All Data By: www.freecomputeradvice.org
In the following tutorial you will find everything you need to know on how to install Microsoft windows XP and vista.
The first thing we need to do is make your computer boot from the cd not the hard drive.
Plug the power cable back into your computer power supply unit.
Plug the monitor cable back into your computer. Make sure your monitor also has power.
Plug the keyboard and mouse back in if you unplugged these earlier.
Now press the power button on the front of your computer case.
At the post or bios screen (thats the first black screen) press DEL or F2
These are the most common ways to get access to your computer BIOS (basic input output system) or setup program but this may be different for some motherboards so check with your motherboard manual or look on the computer screen as it boots up,
It will say something like the following.
Press DEL for setup.
Press F2 to enter setup
Press (something) for Bios-setup
Or some similar message. You get the drift
This gets you into your BIOS or setup.
To install your windows xp you will have to change a few things in your computer BIOS-setup.
First change the boot sequence to boot from your CD first then your hard drive then your floppy drive.
If you are not using a floppy drive in your computer you should disable 2 things in the BIOS.
Boot up floppy seek and onboard FDD controller.
Look through your BIOS setting to locate these as all BIOS are different.
But in general your onboard FDD (floppy disk driver) controller will be in the onboard I-O address section.
And boot up floppy seek will be in your advanced bios features
Once you have made these changes to your bios.
Put your Microsoft windows operating system disk into the optical drive Save and exit setup.
If you forgot to put the Microsoft windows xp operating disk into your cd drive before you exited the setup do it now and reboot your computer by pressing the CTR ALT DEL keys at the same time.
The computer should now restart and boot from the CD.
As you install your Microsoft windows XP or VISTA You will need to input some details as you load up your windows.
So grab your self a cup of tea or a beer and dont go too far.
Windows will first look at your system to make sure all the computer hardware components are compatible.
The first screen where input from you is needed will just ask you to press the enter key
You will then be presented with a blue screen showing the Microsoft licence agreement, You have to press F8 to accept.
If you are using a SATA hard drive some motherboards need you to load the drivers for the hard drive before the operating system can be loaded on to the hard drive.
To do this you press the F6 key when prompted. Look at the bottom of the screen you will see a message telling you to press F6 to load third party drivers.
You will then be presented with a screen asking you to put in your floppy disk.
If you havnt already made one you will have to make a floppy disk with the drivers on it from the motherboard drivers CD. Again follow the instructions that came with your motherboard.
Most motherboards now have the drivers for the SATA hard drives already installed.
Do not worry if you are not sure about this, just run through the normal procedure to install Microsoft windows XP or vista.
If the SATA drivers are pre installed windows will just install seamlessly.
As you are doing an install of windows XP or vista onto a new hard drive windows will automatically format the drive with NTFS file system.
This is the file system recommended for all versions of windows after windows 98.
You can install windows XP onto a hard drive formatted with fat32 but it is not recommended.
Unless you are installing windows 98 with windows XP for dual boot purposes Always install window XP or vista on NTFS
windows will now format your hard drive and start the setup program to install windows XP
If you are reinstalling windows XP on to a computer that already has windows installed the procedure is as follows.
You will see is the welcome to setup screen.
This has 3 options.
1 setup XP now press enter.
2 Repair windows XP using recovery console press R.
3 To quit press F3.
You will press the enter key.
Press F8 to accept the Microsoft windows licence agreement.
On the next screen press ESC to install a fresh copy.
On the next screen press D this will delete the partition.
If you have more than one partition on the hard drive select the partition you want to install windows XP or vista onto then press the D key.
Next pressENTER
Next press L
Next select the correct un-partitioned space (if you have more than one partition) and press ENTER.
You will be asked how you want to format the hard drive to install windows XP. Always select format with NTFS
unless as other wise stated you want to dual boot to a system with windows 98.
now press ENTER.
Your computer will now start to format the hard drive.
After the hard drive has been formatted windows setup will automatically copy the system files onto your computer.
Once windows XP files are copied on your computer it will reboot.
If you are watching the screen you will get the message to press any key to boot from cd DO NOT press anything. The computer will first look to boot from the cd then move on to the hard drive.
Next windows setup program will start the installation of windows XP.
This could take about 20 to 30 minutes. Before any user input is needed.
The first thing you need to input is your regional and language settings.
First click on the customize button and put in you language.
There are two drop down windows on this page standards and formats and Location make sure you set both for your language.
On the same page click the advanced tab and select your language from the dropdown menu. Click Apply then OK.
Next click the details buttonagain under Default input language put in you language click apply and OK.
Then click the NEXT button.
On the next screen you have to put in a use name and an organisation name. If the computer is not part of any company I just put Home In the organisation box then click next
Next you will have to type in your product key. This is the 25 digit code that came with your windows XP disk. Type on the code then Click next
Next screen is the time and date again change this according to your location and click next.
On the next screen just leave the dot next to typical settings
And click next.
The setup program will continue to install windows XP then reboot your computer.
The next time you computer starts windows will be installed.
you will see two messages about screen resolution just click ok
follow the onscreen instructions to set up windows how you want it.
you will be asked if you want automatic updates turned on or not.
you have to put in a user name.
you should now see your desktop. Congratulations you now know how to install windows XP or vista.
Now you have installed windows XP you need to install all the drivers for the hardware in your new computer
The first thing you need is to see which drivers need to be installed on your computer.
To do this we need to look in device manager
The best way to get to device manager is to right click my computer, so we need to put my computer on the desktop.
Right click anywhere on your computer desktop.
Select properties at the bottom of the menu.
Click the desktop tab.
Click the customize desktop button at the bottom left of your screen.
Now place a tick in the box next to my computer, my documents and internet explorer.
Click OK then click Apply then click OK
You should now have the following icons on your desktop, my computer, my documents and internet explorer.
To open device manager right click the my computer icon on your desktop.
Select properties at the bottom of the menu.
Click on the hardware tab
Click the device manager button
Device manager displays all the hardware in your computer and the status of that hardware. If the hardware and the drivers for the hardware are installed correctly you will just see it in the list.
If any hardware installed on your computer has a problem device manager will display it with either a red cross or a yellow exclamation mark.
So now you can see what hardware need drivers installing.
To install the drivers for your computer hardware you will need to put the disk supplied with your motherboard into your optical drive.
Depending on you motherboard type will depend on the drivers you will need to load from your motherboard cd.
This part is easy just follow the onscreen instructions and install every driver that your motherboard cd contains.
Your computer will need a reboot to install the drivers correctly. When it has rebooted you have installed your motherboard drivers.
Have a quick look in device manager to make sure all the drivers are working correctly and you have not missed any.
I would at this stage check everything is working. For example play some music to check your sound. Check all your USB ports are working. Connect to the internet to check your LAN port etc.
Now that you have installed your windows XP you have 30 days to activate it. If you do not activate your copy of windows XP within this time you will be locked out of your computer,
So to activate your copy of windows XP click on the start button click all programs you will see at the top of that menu a small golden key with activate windows next to it click this and follow the instructions.
you must be connected to the internet when you activate windows