must use the primary I/O system BIOS settings. Typically on desktop computers, login is accomplished by pressing the Del key, but in different models Notebooks may use other keys (F1, F12) or combinations thereof.

To be recognized as bootable, you need to find a section with a name like Boot, Boot Priority, Boot Sequence and install it first in the list of boot devices by pressing the PgUp/PgDown key optical drive(CD/DVD-ROM).

Start installation

After completing all the preparatory steps, you can proceed to solving the problem of how to install Windows XP from a disk directly. After turning on the computer and starting from the removable device, a black screen will appear with a prompt asking you to press any key to boot from the disk. Keep in mind that you will only have five seconds to make a decision. Otherwise, it will boot from the next device (usually a hard drive), provided that it has a bootloader, an installed OS, or even a damaged OS.

Next, a screen will appear to preload the basic installation components and a line at the bottom with an installation proposal additional drivers SCSI and RAID. In most cases this is not necessary, however, if there are several hard drives, combined into the same RAID array, the installation must be applied. But it will assume that the user has one hard drive.

Partition selection and formatting

At the next stage, a welcome screen will appear with options to choose from:

• immediate installation of the system;
• restoring a damaged system via the console;
• refusal to install.

Select the first item by pressing the enter key. Next, we agree to the license agreement and press F8 to continue the installation (hints will appear at each installation stage).

After this, previously installed copies will be scanned, after which you will need to make a choice in favor of installation new system(Esc).

Now the most important thing begins with the question of how to install Windows XP from a disk. The first step is to decide on the system partition and its size. If installed on a new hard drive that did not have logical partitions, the unallocated area (full volume) will be shown.

It is undesirable to allocate all the space to the system partition (this can later play a cruel joke). It’s better to partition the disk right away by pressing the C key and specifying the required volume in MB (for the system you can allocate 40-60 GB, but not less than 20 GB). Please immediately pay attention to the fact that for the normal functioning of Windows XP, about 10-15% of its size must always remain free in the system partition both after installing the OS and after installing user programs. After returning to the partition creation screen, you can begin formatting (but more on that later).

If the hard drive has already been broken and has an old system, the user will be shown all available partitions. If necessary, all partitions can be deleted (press D when selecting a partition). If the user is satisfied with the disk structure, simply select the desired partition in which the system was installed previously and proceed to formatting.

In the case of new hard drives, you can immediately select quick formatting to NTFS. If the operation is applied to an existing partition, several options will be offered to choose from. It is best to perform a full format in NTFS. But to save data you can leave file system without changes. Most likely, a warning will be issued further indicating that the system Windows directory already exists, with a suggestion to overwrite the current copy or select a new folder. Here - optional (all the same Windows folders XP old version, if one was previously present, will be saved).

Now all that remains is to wait for the files to be copied, after which the reboot will occur and the installation of the system will begin in normal graphical mode.

Setting initial parameters

In the next steps in the question of how to install Windows XP from a disk, the user's actions are quite simple. When rebooting, be sure to remove the optical media from the drive, otherwise you will get the pre-start screen again.

After the installer starts, the language and region are selected (usually you don’t need to change anything if you have a Russian copy of the system), then, if required, enter the user name and organization name (optional), after which the product key is entered (without it, the installation will not continue ). Working keys, by and large, can be easily found on the Internet.

At the next stage, you need to enter the name of the computer and specify the administrator password (this can be done later). Next, the date and time are configured (usually nothing needs to be changed), and finally a screen may appear asking you to select network card settings. Feel free to select “Regular settings” and indicate that the computer is not participating in the network (it is better to select the group and domain after installation is complete).

Completing the installation

Only now will the device drivers begin. Upon completion, several additional windows may appear. For example, the system will ask for consent to set the optimal screen resolution. We must agree with this.

