Step by Step: Setting Up Microsoft Windows XPTip: 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: 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 Configure a computer to boot from CD Find a Microsoft Knowledge Base article Installation overviewThis release of Windows XP includes Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP. If you uninstall this release of Windows XP, SP3 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 SP3 only. Important
Prepare for SetupThere are four important steps you should take before you start Setup:
Doing these four steps before starting Setup can save you time in the long run. Run an upgrade reportAn upgrade report tells you how your hardware and software will work with Windows XP. The upgrade report is a quick and easy program that you can run using the Windows XP CD. Here's how:
You can also find information about your computer's devices (such as printers, scanners, and so on) at the device manufacturer's Web site, in the Windows Catalog, and on the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List (HCL): Text version of the HCL (for all operating systems) Text version of the HCL (for Windows XP only) You can get to all of the above from Windows Hardware and Driver Central What do you do if something is incompatible with Windows XP? You can upgrade either the hardware or software in question, find a similar but compatible program or device, or you can remove the program or device and stop using it. To upgrade, contact the manufacturer. To find compatible programs and devices, check the Windows Catalog. To remove a program, go to Control Panel and open Add or Remove Programs. Disable virus protection (antivirus) softwareVirus protection software sometimes interferes with Setup, so make sure that you disable it before you begin installing Windows XP. For instructions about how to do this, refer to the documentation for your virus protection software. After setting up Windows XP, remember to enable the virus protection program. In some cases you will need an updated version of the software, which you might be able to download from the software manufacturer's Web site. Back up your filesBack up any files that you want to preserve, just in case something goes awry. Depending on how many files you have, you can copy them to a floppy disk, removable drive, or CD, or to a network folder if you have a network. You can copy the files directly or use the Backup Wizard included with most versions of Windows. This wizard is located in the Accessories\System Tools folder on the Start menu. Note: You cannot restore a backup in Windows XP that you created by using the Msbackup tool in Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Millennium Edition. For more information about this issue, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 305381, "Cannot Restore Backups That You Create in Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me with the Windows XP NTBackup Tool." Decide which type of Setup you wantThere are basically three different types of Setup: an upgrade, a new installation (also known as a clean installation or a full installation), and a multiboot installation. Hint: we highly recommend the first one! Upgrade. This is the easiest method of installing Windows XP. We recommend you use this method if you are running a previous version of Windows. When you upgrade, you replace the existing operating system with Windows XP, but your data and most user settings should not be affected. (It's always a good idea to back up your files before starting, just in case.) You can upgrade from Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT Workstation 4 (Service Pack 6), or Windows 2000 Professional. Note: Windows 2000 can only be upgraded to Windows XP Professional. See Microsoft Knowledge Base article 292607 for supported upgrade paths. Also see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 316941 for an overview of the Windows XP Setup process. Tip: To find a Microsoft Knowledge Base article, go to Microsoft Help and Support, type the article number in the Search the Knowledge Base box, and press ENTER. New installation. Also known as a full installation or a clean installation, this method requires a little more work than an upgrade. A new installation can install Windows XP on another drive or partition without disturbing an existing installation, or you can choose to wipe out everything on your hard drive so that you "start from scratch." You should definitely back up your files before doing a new installation! As part of a new installation, you can also partition and format your hard drive. It's best to do this as part of Setup, rather than doing it in advance (as you might have done with previous versions of Windows). We'll get to that. Multiboot installation. The hardest of all three, this method is a variation of the new installation process that lets you run more than one operating system on your computer. For example, you can have both Windows XP and Windows 98 installed. To switch from one to the other, you restart the computer and choose an operating system from a menu that appears when the computer starts. Sounds cool, but don't attempt this unless you are an advanced computer user. Upgrade to Windows XPNote: 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:
