Re-installing Win XP Home Ed w/ upgrade dsk

[Mark]

Hi, my computer has been acting wierd and I have decided
that I want to reinstall Win XP Home Ed. using the
upgrade disk, but I want have a clean hard drive after
the installation. There are two options I have heard
of. They are: putting the disk in the drive when the
computer is on and on the main desktop, and choosing the
new installation option. Or booting the CD from the
drive when the computer is just turned on and using
XP's "BIOS" blue screen stetup screen. What is the best
way to do this or any other way?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except for you mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your CD Drive as the first bootable device.

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

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| Hi, my computer has been acting wierd and I have decided
| that I want to reinstall Win XP Home Ed. using the
| upgrade disk, but I want have a clean hard drive after
| the installation. There are two options I have heard
| of. They are: putting the disk in the drive when the
| computer is on and on the main desktop, and choosing the
| new installation option. Or booting the CD from the
| drive when the computer is just turned on and using
| XP's "BIOS" blue screen stetup screen. What is the best
| way to do this or any other way?
|

 

[Harry Ohrn]

Either way will work. However you run a greater risk of inadvertently
setting up a dual boot system if you use the "New Installation" method from
the Desktop. To avoid doing that make certain that you tell XP to install to
C:\Windows else it will create a second system directory usually called
C:\WINNT and install itself there. Changing the boot sequence in the BIOS is
a better option but you must ensure that you have a qualifying product handy
to satisfy the Windows Upgrade CD's request during initial setup. That means
you need a Windows 9x/Me/NT or 2000 CD to pop intot he drive briefly when
requested. Using the "New Installation" method avoids having to do that.