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13. Software Installation
Most software installations are self explanatory or have something to guide you through the process. In this step I will show you how to install Windows XP as well as some of the basic things about installing drivers and other pieces of software.
Windows XP Installation
Windows XP is very easy to install but does require some input on your behalf. Before you begin installation, remember, do not have ANY USB devices connected to your computer, not even a MOUSE! This is a well known problem with Windows XP. For some reason it doesn't like any USB devices connected while installing Windows. If your mouse is a USB mouse, then find an adapter ( PS/2 adapter) so that you can hook it up to the regular mouse port.
To Begin:
Make sure the Windows CD is in the CD drive and turn on your computer. After the computer boots up, the screen should ask this:
"If you wish to boot from the CD, press any key..."
Press a key and it will prepare to install windows. In order to install the operating system you will need to format and partition the hard drive first. These two steps are included in the installation so Windows will take you through them and make recommendations about what kind of formats you should use. Without going into detail, I will tell you that you should format the hard drive into one big partition under the NTFS format. Do a full format, not quick. This will ensure a proper and secure formatting of the hard drive.
Here's the screen that will show up when the formatting section begins.
Since this is a brand new install you will want to push Enter. Next it will ask you which partition to format. There are sometimes two choices, but you'll want to choose the one that has the largest MB size as seen below.
Once you go through and pick out your hard drive, make sure you do a full format in the NTFS format. The next screen that shows up will look like the one below.
The size of your hard drive and speed of your processor will determine how long it takes to completely format the hard drive. Once it's done, you're ready to install Windows.
Windows will begin installing itself once the formatting ends. From there it will basically run on autopilot, except when it needs to ask you for little bits of information here and there. The first bit of information it will ask for is the Product Key to make sure the copy of Windows you are installing is valid.
After that it will begin going through the install process.
Another example of when it will ask for some information is when you need to input the time and date. Why it does this somewhat in the middle of the process I'll never know. If it weren't for this you would be able to start the install process and leave the computer for an hour or two, but the way Windows installs requires you to check the computer every once in a while. Here's the window that will pop up to ask for the time and date.
If you notice towards the bottom on the left side of the screen, it has an estimate of how much longer the installation will take. Microsoft is surprisingly accurate now in the XP version of windows so you can pretty much count on that being how long it will take to finish.
Once it's done installing it will ask you to activate your copy of Windows. This is a new step in Windows installation and has been established to prevent people from pirating , or stealing, copies of Windows and installing them on as many computers as they wish. It will ask you to activate windows, but it will also ask you to register Windows. You have to activate but don't have to register...unless you want more junk mail. Below is a picture of the activation screen.
As you can see, there are three choices. Activate over the internet, activate over the phone, or activate later. It really doesn't matter which one you choose, they all will do the same thing in the end. If you are already connected to the internet then that would be the fastest and easiest choice. If you aren't sure whether you have an internet connection yet, choose to activate it over the phone. I've done both choices and they're both fairly simple. If you want to activate later (within 30 days) then choose the third option.
Once you activate it you'll see this screen.
Once Windows is installed you're almost ready to go. When Windows first starts up it will go ahead and load the drivers for your hardware. This is another place where the new version of Windows really shines. Most of your drivers will load automatically, preventing you from having to manually go through and install each individual one.
There may be a driver that has some difficulty loading and a window like the one below will pop up.
Don't worry, this is basically saying that Microsoft hasn't been able to test this particular product and approve it. All this means is that whatever driver it's trying to install is probably not as "mainstream" as many others. It would be impossible for Microsoft to test absolutely every computer product out there with it's operating system. This box is just saving their own butt in case something goes wrong. The chances of something going wrong are very minimal. If something does go wrong, all you have to do is consult the Message Boards to find a solution to your problem.
Once you have Windows installed, the first thing you'll want to do is update it. Updating makes sure you're protected against the latest security issues and will make sure your computer runs stable. Go to the Start menu, then All Programs, then at the top there should be something called "Windows Update." Click on this and follow the step by step process. The first thing that will be installed is called SP1, or Service Pack 1. This will fix a number of security issues and is essential if you want to make sure your computer is up to date. There may be other updates but the only ones you need to seriously worry about are the ones considered "critical." These will be in their own section of the Windows Update page. Just follow the instructions online to install everything.
You're just about done!