Jjunge,

Thank you for using the DellTalk forum.

There are many instructions, on how to format reinstall the system or operating system. Some of the
other DellTalk users on here, can point you to some of them.
Below, I am listing some instructions that are used by
E-mail support. These are *general* instrutions, and your
format process may differ a little bit.

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There are several steps in installing WindowsXP.
Please follow the steps below to ensure a proper WindowsXP install.
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There are pictures of the WindowsXP installation,
located on the following web page:
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/install/reinstallmain.htm

Click on: (Click here for Windows installs, reinstalls, and upgrades.)
Click on: (WindowsXP Home Install Step by Step.)
Click on: (Begin WindowsXP Install Step by Step guide.)
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Here are the steps you need to take, to reinstall WindowsXP.

Creating a boot disk:--------------------------->
1.Go to the following web page:
http://www.bootdisk.com/
2.Click on (XP Install Disk) and download the XP boot disk file.
3.Put a blank formatted disk in your floppy drive.
4.Double click the file you downloaded, and create the disk.

Formatting the hard drive:------------------->

*Before proceeding, make sure all important information is backed up.*

1.With the XP boot disk in your floppy drive, restart your system.
2.The system will boot to the disk, and pause at the following prompt:
(We are stopping here, so you may make a note of your cdrom drive.)
(Press any key to continue.)
3.Simply press the (Enter) key and the system will continue.
4.You will be placed at an ( A:\ ) prompt.
5.Type in: ( Format C: /U ) then press the ( Enter ) key.
6.You will get a message asking if you are sure you want to proceed.
Press ( Y ) for yes, and continue.
7.When the format process is done, you will be asked to (Enter a Volume Name,)
simply press the ( Enter ) key. You will then be placed at an ( A:\ ) prompt again.

Setting up your CDROM drive:------------------------------->

1.Set the system to boot to the CDROM.

Entering the Systme BIOS:

To endter the System BIOS:
Turn on (or restart) your computer.
When F2 = Setup appears in the upper-right corner of the screen, press .
If you wait too long and the operating system begins to load into memory, let the system complete the load operation. Then restart the computer and try again.

2.Changing the CD-Rom boot setting.
One's you have entered the "System BIOS," use the key
to highlight Press on
Now you should get some choices,
Use the key to highlight , then use the < -/+ > keys
to move the option to the very top.
Now press the several times, until you exit, and the system reboots.

Installing Windows:------------------------------------------------>

1.Place you Windows CD in your CDROM drive, and restart the system.
2.You will get a prompt that reads: ( Press any key to boot from CDROM )
3.Press the ( Enter ) key to continue.
4.You will get a prompt that reads: ( Setup is detecting your computers hardware configuration.) Please wait for XP to detect your system hardware.....
5.You will get a screen that states: ( Your are about to install WindowsXP)
Press the ( Enter ) key to continue.
6.You will get another screen to continue setup. Press ( Enter ) to continue.
7.You will get the ( End User License Agreement.) Press ( F8 ) to continue.
8.You will get a screen asking you to install WindowsXP to which drive or
partition. Choose your main ( C:\ ) partition, and press ( Enter )
9.You will get another screen about the install process, press ( C ) to continue.
10.You will get a screen give you some ( Format ) options.
Choose ( Format the partitions using FAT ) ( QUICK ) and press ( Enter )
11.You will get a prompt stating where XP will be installed, press ( Enter )
to continue.
12.The WindowsXP install process will begin. Sit back and relax for a couple minutes.

Install process continued......

13.The Windows XP GUI will come up. It displays the following information:
( Collection Information, Dynamic Updates, Installing Windows, Finalizing information.) Sit back, and let the Windows install process continue.
14.You will get a screen: ( Regional and Language Option.) simply click ( Next )
15.You will get a screen: ( Personalize your Software. ) Enter your name and company name, and then click ( Next )
16.You will get a screen: ( Product Key. ) Enter the product key located on the
back of your Windows XP cd case or sleeve, and click ( Next .)
17.You will get a screen: ( Computer Name and Administrator Password )
Leave the fields blank, and then click ( Next. )
18.You will get a screen: ( Date and Time Settings )
Choose your time zone, choose the correct date, and click ( Next. )
19. Windows will continue to setup the system......
Sit back and relax....
20.You will get another screen: ( Network Settings.)
Leave the default option, and click ( Next )
21.You will get a screen: ( Work Group or Computer Domain.)
Leave the default option, and click ( Next )
22.Windows will copy some more files, sit back and relax....
23.Windows will finish setting up the system. It will restart, and display the
following scree. ( Welcome to Microsoft Windows. )
Click the ( Next ) button on the lower right hand corner of the screen.
24.Windows will check to see if you are connected to the net.
You can let Windows detect and setup your Internet connection, or to skip the
process, click ( Skip ) on the lower right hand corner of the screen.
25.You will get a ( Ready to Activate Windows Screen.)
If connected to the Internet, choose ( Activate Windows over the Internet Now.)
If not connected to the net, choose ( No remind me every few days.)
26.You will next get a ( User Screen )
Fill out the names of the people who will use the system, and click ( Next.)
You will then get a ( Thank You) screen, click ( Next.)
27.You are now done installing Windows.




Message Edited on 12/13/01 07:58AM by DELL_Karell

FYI. Follow Karell's instructions. I just wanted to add is that I do an annual clean install, spring cleaning for the computer. It cleans out all the junk and makes your system run better. After you do this you'll find doing the next time so much easier and faster.

Pentium 4 1.9 Gig / 478 pin 400Mhz FSB
Shuttle Motherboard
Via chipset P4x266 VT8233 DDRam Support
Windows XP (home edition)
DDRam 768 Meg
WD 80 gig HD ATA 100
Gainward GF3 Powerpack Golden Sample/64 meg
LiteOn 24x10x40 CD-RW
Pioneer DVD 500m
Pinacle Firewire Card
Santa Cruz Sound Card (4127 beta drivers)
Linksys Lan Card
Dell 991 Monitor
Microtek 3700 Scanner
HP 1100 Printer
Logitech Pro 3000 web cam

Other:
XPSB1000r
XP home
384 megs PC700 Rdram
60 gig maxtor HD
DVD-Rom
Sony CD-RW
Gforce 2 pro 64meg