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72 Advanced Troubleshooting
Reinstalling Windows XP
To reinstall Windows XP, perform all the steps in the following sections in the order in which they are
listed.
The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you
must also reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software.
NOTICE:
The Operating System CD provides options for reinstalling Windows XP. The options can overwrite files
and possibly affect programs installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows XP unless a Dell
technical support representative instructs you to do so.
NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows XP, disable any virus protection software installed on your computer
before you reinstall Windows XP. See the documentation that came with the software for instructions.
Booting From the Operating System CD
1
Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.
2
Insert the
Operating System
CD. Click
Exit
if
Install Windows XP
message appears.
3
Restart the computer.
4
When the DELL logo appears, press <F12> immediately.
NOTE: Keyboard failure may result when a key on the keyboard is held down for extended periods of time. To
avoid possible keyboard failure, press and release <F12> in even intervals until the Boot Device Menu
appears.
If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows desktop, and then shut down the
computer and try again.
5
At the
Boot Device Menu
, use the up- and down-arrow keys or press the appropriate number on the
keyboard to highlight
Onboard or USB CD-ROM
, and then press <Enter>.
6
When the
Press any key to boot from CD
message appears, press any key.
Windows XP Setup
1
When the
Windows XP Setup
screen appears, press <Enter> to select
To set up Windows now
.
2
Read the information on the
Microsoft Windows Licensing Agreement
screen, and press <F8> to
accept the license agreement.
3
If your computer already has Windows XP installed and you want to recover your current Windows XP
data, type
r
to select the repair option, and remove the CD.
4
If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to select that option.
5
Press <Enter> to select the highlighted partition (recommended), and follow the instructions on the
screen.
The
Windows XP Setup
screen appears, and the operating system begins to copy files and install the
devices. The computer automatically restarts multiple times.
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