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Tip: If possible, print this document before starting Setup. Some steps might require you to
shut down the computer, and it will be helpful to have a printed copy of this information.
This document will help you to install Microsoft Windows XP Professional or Windows XP
Home Edition. This document also provides answers to other setup-related questions.
Click a link to go directly to that section:
Prepare for Setup
Upgrade to Windows XP
Perform a new installation of Windows XP
Transfer files and settings from another computer
Partition and format a hard drive
Perform other Setup-related tasks
Troubleshoot Setup
Create boot disks
Configure a computer to boot from CD
Set up a multiboot system
Repair or recover a system
Find a Microsoft Knowledge Base article
Additional resources
Installation overview
This release of Windows XP includes Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP. If you uninstall
this release of Windows XP, SP2 is automatically uninstalled too. Your computer will be
running the operating system that it was running before you installed Windows XP, or it will
not be running an operating system. You cannot uninstall SP2 only.
Important
You can install Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 or Windows XP
Professional with Service Pack 2 on computers that are running the following
operating systems:
o Microsoft Windows 98
o Windows 98 Second Edition
o Windows NT 4.0 Workstation
o Windows Millennium Edition
o Windows 2000 Professional
o Windows XP Home Edition
o Windows XP Professional
If you want to upgrade Microsoft Windows 95 to Windows XP Home Edition or
Windows XP Professional, you must first uninstall Windows 95, and then perform a
new installation.
If you are installing Windows XP on an older computer, it’s a good idea to check with
your computer manufacturer to see whether a BIOS upgrade is available before you
proceed.
Upgrade to Windows XP
Note: Before installing Windows XP, you should disable your virus protection (antivirus)
software, and you might want to run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to test your
computer's random access memory (RAM). To use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool,
follow the instructions on the Windows Memory Diagnostic Web site. Be sure to enable
your virus protection software after installing Windows XP.
When you upgrade to Windows XP, you install Windows to the same folder where your
current version of Windows is located, updating the earlier version. Here's how:
1. Start your computer. Also, make sure you have your product key handy.
2. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
3. On the menu that appears, click Install Windows XP.
4. On the Welcome to Windows Setup page, click Upgrade (recommended) (if it
is not already selected), and then click Next. (You should click Next on each screen
from here on.)
5. On the License Agreement page, read the agreement, and follow the instructions
to accept or reject the agreement.
6. On the Your Product Key page, type the 25-character product key in the
appropriate boxes.
7. On the Get Updated Setup Files page, select the option that you want. Hint: It's a
really good idea to select Yes and get the updated files, but you can only do this if
you're able to connect to the Internet.
Note: Some of the problems addressed in the troubleshooting section of this
document are prevented by getting the updated Setup files.
8. During this phase of Setup, the computer will restart several times, and you'll see
screens telling you about new features in Windows XP. This part of Setup takes a
while. It's a good time to go have a cup of coffee or take a break.
9. Finally, the computer restarts one last time and Windows XP starts.
Do not forget to enable your virus protection software after Setup is finished.
How do I set the default operating system (when multiple systems are
installed)?
If you have more than one operating system installed, you can select the operating system
that you want to use as the default:
1. In Windows XP, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2. On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
3. Under System startup, in the Default operating system list, click the operating
system that you want to start when you turn on or restart your computer.
4. Select the Time to display list of operating systems check box, and then select
the number of seconds for which you want the list displayed before the default
operating system starts.
Warning: The boot options file (Boot.ini) controls the number and order of operating
systems on your computer. To manually edit this file, click Edit on the Startup and
Recovery tab. Use caution when modifying the boot options file. Doing so incorrectly
might make your computer unusable. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge
Base article 289022.
Important Notes:
If enough space is available, the Windows XP uninstallation files are automatically
saved during the upgrade process. If space is not available, the files are not saved. If
the files were not saved, you cannot use the uninstallation process that is described
in this section.
Any programs that were installed prior to the Windows XP upgrade will be preserved.
However, any programs that were installed after the Windows XP upgrade will not be
available after you uninstall Windows XP. You might need to reinstall these
programs.
To be able to successfully uninstall Windows XP SP2, you must have upgraded from
Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows Millennium Edition. If you
upgraded from Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 95, you
cannot uninstall Windows XP SP2.
If you converted your hard disk to the NTFS file system, you cannot revert back to
an operating system that is incompatible with NTFS (for example, you cannot revert
back to Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition).
To uninstall Windows XP:
1. Restart your computer in Safe Mode. To do so, restart your computer and press F8
while Windows is starting.
2. Log on using the Administrator account.
3. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add or Remove Programs.
4. In the list of installed programs, double-click Uninstall Windows XP.
Important: If Uninstall Windows XP is not in the list of installed programs, you
must manually reinstall the original operating system. If this is the case, be sure
to back up all of your critical data before you proceed.
If you have upgraded to Windows XP from Windows 98 or Windows Millennium
Edition, it might be possible to manually uninstall Windows XP if the Undo folder
is still available. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article
312569.
5. When you receive the "Are you sure you want to uninstall Windows XP and restore
your previous operating system?" message, click Yesto start the Windows XP
uninstallation process.
6. After the Windows XP uninstallation process is finished, your computer will shut
down and then restart using the previously installed operating system.
Troubleshoot Setup
Did you run into problems during Setup? Unfortunately, it does sometimes happen. Some
problems can be solved by using the information in this section.
Important: If you have virus protection software installed on your computer, disable it.
Virus protection software can cause problems during setup. Be sure to enable your virus
protection software after installing Windows XP.
You can use the following troubleshooting steps if you have problems when you are
upgrading to Windows XP from Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, or Windows
Millennium Edition.
General troubleshooting
If you encounter problems while running Setup, exit Setup and run the Upgrade Advisor
from the Windows XP CD. Here's how:
1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your CD-ROM drive.
2. When the Welcome menu appears, click Check system compatibility.
3. Then click Check my system automatically.
Upgrade Advisor will check for hardware and software incompatibilities. These are often the
cause of Setup problems. Remove or uninstall the incompatible hardware or software, and
then run Setup again.
If Upgrade Advisor does not find the problem, you can also clean boot your computer and
run Setup again. Clean-boot troubleshooting is simply a way of removing variables that
could cause problems.
Problem Solution
MS-DOS FAT
Windows 95 FAT
Additional resources
Visit these Web sites for updates or late-breaking information about Windows XP.
General information: Microsoft Windows XP Web site
Product updates and fixes online: Microsoft Windows Update
Products compatible with Windows XP: Microsoft Windows Catalog
Articles about product support issues: Microsoft Knowledge Base
Information about using a Tablet PC: Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Web
Site
SP2 information for consumers: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Web site for
consumers
SP2 information for IT professionals: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 Web site
for information technology professionals
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