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How to do a Clean Install of Windows XP

Use these instructions at your own risk.
I assume no responsibility. I got this from
MS Support and it worked for me

Viruses can attach your computer if your antivirus has not been installed (after the reinstallation of Windows XP).

Note:
1. Before we go on, please backup your important data.
2. After reinstalling Windows XP, please install your antivirus program first and then connect to the Internet to install Windows updates.

For your information, I have included the steps to clean install Windows XP.  

1. Shut down your computer. Restart to change the BIOS setting to make the computer boot from the CDROM drive. (If you don't know how to change this BIOS setting, please contact the computer manufacturer for more information.)

2. Insert the Windows XP Setup CD, shut down the computer (do not restart). Then, press the power button to start your computer from the CD.

3. If you are prompted to press a key to boot from the CD, please press Enter or spacebar.

4. Then you will see the Windows Setup blue screen. After a while, you will see the following information on your screen:

. To set up Windows XP now, press Enter.
. To Repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
. To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

Please press Enter at this point.

5. Press F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement.

6. Then you will see a list of all the partitions in your system. I suggest you delete the older partition where you want to install Windows XP onto and reformat it again here (if you have reformatted it, you don't need to delete the partition and format it again).

To delete a partition, please select it and then press D to delete it. Press L to confirm the partition deletion.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All the data on the partition will be lost if you delete the partition.

7. You will see an un-partitioned space item in the partition list. Please choose the un-partitioned space and press C to recreate a new partition.

8. Choose this new partition again, and then press Enter to setup Windows XP on this partition.

9. Follow the directions to continue the installation process. You will need to enter the product key at certain step, please enter it correctly. The product key is printed on the disc or on the hand book.

10. When the system has been installed successfully, you will need to activate it. To activate Windows XP, please refer to the following article which is from the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Title: HOW TO: Activate Windows XP
Link:     http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307890

You can also call the following number to activate Windows XP:

Toll free number: 888-571-2048
Toll number: 716-871-2929