Reformatting and reinstalling Windows XP

[Mike]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Can someone tell me the easiest way to reformat my hard drive and reinstall
Windows XP? I assume the best way is to use the Windows XP CD but I've not
done this before and want to make sure I get it right.

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

In news:B1248DD8-A40C-42CE-86F5-4CACAA89B9CB@microsoft.com,
Mike <Mike@discussions.microsoft.com> typed:

> Can someone tell me the easiest way to reformat my hard drive
> and
> reinstall Windows XP? I assume the best way is to use the
> Windows XP
> CD but I've not done this before and want to make sure I get it
> right.


Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

However why do you want to reformat and reinstall? 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, and Windows XP, each for the period of time before the next
version came out, and each on two 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.

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


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Hi Mike,

The easiest way by far is to use the windows xp cd. Now if you don't have
your bios set up correctly to boot from your cd-rom before your hard drive
this will need to be done first. Find out the way to enter your bios there
are a number of different keys you might have to hit because of the different
bios manufacturers. Hit the Del(or whatever key it might be) after you first
hit the power button on the pc to turn it on. Find the boot selection and
make sure to select cd before hard drive after that as long as hard drive is
in the list don't worry about it. Press f10 or go to the exit screen and
select save settings and exit(f10 does the same thing in most bios's). You
may know all this but I always assume the worst. Now insert the cd into the
drive and reboot your computer. Hit the spacebar when it says hit a key to
boot from cd. > When the blue screen comes up to repair or install select
install. > f8 to agree to EULA > again do not select repair select install >
hit d to delete partition > Enter > L > hit enter on unpartitioned
space(unless wanting to make multiple partitions then hit c to create the
partition size that you want) > format in NTFS (quick or full up to you
instructor always told me to do a full when installing operating systems but
I haven't had any problems with the quick and its about 15 minutes faster)
and you're off to the races. Just fill in the boxes with the right stuff
when you are asked to.

Also make sure you have your license Key and make sure if this is an upgrade
version of windows that you have a windows 98/ME/2000 pro Cd.

Thats all there is to it. Good luck.

Joe
Kemco IT Professional

"Mike" wrote:

> Can someone tell me the easiest way to reformat my hard drive and reinstall
> Windows XP? I assume the best way is to use the Windows XP CD but I've not
> done this before and want to make sure I get it right.
>
> Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

To do a clean install boot the Windows XP install CD-Rom. When you get to
the point, delete the existing NTFS and or other partitions found. After you
delete the partition(s) abort the install, then again restart the pc booting
the CD-Rom to avoid unexpected drive letter assignments with your new
install.

Be sure to apply SP2 or at least these two below to your new install before
connecting to any network.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=049c9dbe-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-049.mspx

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"Mike" wrote:
| Can someone tell me the easiest way to reformat my hard drive and
reinstall
| Windows XP? I assume the best way is to use the Windows XP CD but I've not
| done this before and want to make sure I get it right.
|
| Thanks.