Then a welcome blue screen starts, in which most of the actions can be skipped (for example, deferring protection, checking the Internet connection and registering with Microsoft). Finally, all that remains is to enter the names of the accounts that will be registered in the system. You can enter only your data, after which a notification will appear informing you that the installation is complete.

Clicking the “Finish” button will cause the “Desktop” to appear with a familiar picture. At this point, the installation can be considered complete (if service packs were present in the distribution, they will be installed automatically, otherwise you need to install them yourself).

Typical errors when installing the system

Not often, of course, but you can meet Windows errors XP, moreover, precisely during the installation of the system. The most common occurrence is BSoD ( blue screen). The installation is impossible due to an incorrectly set mode for the hard drive.

If a mismatch message appears BIOS firmware, ACPI mode must be disabled during installation.

It is possible that the disc itself is damaged or scratched. Just burn the distribution onto another medium and try installing the system again.

Initial setup of Windows XP

Initially, the system usually does not need any special settings. But to reduce the load on computer resources, it is advisable to disable some background services that are activated by default and start with the system.

In the Run console (Win + R), enter the msconfig system configuration access command, go to the startup tab and disable everything that is there, leaving only the ctfmon process, which is responsible for displaying the language in the tray and changing keyboard layouts.

Required additional software

Then be sure to install security software, since there is practically no protection in the “expert” itself. Antiviruses for Window XP are quite diverse and do not cause installation problems. However, based on the fact that this version of the system is usually used on relatively low-power machines, you should not install heavy packages like software products Kaspersky Lab. It is better to limit yourself to some lightweight versions (Avira, Panda Cloud, etc.).

However, if you look at antiviruses for Window XP from the point of view of providing maximum protection, you can use the NOD32 or Smart Security from ESET. True, they will have to be activated monthly using special keys that are freely distributed on the Internet.

Finally, all that remains is to install an archiver, a set of codecs, a flash player for the browser, office suite and some other applications that the user may need while working.

As everyone knows, to work with a computer we need an operating system, which over time becomes unusable due to viruses, junk and other factors. Many people think that it is better to turn to a professional for reinstallation, but I offer you step-by-step instructions for installing Windows XP. After studying it, you will have no doubt that you can install Windows XP yourself.

Why do you have to reinstall Windows?
According to statistics, even having good protection computer from viruses and careful handling, you still have to reinstall Windows xp every three years. The “garbage” that accumulates in the system is sometimes leftovers from the removal of programs and games, which contain settings, configuration files and other system files of the old application. Many programs make entries in the registry, and after deleting the entry remains “live” in the system. It also happens that the computer hangs and there is no way to “revive” it, and the conclusion suggests itself: you need to install a new Windows xp.

Setting up your computer to boot from disk.
Usually, when the computer boots, the motherboard splash screen appears for a moment, then the post is checked, and now we see the “Windows XP” greeting. To install, we do not need to launch Windows itself, but we need to launch a disk with our windows image xp. To do this you need to go to Bios. To enter Bios, you must press the DEL or F1 key when turning on the computer. (On laptops use F1, F2, F3, DEL, Ctrl+Alt+Esc. If more than one combination does not work, then you need to look on the official website for how to enter bios).

Most often there are only two types of bios:

1. Phoenix AwardBIOS.
If you have this particular version, then you need to do the following: enter the Advanced BIOS Features section, select First Boot Device and assign the value CD-ROM. Then press the F10 key (to save the settings and exit) and select Yes in the dialog box that appears.

2. American Megatrends BIOS.
In this version, the background will be gray and the sections will be written in a line at the top. First you need to enter the Boot section, then the Boot Device Priority subsection and in the 1st Boot Device item select your CD-ROM drive. And just like in Phoenix AwardBIOS, press the F10 key and confirm Yes.
This completes the computer setup.

Launch the windows installer.
The first step is to insert the Windows disk into the drive and restart the computer. On dark screen we will see the inscription “Press any key to boot from CD”, which means press any key to boot the disk, which is what we do. This message is displayed for no more than five seconds, so you need to immediately press any key. If you didn’t have time, you should restart the computer and press the key again.

