To create this article, 28 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewedtimes. Learn more Maybe all your programs are starting to run slow, and you wish there was a way to get Windows moving as fast as it used to. Luckily, repairing or reinstalling Windows XP is fairly straightforward.
Follow these steps for a painless installation no matter which version of Windows XP you use. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article PRO. Explore this Article methods.
Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: April 8, Method 1 of If you no longer have a copy of the CD, contact your computer manufacturer for a replacement, or download an. Be aware of viruses, and know that you will still need to enter a valid Product Key to install. Make a note of your Product Key. It is useful to have this handy before you start the install process. This key is a character code that you have to enter in order to install Windows.
It can usually be found in one of a couple different places: Attached to the case your Windows XP CD came in, usually on the back. Reboot your computer. Your computer needs to be set to boot from the CD drive first. In order to do this, you will have to enter the BIOS setup. The key is different from different manufacturers, but is generally either F2, F10, F12, or Del. The windows xp reinstallation download free key will be displayed on the same screen as the logo.
Start the installation. If you do not press a key, then the computer will boot from the hard drive as usual. Setup will load. Windows has to load drivers to start the setup process. This could take a few moments. Once it windows xp reinstallation download free complete, you will be greeted with the Welcome screen.
Press Enter to begin a repair install. Do not enter the Recovery Console. Read the agreement. After windows xp reinstallation download free have gone over the license agreement, hit F8 windows xp reinstallation download free agree and continue. Setup will load a list of your Windows XP installs.
Most users will only see one thing listed here. Select your previous installation. If you only have one install, it will be automatically highlighted. Press R to begin the repair process. Windows will begin copying files, and then reboot the computer automatically. It will then begin the repair install. You will be asked to confirm the date and time as well as a few other basic questions. Most of the time, the default option is acceptable.
Enter the Product Key. Towards the end of the installation, you will be asked to enter the product key. Windows will check to make sure it is a valid key before proceeding. After installation, you will have to authorize your copy of Windows online or over the phone. The Product Activation wizard will appear when you log into your newly repaired copy. If you have an internet connection, then you should be able to authenticate your copy by clicking a button.
Check your programs. Once the installation is complete, you will windows xp reinstallation download free taken to your repaired install of Windows.
Because certain system files were replaced, some of your installed programs may not function, and may need to be reinstalled. Some of your devices may need to have their drivers reinstalled. To see which devices are not installed properly, open the Start Menu and right-click My Computer. Select the Hardware Tab, and then click Device Manager. If there are devices with a yellow windows xp reinstallation download free point, then they may need their windows xp reinstallation download free reinstalled.
Method 2 of Backup your data. Formatting and reinstalling Windows windows xp reinstallation download free wipe your hard drive clean. Be absolutely sure that you have backups of all your important files before starting. Pictures, movies, documents, and music will all be erased. Insert your Windows CD. Make note of your Windows Product Key, you will need it during the installation.
Boot from the Windows CD to start the setup program Details for this step can be found in steps in the first section of this guide. Windows will load the drivers for the setup program. Once this is complete, press Enter at the Welcome screen to start the setup. Do not enter the recovery console.
Hit F8 once you are done reading the agreement to continue the setup process. Press Esc to continue with a fresh install. Delete the partition. You should see a list of your hard drive partitions.
These are your C: and D: drives The lettering is dependent on the way the system was set up. This is your last chance to restart and back up any files you forgot. Once the partition is deleted, your data is gone. Create a new partition. Select the unpartitioned space. Press C to create a new partition. Enter the maximum size possible and press Enter. You can create smaller a smaller partition if you want to create other partitions in your hard drive later through Windows.
There are multiple reasons why someone might do this, but for most users simply creating the largest partition possible should be fine. Begin Windows setup. Once the partition is created, highlight it and press Enter to begin the Windows installation.
You will be asked to format the partition. Formatting will begin. This could take up to several hours depending on the size and speed of your hard drive, but for most users it will take a few minutes. Windows windows xp reinstallation download free begin installing.
This is a mostly automated process that requires the user to enter some data at a few points. The first option that pops up is changing the default language and region. Click Customize… if the settings are incorrect for your region. Once the settings are correct, click Next to move on.
When prompted, type your name and organization.
