Re-install XP on donated Dell D610

That is completely normal for the entire drive to be wiped, rather than just personal data ... especially if it came from a government agency.  There are laws, local and federal, that dictate how data should be protected in this kind of scenario.  In some instances, the drive must be physically destroyed, so you're lucky they came with drives :)

I don't believe Dell has XP CD's still (although someone here is invited to prove me wrong), so the best way to do this is to purchase one from the likes of eBay:

www.ebay.com/.../i.html

It will also need to match the COA (Home vs. Professional) on the PC.

Also, you mentioned having each PC ask the future user for a username and password like with a new computer ... the only way to do this is using Windows deployment tools.  I don't know if you are in the IT business, but this is not something you can just "do" without a lot of time to learn and implement.  I would simply install it with some default username and no password and maybe include instructions on how to create a new personalized username (if necessary) and/or change/set their password.

Thats windows installed on each of the systems. You will need ensure decent security software on each of the computers including a firewall and an antivirus. In addition maybe an anti-malware.

I don't know what you are licensed for, the ones I normally recommend are for home use only - you are part of an educational organisation.

Also about Microsoft Office, if you have a site license or are instead going to install Libre Office on all the machines.

I would recommend installing the following however which are free:

• Piriform CCleaner Free - Good for periodic computer cleaning
• Piriform Defraggler Free - Good for periodic computer cleaning 
• Mathtype Lite Free (Useful for typing maths - Mathtype Lite is free) 
• Microsoft Mathematics Free - Useful for schools - maths
• Mendeley Desktop Free - Program for referencing
• PDF Creator Free - Printing PDFs and other file formats
• CutePDF Writer Free - Printing pdf, slightly better quality
• Foxit PDF Reader Free - Better than Adobe Reader on Older Machines as much lighter on resources.
• XPS Viewer Free - Viewer for XPS format
• Stardock Fences Free - Good for users to have to rearrange their desktop
• 7zip Free - for opening/compressing files

Get the disc the likes of here: www.ebay.co.uk/.../160618390268. Try to make sure the disc has Service Pack 3, like the one I showed, it will speed things up however if you can get a cheap one without service pack 3 also get that.

Also get a bundle of blank CDs.

Once you have the disc it is worthwhile putting it in another computer. Open up my computer and view the files on the disc. When there press Ctrl and a (select all) and then Ctrl and c (copy). Create a new folder on the desktop and call it Windows XP. Open this folder and press ctrl and v (paste). Essentially copying the entire disc to this folder.

If the disc does not include service pack 3 download the Standalone Windows XP Service Pack 3 likewise if it doesn't have XP Service Pack 2 download the Standalone Windows XP Service Pack 2.

Now download and install a program called nlite and install it.

Select next

Select browse and then the folder on your desktop then next then next again. 

Here it will tell you what service pack the disc has. Take note and click next. 

If you don't have service pack 3 then select service pack slipstream. Slipstream Service Pack 2 and then Service Pack 3 or just Service Pack 3 if you already have Service Pack 2. Finish as appropriate and open up nlite.

Once/if you already have Service Pack 3 select Unattended, Tweaks and bootable .iso then click next.

On the unattended, don't change anything in the general tab. Go to the regional tab and change the language, select custom, select keyboard, location and timezone. By default it is U.S. however I for example changed mine to U.K. (forgot to change location but never mind).

You are best to leave everything else here and so click next.

Now you are on the tweaks. There is alot of options here best to just read what they say, I generally don't change so much.

What I change is the following, it is mainly default customisation. 

It is mainly default configuration, although I like additionally having show control panel in my computer is useful (Note if you enable showing everything under my computer, then my computer will take forever to open so it is maybe recommended not to tick anything here). I like having everything set to display as link in the start menu (it is better and doesn't slow anything down). I reduce the pop-up delay by default there is a popup delay when you click things, it is not necessary. I like a really sensitive mouse though and it slightly speeds things up. Ensure that you Disable Windows Tour Popup. It will drive you nuts after seeing it on 20 machines and since XP is 10 year old, I doubt anyone will need to see it. Click next. Click yes when it asks do you want to start the process. Click next till you get to the bootable iso screen

Select make ISO, save it on your desktop. Ensure that there is a file called winlite on your desktop and close nlite.

Burn this .iso file to as many blank CDs as you want. In Windows 7 do this by just double clicking the .iso file. If on XP download a program such as imgburn its free. 

Use any of the CDs burned to install Windows XP Professional on a Dell System. Burn multiple discs so you can install 5/10 computers at a time for example. The install is alot of waiting so is best to do it this way.

To install XP (on a Latitude D610).

Insert one of the discs created from above. 

Insert the DVD you have created (or have) or the bootable USB flash stick. Power down your computer. Hold F12 while powering up your computer. Select boot from CD/DVD or from USB respectively. Press any key when prompted and follow the on screen instructions to install WIndows XP. For a nice detailed guide installing XP see here. Following this will make sure you format properly and do a clean install.

Dell System Drivers may be found on the Dell Drivers and Downloads page.

Select Drivers and Downloads

Input your service tag. This is a 7 digit code found at the base of your laptop (alternatively you can select your product model but generally there are variants in components and so using the service tag makes it more system specific). 

Switch to Windows XP.

When downloading the drivers, I recommend downloading via internet browser as many users have experienced problems with the Dell Driver Download Manager.

Save it using the same folder structure as me to prevent confusion and to ensure that you install all the drivers in the correct order. Although this guide is based on installing/reinstalling Windows 7 on laptops, installation on Dell desktops will be very similar.

Download the following and save on an external hard drive or USB stick (save in folders numbered like I give so you know what is what).

1. Dell Notebook Software - Under System utilities

2. Chipset Drivers (Intel, Broadcom, Texas Instruments) - Under Chipset

3. Video - Under Video (service tag will tell you what one - most likely intel as is the cheapest)

4. Conexant Driver, Diagnostics, Utility, HTML - Under Communications

5. Broadcom Driver, Application, Diagnostics - Under Network (service tag will tell you what one - most likely 57xx as is the cheapest)

6. Wireless Card - Under Network (not sure what one service tag will tell you)

7. Alps Touchpad - Under Mouse and Keyboards

8. Sigmatel Audio - Under Audio

9. Dell Quickset - Under Applications

It is likely all these systems will be the same, thats how large companies usually do things. So would use the driver set for all the systems. If you come up with errors on the other systems about the video or wireless card or ethernet, then this system would have been customised (its unlikely but possible).

Copy the following on multiple pendrives again so you can install the drivers on multiple systems at the same time. Ensure you install in the order listed.

Hi ya Philip,

I'm in the same predicument and need to buy a CD : (

I have a COA sticker on the bottom of my D610's and was wondering if I needed to buy a certain CD? I've read in some forums that you need to use an identical CD that came with your laptop to reinstall windows and I have no idea what that CD was. Thank v.much  

It just has to be a Dell-branded XP CD that matches the version of your license (Pro or Home).  Your Product Key (license sticker) will not work with a non-Dell CD.

On a Latitude D610 it is likely to be XP Professional. Since you are in the UK eBay.co.uk is the best bet:

Try here or here or here or here.

If it is XP Home:

Try here or here

Check the COA at the base of the laptop (the sticker with the 25 digit product key to see what version of XP it is).

Note you don't need to purchase the version with Service Pack 3 (its preferable but the price is more expensive). You can install it after Windows and before the drivers. You don't need to bother with the slipstream if it is just one system.

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