Help Reinstalling Windows XP

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!
--
Regards
Pete

Pete Harris wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I
need to be aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...alling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Pete Harris wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I
need to be aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...alling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

"Pete Harris" wrote in message
...
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to
be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!
--
Regards
Pete

How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP

Start by changing the BIOS setting to Boot from CD drive first.
Then see below:

From Michael Steven's: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
more info: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
and: http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_in...windows_xp.htm
also: http://www.bootdisk.com/

Also make sure you have the drivers you need for your motherboard, video
card, sound card, Etc.
Try Belarc Advisor: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
It does a good job of providing a wealth of information including software
Key codes
and Devices you will need Drivers for.

If you are doing a Clean Install on an existing PC that has XP already
Installed:
Verify your CD Key code matches what Belarc Advisor reports for your
existing install.
Note: OEM Windows Installs usually come with a sticker on the PC or laptop
and may not match the factory installed key.

Note: A number of vendors now supply restore CD(s) or have a restore
partition on the hard drive
and usually do not supply a Windows XP CD.


--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

"Pete Harris" wrote in message
...
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to
be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!
--
Regards
Pete

How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP

Start by changing the BIOS setting to Boot from CD drive first.
Then see below:

From Michael Steven's: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
more info: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
and: http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_in...windows_xp.htm
also: http://www.bootdisk.com/

Also make sure you have the drivers you need for your motherboard, video
card, sound card, Etc.
Try Belarc Advisor: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
It does a good job of providing a wealth of information including software
Key codes
and Devices you will need Drivers for.

If you are doing a Clean Install on an existing PC that has XP already
Installed:
Verify your CD Key code matches what Belarc Advisor reports for your
existing install.
Note: OEM Windows Installs usually come with a sticker on the PC or laptop
and may not match the factory installed key.

Note: A number of vendors now supply restore CD(s) or have a restore
partition on the hard drive
and usually do not supply a Windows XP CD.


--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris
wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!


You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris
wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!


You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Thanks for your reply - read links and some useful info, however the more I
read the more i realise my limitations. Now rethinking way forward.
--
Regards
Pete


"Malke" wrote:

Pete Harris wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I
need to be aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...alling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Thanks for your reply - read links and some useful info, however the more I
read the more i realise my limitations. Now rethinking way forward.
--
Regards
Pete


"Malke" wrote:

Pete Harris wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I
need to be aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...alling_Windows - What
you will need on-hand

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

Thanks will look at links, but as per my reply to "Malke" not sure which way
forward to go now.
--
Regards
Pete


"JS" wrote:



"Pete Harris" wrote in message
...
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to
be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!
--
Regards
Pete

How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP

Start by changing the BIOS setting to Boot from CD drive first.
Then see below:

From Michael Steven's: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
more info: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
and: http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_in...windows_xp.htm
also: http://www.bootdisk.com/

Also make sure you have the drivers you need for your motherboard, video
card, sound card, Etc.
Try Belarc Advisor: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
It does a good job of providing a wealth of information including software
Key codes
and Devices you will need Drivers for.

If you are doing a Clean Install on an existing PC that has XP already
Installed:
Verify your CD Key code matches what Belarc Advisor reports for your
existing install.
Note: OEM Windows Installs usually come with a sticker on the PC or laptop
and may not match the factory installed key.

Note: A number of vendors now supply restore CD(s) or have a restore
partition on the hard drive
and usually do not supply a Windows XP CD.


--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

Thanks will look at links, but as per my reply to "Malke" not sure which way
forward to go now.
--
Regards
Pete


"JS" wrote:



"Pete Harris" wrote in message
...
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to
be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!
--
Regards
Pete

How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP

Start by changing the BIOS setting to Boot from CD drive first.
Then see below:

From Michael Steven's: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
more info: http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm
and: http://www.theeldergeek.com/clean_in...windows_xp.htm
also: http://www.bootdisk.com/

Also make sure you have the drivers you need for your motherboard, video
card, sound card, Etc.
Try Belarc Advisor: http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
It does a good job of providing a wealth of information including software
Key codes
and Devices you will need Drivers for.

If you are doing a Clean Install on an existing PC that has XP already
Installed:
Verify your CD Key code matches what Belarc Advisor reports for your
existing install.
Note: OEM Windows Installs usually come with a sticker on the PC or laptop
and may not match the factory installed key.

Note: A number of vendors now supply restore CD(s) or have a restore
partition on the hard drive
and usually do not supply a Windows XP CD.


--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris
wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need
to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!


You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

While I usually just post the information requested, I would also agree with
Ken (with the exception of Windows 95) in that only in few cases should it
be necessary to do a clean install of XP. It's best for all if you post your
problem with more specifics and then you will have the advice you need to
make a good decision.

Even if the advice fails to solve your problem or problems you can always
fall back and do a "Clean Install".

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris
wrote:

I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 and some other guides through a
google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need
to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!


You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

While I usually just post the information requested, I would also agree with
Ken (with the exception of Windows 95) in that only in few cases should it
be necessary to do a clean install of XP. It's best for all if you post your
problem with more specifics and then you will have the advice you need to
make a good decision.

Even if the advice fails to solve your problem or problems you can always
fall back and do a "Clean Install".

--
JS
http://www.pagestart.com

On Oct 2, 10:25*am, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:
On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris

wrote:
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 *and some other guides through a google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

I'm a sysadmin, and sometimes settings/configurations get FUBAR to the
point that it's just not worth it to tinker with it. At work it's
easy to just image a machine once a year or so, at home I reinstall XP
every 6 months to 2 years.

On Oct 2, 10:25*am, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:
On Fri, 2 Oct 2009 02:28:02 -0700, Pete Harris

wrote:
I need to reinstal windows XP. I have found
http//support.microsoft.com/kb/315341 *and some other guides through a google
search. These look good but is there any more info, or pitfalls, I need to be
aware of before starting.
Just being very very cautious before I start!!!

You've already gotten some good "how-to" answers. Let me ask why do
you "need" to do this?

Here's my standard post on this subject:

In my view, it's usually a mistake. With a modicum of care, it should
never be necessary to reinstall Windows (XP or any other version).
I've run Windows 3.0, 3.1, WFWG 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and now Windows 7, each for the
period of time before the next version came out, and each on two or
more machines here. I never reinstalled any of them, and I have never
had anything more than an occasional minor problem.

It's my belief that this mistaken notion stems from the technical
support people at many of the larger OEMs. Their solution to almost
any problem they don't quickly know the answer to is "reformat and
reinstall." That's the perfect solution for them. It gets you off the
phone quickly, it almost always works, and it doesn't require them to
do any real troubleshooting (a skill that most of them obviously don't
possess in any great degree).

But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You have to
restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all your
programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and application
updates, you have to locate and install all the needed drivers for
your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all your apps to work
the way you're comfortable with.

Besides all those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may
have trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations and
tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way you
like? Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and far
between; reinstallation should not be a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only after all
other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person have failed.

And perhaps most important: if you reformat and reinstall without
finding out what caused your problem, you will very likely repeat the
behavior that caused it, and quickly find yourself back in exactly the
same situation.

If you have problems, post the details of them here; it's likely that
someone can help you and a reinstallation won't be required.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP (Windows Desktop Experience) since 2003
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

I'm a sysadmin, and sometimes settings/configurations get FUBAR to the
point that it's just not worth it to tinker with it. At work it's
easy to just image a machine once a year or so, at home I reinstall XP
every 6 months to 2 years.