Installing XP Pro for the first time

I've had a half dozen or so pc come to me which had been "upgraded" from ME . . everyone was a train wreck.  Unfortunatley, our Best Buy techie apparently does not know how to do a proper installation. 

A clean installation will completely erase your drive so be sure you have perishable data backed up and settings written down.  Actually, the XP Files and Settings Transfer Wizard works extremely well, but to use it you will have to have an additional drive, a  removable drive or CD/RW to use it.  If you are connected to a Local Area Network, you can save the files and settings via that to another pc.

The clean install does not take much longer and will result in a much more stable and usable machine.

Ther are some hidden costs to converting to XP . .at least 384 Mg of memory, 512 seems to be the sweet spot;  Some older printers and scanners do not have XP drivers written for them . . sometimes win 2000 drivers will work. 

The site Mary gave is excellent!

And Gary's are too . . .

 

Have fun . . wrs

Message Edited by simpswr on 04-10-2004 02:49 PM

Message Edited by simpswr on 04-10-2004 05:42 PM

You'll have to reinstall all the software anyway to get it to work with XP. A clean install is the only way to go. Backup your personal files and do it. ME was terrible and you can't upgrade over it. I tried it and wound up doing a clean install anyway after much aggravation. http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

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Mary G wrote:   ..... http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

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Use the below links for info on a Clean Install then install Drivers  with Windows XP started.

I have shown  Supersite & Elder Geek links last as they assumes Clean Install status so doesn't include step to delete existing partition  & so achieve Clean Install status.
(Clean Install status , ie: no Windows OS installed on HD).

Use  this link & select XP Home or PRO then method , ie: Used Hard Drive , Multi_Page has text & large pictures of Clean Install.
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/

Use this link for Clean Install of XP , if you click on Pictures they Expand for easy view
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html (Delete existing partition at step 10b for Clean Install)

or use this link ( *** Delete existing partition at step 5 for Clean Install ***)
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

or use this link (***Delete exiting partition at Fig 06 for a Clean Install**)
http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm

Clean Install deletes existing partition (like FDISK)  &  Formats HD during Install of Windows XP  from XP CD.
Set BIOS to use CD-ROM as 1st boot device usually by pressing "F2" key during boot (startup),
for some Computers press "Del" key. (the Key should be shown on first screen displayed at startup)
Re-start Computer & when message "Press any key to boot from CD" shows do it & let subsequent messages "Press any key...." time out to Windows setup.

Message Edited by gryjhnhpe on 04-11-2004 11:40 AM

Backup all your important data and do a clean install. Not only will it be better, it is actually easier than an upgrade. I did a couple of computers that the owner insisted on an upgrade. It took twice as long to iron the bugs out than a clean installation. XP is by far the easiest OS to install, most of the drivers are imbedded in XP. You don't want to use any drivers from your Resource CD, these are not XP drivers. If you need additional drivers, you can get XP drivers from Dell downloads.

Thanks everyone...I'm convinced and will start backing up files and prepping for a clean install.