Do not forget to enable your virus protection software after Setup is finished. Perform a new installation of Windows XPIf your computer does not have an operating system currently installed or you have decided to install Windows from scratch, you can perform what is known as a new installation (also known as a clean installation, or a full installation). This process is more complicated and takes longer than an upgrade (about 20 steps as opposed to 9 for an upgrade). To perform an upgrade, refer to the section titled "Upgrade to Windows XP." Note: Before installing Windows XP, you should disable you 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. CAUTION: You can choose to delete everything that currently exists on the hard drive during a new installation, so be sure to back up any data you want to keep before you begin (make sure that the backup data is not stored on the drive you are going to delete). Here's how to perform a new installation of Windows XP:
Do not forget to enable your virus protection software after Setup is finished. Transfer files and settings from another computerDid you ever wish that you could easily transfer your files and settings from an old computer to a new one? The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard available in Windows XP can assist you in doing this. This wizard helps take the pain out of upgrading to a new computer. Here's how to use this wizard: On your new computer:
On your old computer:
On your new computer:
That's it! The transferred files and settings should now be on your new computer. Partition and format a hard driveIf there are no partitions on your hard drive, you will need to create a partition and format it. Alternatively, it's a good idea to repartition your hard drive if you want to merge several smaller partitions into one large one, or if you want to create several smaller partitions so that you can set up a multiboot configuration. If you want to partition or format your hard drive, we recommend that you use the disk partitioning and formatting tools that are built into Windows XP Setup. These tools allow you to delete existing partitions and to create one or more new partitions. IMPORTANT: If you follow these steps on a hard disk that is not empty, all of the data stored on that hard disk will be permanently deleted. To use the disk partitioning and formatting tools in Windows XP Setup:
Note: To start your computer from the Windows XP CD (or from the Setup boot disk), your computer must be configured to start from the CD/DVD drive (or the floppy disk drive). In some cases, you might have to modify your computer's BIOS settings to do this. For more information, see "Configure a computer to boot from CD." Perform other Setup-related tasksHow do I install Windows from the command prompt?If your computer will not boot from a CD, you can still use the Windows XP Setup floppy disks to start Setup. During Setup, you will be prompted to insert the Windows XP CD. For more information, see "Create boot disks." Otherwise, you can use a Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition Startup disk to start the computer, and then run Winnt.exe from the i386 folder of your Windows XP CD.
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:
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 Recoverytab. 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. How do I uninstall Windows XP?If you need to uninstall Windows XP and return to the operating system from which you originally upgraded, follow these instructions. Note: If you performed a new installation instead of upgrading, you cannot uninstall Windows XP. In this case, you need to perform a new installation of your previous operating system. Important Notes:
To uninstall Windows XP:
How do I remove Windows XP from one computer and install it on another?Follow the instructions above for uninstalling Windows XP. Then, use the Windows XP CD to install Windows XP on the new computer. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 303661 and read the topic about activation failures when moving Windows XP to another computer. How do I deal with activation problems?If you are prompted to activate your installation of Windows XP, defer activation until you have completed planned upgrades or changes to your computer's fixed hardware and related device drivers. Otherwise, you may need to reactivate after making such changes. Fixed hardware/drivers include the first instance of devices such as video, network (excluding modems), SCSI, hard drives, CD-ROM/DVD, and system memory. USB or other removable devices (such as cameras and printers) do not affect activation. If you uninstall Windows XP from one computer (Computer A) and then install it on a second computer (Computer B), the following can occur:
For more information about troubleshooting activation problems, see Microsoft Knowledge Base articles 293764, 293764, 312295, 314935, and 318702. Troubleshoot SetupDid 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 troubleshootingIf you encounter problems while running Setup, exit Setup and run the Upgrade Advisor from the Windows XP CD. Here's how:
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. To perform clean boot troubleshooting in Windows Millennium Edition:
For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 267288. To return from a clean boot state
To perform clean boot troubleshooting in Windows 98:For information about performing a clean boot for troubleshooting purposes in Windows 98, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 192926. File copy error during SetupSuppose Setup stops when copying files, and you see a message like this: Setup cannot copy the file <file_name>. Press X to retry, Y to abort. Here are some possible causes and solutions for this problem:
Note: If you experience problems during installation, you can use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to test your computer's random access memory (RAM). This tool helps determine whether installation problems are caused by failing hardware, such as RAM or the memory system of the motherboard. To use the tool, follow the instructions on theWindows Memory Diagnostic Web site. For information about several more technical issues that might be causing the problem, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 310064: How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation. If you can rule out all of the causes listed above, and you continue to receive the error message, copy the i386 folder from the CD drive to your local hard disk, and then try to run Setup from your hard disk. Here's how:
