How To Reinstall Windows XP Home Edition - Malware Solutions : Helping You Since 2002

So you need to reinstall Windows XP Home Edition? There are many reasons you might want to do this. Maybe Windows has become slow, or lots of errors pop-up and you are sick of trying to fix them? Maybe you have viruses and/or spyware on the computer and you don't feel spending time to remove the malware? Maybe you just want to learn how to do it? Have no fear, the process is fairly simple. Just follow the steps below and you can get your computer up and running just like it was the day you first pulled it out of the box. You don't need a computer repair technician to reinstall Windows XP, you just need to follow these instructions.

Backup all your personal data.
Determine whether the Windows CD and the product key are available. If not, you cannot reinstall Windows.
Are device drivers available for all the hardware components? Many of the drivers are integrated in Windows. However, devices such as printers, monitors, graphic cards, sound cards, modems, zip drives, and scanners usually have separate installation CDs. If you do not have all the drivers, you can download the missing drivers from the Internet and then write them to a CD.
Do you have all the necessary CDs and product keys for the programs (applications) that are currently installed on the computer? You will need to reinstall all the software again. Collect and store the CDs and product keys in an appropriate location.
Make note of your network settings. Which may include a user name and password to connect to the Internet. You can probably get these settings from your Intenet Service Provider (ISP).
You might need to changed the start up sequence (boot order) for the PC. For this you will need to enter the system BIOS. Many times the BIOS can be accessed by tapping the F2 key on your keyboard as you start the computer. Some systems use a different key to access the BIOS. Click here to search for the access keys by manufacturer. The boot order should be in this sequence - CD ROM, hard disk.
Insert the Windows CD into the CD drive, and restart your computer.
Press any key to start from the CD.
The Setup Wizard starts automatically, and a welcome screen appears. Press ENTER to start the installation.
Press F8 to accept the terms of the License Agreement.
Press ESC to start a new Windows XP installation.
You can now reconfigure the hard disk. All existing partitions are listed, and several options are available to you. The options include the following:

Option 1: Delete existing partitions
1. Use the arrow keys to select the first partition you want to delete, and then press D.
2. Press ENTER to confirm that you want to delete this partition, and then press L.
3. Repeat these steps for all other partitions you want to delete.
4. Now you can create new partitions.

Option 2: Create at least one new partition

Use the arrow keys to select an unpartitioned area on the hard disk, and then press C.
Specify a size for the new partition, and then press ENTER.

Select the partition in which you want to install Windows, and then press ENTER.

Use the arrow keys to select a file system option, and then press ENTER.
Select the formatting type to start formatting the partition.

Option 3: Reformat an existing partition for the Windows installation

Use the arrow keys to select the partition in which you want to install Windows, and then press ENTER.

Use the arrow keys to select a file system option.
Press F to start formatting.

As soon as you have completed the partitioning and formatting steps, the installation process starts to copy files to the hard disk. This may take several minutes.

After you restart the computer, the Windows-based part of the installation starts. You will have to specify several entries to customize the Windows installation.
Specify the Regional and Language Options. The default setting is usually English (United States). Make a selection, and then click Next.
Enter your name and your organization, if applicable, and then click Next.
Enter the product key, and then click Next.
Enter your Computer Name, and then, click Next.
Confirm the Date and Time Settings, and then click Next.
If your computer has a network card, the Windows network will be installed. Click Default Settings, and then click Next.

Note You can also reconfigure the network settings as soon as the installation is finished.
The next time that you restart your computer, the Windows XP Welcome screen appears. Click Next.
When you are prompted to activate the product, click Skip. At this point, there is no Internet connection. However, you can activate the product later. To do this, select No, remind me every few days, and then click Next.
Enter your user name for your User Account, click Next, and then Finish.

Note If you are using an Installation CD with integrated Service Pack 2 (SP2), the installation procedure may differ slightly.