- 1). Restart the computer and hold down "F2" to launch the BIOS settings (this may be different for different computer manufacturers; refer to your user manual). Select the "Boot" tab and make sure the CD-ROM/DVD-ROM entry is listed at the top (above the internal hard drive). Save the changes (by pressing "F10") and quit the BIOS.
- 2). Insert the Windows XP Professional installation CD into the computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive and restart the computer.
- 3). Press "Enter" at the blue "Welcome to Setup" screen to start the XP setup process.
- 4). Press "F8" ("I Agree") to accept the End User License Agreement. XP setup will then attempt to detect any previous Windows installations on the hard drive.
- 5). Select the installed Windows partition and press "D" ("Delete"). This will delete the partition, erasing all data and leaving the hard drive full of "unallocated" or "unpartitioned" disk space.
- 6). Highlight the unpartitioned disk space and press "C" ("Create Partition"). The next screen will ask you to enter a size for the new partition, displaying the maximum and minimum sizes in megabytes. Set the desired partition size (it is recommended to use the maximum amount) and press "Enter."
- 7). Select "Format the partition using the NTFS file system" when the XP Setup informs you that the partition is not formatted. Press "Enter" to format. The partition will begin formatting and the installation will begin. After installation files are copied to the drive, the system will restart and launch into the Windows XP Professional installation.
- 8). Enter your region and language when prompted (the prompts will start toward the end of the installation). Enter your name (and organization, if you wish). Enter your product key (found either on the XP packaging or on the backside of the computer). Create a computer name and set an administrator password. Set the date and time settings. Select "Typical" network settings and set a "Workgroup" name. After the installation completes, the system will restart once more and launch in Windows XP Professional.
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