D: cd \i386 winnt When Setup begins, follow the prompts on your screen. Note: There is no option to boot to a command prompt on the initial startup menu in Windows Millennium Edition. However, you can boot to a startup floppy disk and then type C: and press ENTER to access the hard drive, as long as the startup disk uses the same file system as the hard disk. Your computer hangs or stops responding and displays a black screenWhen you try to upgrade to Windows XP, your computer might stop responding (hang) and a black screen might be displayed. This is usually caused by hardware or software that is incompatible with Windows XP. Note: Before beginning Setup, you should compare your system's hardware to the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). You can also find information about each of your computer's devices (such as printers, scanners, and so on) at the device manufacturer's Web site, in the Windows Catalog: Text version of the HCL (for all operating systems) Text version of the HCL (for Windows XP only) You can get to all of the above from Windows Hardware and Driver Central If your computer stops responding and displays a black screen during Setup, follow these steps:
You receive an error message or Stop message during SetupIf you receive one of the following error messages during Setup, refer to the appropriate Microsoft Knowledge Base article: 311562: 'An Unexpected Error (768) Occurred at Line 5118@ind:Xp\Client\Boot\Setup\Setup.c' Error Message During Windows XP Setup 311564: 'Stop 0x0000000A Irql_Not_Less_or_Equal' Error Message During Windows XP Upgrade 311442: Error Message: Setup Cannot Continue. Please Contact Microsoft Technical Support. (Error: 3E6h) Troubleshooting other errors:Note: If you experience problems during installation, you can use the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool to test your computer's random access memory (RAM). This tool helps determine whether installation problems are caused by failing hardware, such as RAM or the memory system of the motherboard. To use the tool, follow the instructions on theWindows Memory Diagnostic Web site.
Create boot disksA boot disk is a floppy disk or set of disks that lets you start the computer without using Windows. It can be useful to have this when doing certain types of troubleshooting and when performing a new installation of Windows. You can download a program to create the six Windows XP Setup boot floppy disks that contain the files and drivers required to access the CD-ROM drive and begin the Setup process. To do this, go to Obtaining Windows XP Setup Boot Disks. However, rather than creating boot disks, we recommend that you boot your computer from the Windows XP CD to start Setup. If your computer is not already able to do this (most newer computers are), refer to the section titled "Configure a computer to boot from CD" for more information. If your computer does not support booting from CD, you can download a file that will help you create boot disks. See the list at the end of this section for download locations. Creating the Setup boot disks
Configure a computer to boot from CDSome computers might automatically offer the option to boot from CD if they detect a bootable CD in the CD-ROM drive. If so, when you start the computer with a bootable CD in the CD-ROM drive, you'll see the message "Press any key to boot from CD." Otherwise, you can set your computer to boot from CD by using the setup program for your computer's BIOS (basic input/output system). Here's how:
Some newer laptop computers have a Windows-based utility for configuring the BIOS. If your computer won't boot from a CD, refer to the section titled "Other Setup-related tasks" for information about starting Setup from the command prompt. Set up a multiboot systemYou can install more than one operating system on your computer and choose which operating system you want to use every time you start your computer. This is called a dual-boot or multiboot configuration. This section explains how to set up Windows XP as a multiboot system with the following operating systems:
PrecautionsBefore creating a multiboot configuration with Windows XP and another operating system, review the following precautions:
Partitioning the hard disk and selecting file systemsA partition is a logical section of a hard disk. Each partition normally has its own file system. For more information about partitions, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 313348. You might need to reformat and repartition your hard disk if:
Note: If you format a Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows XP volume with any file system other than NTFS, you will lose all NTFS-specific features. This includes Windows XP features such as file system security, Encrypting File System (EFS) settings, disk quotas, and remote storage. Likewise, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Millennium Edition do not recognize an NTFS partition; they will identify it as unknown. Therefore, if you format a Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition partition as FAT, and a Windows XP partition as NTFS, any files on the NTFS partition will not be available or visible if you try to access them while running Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition. Supported file systemsThe following table lists the supported file systems for Microsoft operating systems:
To create a multiboot system with Windows XP and |