On the monitor we will see that the Windows installation has started. There is no need to interfere unless you want to install a special RAID or SCSI driver. In this case, you need to press the F6 key.

Next we will be asked:
1. Start installing windows xp (Enter key)
2. Restore Windows (R key)
3. Exit the installer (F3 key)

We press Enter and the license agreement appears; to agree and continue the installation, press F8. Next, you need to select the hard drive partition on which the installation will be performed. If the disk is new and there is only an unallocated area on it, you need to create a partition (C key), specify the required size in it.

We will also be offered to format the hard drive quickly and normally. Formatting is best done as usual with the ntfs file system. After all, the long-awaited installation of windows xp will finally begin; upon completion, the computer will reboot itself and a window will appear with the inscription “Press any key to boot from CD”, this time we are not pressing anything!

A window like this will appear in which you don’t need to change anything, but in the next one, be sure to enter the Name and Organization.

Constant installation and removal of programs that gradually “litter” the computer, infection by viruses, replacement of the hard drive, motherboard and many other factors sooner or later confront the user with the task of reinstallation Operating System.

Many people think that this is a rather complicated procedure and take the computer to a workshop or call a technician to their home. However, in reality everything is not so complicated. Almost any user can do this on their own, saving a decent amount of money.

Preparing for Reinstallation.

The first thing you need to do before reinstalling Windows XP is to find and prepare all the device drivers for your computer. Find driver discs or download them from the Internet. You can also use the DriverMax program, which will create a copy of your drivers. When the system is installed, you just need to run the program and specify the path to the saved drivers.

Secondly, you need to save all your data so as not to lose anything important. What files and folders should you pay attention to? These are your documents, photos, videos and music stored on system disk(usually this is drive C). If you have logical disk partitions (C and D), you can transfer all the information to disk D. If there is only one hard disk partition or disk D is not enough, write the information to a CD and DVDs or use flash drives.

Reinstalling Windows XP.

Step 1. To begin the installation, you need to make sure that the computer boots not from the hard drive, but from the CD/DVD drive. To do this you need to log in BIOS settings. At the moment of switching on, press the Delete or F2 key. On different motherboards The keys may differ, but when you turn it on, a message like “press F2/delete to run SETUP” briefly appears at the bottom of the screen. By pressing the appropriate key you will be taken to the BIOS. This option is also possible: when loading, press F12 and select boot from DVD.

BIOS settings on different computers different, but basically all the same. Look for labels like Boot (boot) or Boot Device Priority (device boot order) or Boot Sequence (boot sequence)

Set boot priority to 1st Boot Device and 2st Boot Device.

Step 2. Insert the disk with the Operating System into the CD/DVD drive and boot from it. Wait for the files to download and accept the license agreement using the F8 key. In the list of logical partitions (if there are two or more), you need to select where you will install Windows. This is usually drive C.

If you need to partition your hard drive, delete all previously created partitions using the D key. Then use the C key to create a new partition for the Operating System and programs (for example, half the volume of the entire hard drive). Selecting the “unallocated area” again, create a partition for the entire remaining space.

To continue installation, select partition “C”. Select "Format partition using NTFS system."

Wait while the installer copies the files.

Step 3. After copying the files, restart your computer and boot from drive C. The installation process will begin.

During the installation process, you will need to enter a key, specify the region and other parameters. In about 30 minutes you will receive a “virgin” clean Operating System.

Step 4. Now our task is “how to reinstall windows system XP” is solved and the system is installed, but for it to be fully operational, you need to install all device drivers and necessary programs.

Finally helpful advice: After installing drivers, programs and completely setting up the system, do full image hard drive, for example, with AcronisTrue Image. In this case, subsequent reinstallation will not require any effort from you other than booting from the image.