*****Installation of Windows XP Explained***** 1.Set the boot order in the computer’s BIOS settings to recognize the CD-ROM drive before the hard drives. 2.Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive. 3.Restart the computer. 4.When the screen says “Press any key to boot to the CD,” press a key. 5.The computer will then copy files from the CD-ROM to the hard drive and examine the configuration of the computer. At this point, you will be informed if any hardware fails the compatibility test. 6.If all of your hardware is compatible, then you can then proceed with the installation of the operating system. -Preparing the Hard Disk for Installation Since the operating system will be installed on a hard disk, its important to understand the organization of a hard disk in a computer and the file systems from which you can choose. You should also be familiar with the tools that you can use to prepare the hard disk for installation and begin to install the system. --------------------------------- -Partitions When you purchase a new hard disk or buy a computer without an operating system installed,the only formatting on the hard disk is a low-level format from the factory. This low-level format is the basis on which you can begin to build a working hard disk and install an operating system. The first step that you should take to begin to prepare a hard disk is to partition the hard disk. Partitioning the disk is logically setting aside a portion of the disk. A partition is sometimes referred to as a volume, but a partition is one area limited to one physical hard disk, whereas a volume can contain multiple partitions on the same disk or even on multiple disks. -Active Partition: The active partition on a disk is the partition from which an x86-based computer boots. It is the partition that contains the files required to boot the operating system that is designated as the default operating system in the computer. The active partition must always be on the first hard disk attached to the computer. This disk is referred to as Disk 0. -System Partition: The system partition is the partition that contains the bootstrap files that are required to display the boot menu and start the operating system. On most client computers this is the first primary partition on Disk 0. The bootstrap files that must be on the system partition on a computer running the Windows XP operating system include the following: * Ntldr: This is a hidden file. * Ntdetect.com: This is hidden file. * Boot.ini: This is a hidden file. * Bootsect.dos: This file is for dual configurations only. -Boot Partition: The boot partition is the partition that contains the Windows system files. The folder in which the files are located is referred to as the systemroot folder. The files are by default located in a folder within the systemroot folder named the systemroot/system32 folder. On most client computers this partition is the same as the system partition. Typically this is the C: drive. On client computers with multiboot configuration the boot partition may be assigned a different drive letter. -------------------------------- -Formatting and File Systems After you have created a partition on a disk, you must format the partition to prepare it to hold data or, as in this case, an operating system. Formatting the partition places a file system on which files can be stored and managed. File systems have evolved over time, and some file systems offer significant advantages over others. You should use the NTFS file system for all partitions on a computer with the Windows XP operating system installed. This takes advantage of the additional security and stability of the file system. The only exception is when you are multibooting the computer with an operating system that does not support NTFS, such as Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me. -------------------------------- -Tools for Hard Disk Preparation There are many tools that you can use to prepare a hard disk. We will focus on the tools that are inherent to Microsoft clients. These tools can be used to partition the disk and then format the partitions with the various file systems.The tools that you can use create partitions and format them include the following: -Fdisk The fdisk tool is an MS-DOS–based tool that you can use to partition a hard disk. You can use the fdisk tool to create, change, delete, or display the current partitions on a hard disk. You can create primary partitions and extended partitions. You can then create logical drives on the extended partitions. -Format After you create partitions with the fdisk tool, you can then format those partitions with the format tool. As mentioned before, the format tool places a file system on the disk on which data can be stored and managed. You can use the format tool to apply FAT, FAT32, and NTFS file systems. -The Windows XP CD Another method of creating partitions is to use the Windows XP CD itself. You can create and format partitions just prior to installing Windows XP using only the Windows XP CD. ------------------------------------- -Creating and Formatting Partitions with the Windows XP CD 1.Set the boot order in the computer’s BIOS settings to recognize the CD-ROM drive before the hard drives. 2.Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive. 3.Restart the computer. 4.When the screen says “Press any key to boot to the CD,” press a key. 5.The computer will then copy files from the CD-ROM to the hard drive and examine the configuration of the computer. 6.At the Welcome to Setup page, press the Enter key to continue. 7.Press F8 to accept the Windows XP Licensing Agreement. 8.If another Windows XP installation is detected, you will be prompted to repair it. Press Esc.Do not repair. 9.All existing partitions and unallocated space on the hard disk will now be listed. Use the arrow keys to select a partition or unallocated space where you want to create a partition. 10.Press D to delete an existing partition or C to create a new partition using unallocated space. If you press D, then you must press L to confirm that you want to delete a partition. 11.After pressing C to create a new partition, type the size in megabytes that you want to use for the partition and press Enter, or just press Enter to create the partition using the maximum available size. 12.Repeat Steps 10 and 11 to create additional partitions. 13.Select the format option that you want to use for the partition, and press Enter. 14.After the setup program formats the partition, you can follow the instructions to continue installing the operating system. ------------------------------------ -Installing the Windows XP Operating System Once all of the preparation is done, you are ready to install the operating system. Installing the operating system includes running the setup program, configuring the options for networking,choosing a Windows Update option, and activating the software. We will now discuss each of these steps in greater detail, examining potential problem areas and the methods that you can use to troubleshoot the problems. -Running the Setup Program The setup program installs the operating system in four basic steps as outlined below: 1.File Copy: Windows Setup files are copied to a temporary folder on the partition where they can be run when you restart the system. 2.Text Mode: In this step you select the partition to use to install the operating system. You should press F6 at this step to load any custom drivers. If you have custom hardware for which Windows does not have drivers and you do not press F6 at this step, then you may experience a stop error. If this happens, restart and press F6 when prompted. 3.GUI Mode: This is the graphical portion of Windows Setup, which is also known as the Setup Wizard. In this step, you can select regional settings, such as language and time zone,and enter details, such as the product key, computer name,and administrator password. 4.Windows Welcome: This is the final portion of Setup, when you have the option to create user accounts and activate Windows. Sometimes manufacturers use this step to customize the installation, adding their own logos, custom registration screens, and other features. **(NOTE)** In a successful installation, Setup will progress through each of these steps,and the operating system will basically install itself. However, if Setup detects any hardware for which it does not have appropriate drivers, it may ask you for some help. If you have a custom piece of hardware in your system, you should look for a prompt during the Text Mode portion of Setup and press F6 when prompted. You can then install the custom drivers. If you do not press F6, the installation may terminate with a stop error. ----------------------------------------- -Installing Network Components If the Windows XP operating system that you have just installed detects the presence of network hardware on your system, the Installing Network Components window will appear automatically.You should select either Typical Settings or Custom Settings. Your choice is determined by how you are planning to use the computer. We will now discuss the guidelines for each setting. -Typical Settings When Typical Settings is selected, the system will configure the computer to obtain its Internet Protocol (IP) address and its Domain Name System (DNS) server address from the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. This setting should be used only if you know that that a DHCP server is available in your organization or through your Internet Service Provider (ISP). -Custom Settings When Custom Settings is selected, Setup displays screens to allow the user to enter the IP address and DNS server address manually. If you choose this setting, then you should obtain a proper IP address from your network administrator. If the IP address is not properly configured, the computer will not be able to communicate on the network and could potentially affect the communication of other computers on the network. -Setting Windows Update Once you have your operating system installed and a network connection established, the next step is to protect the operating system from unwanted intrusion. Periodically, Microsoft discovers a security threat to the operating system and publishes a patch on its website, making it available for download. The best way to keep up with all of the available patches is with the help of the Windows Update feature of Windows XP. ----------------------------------------- -Setting Windows Update 1. Open the System applet in Control Panel. 2. Click the Automatic Updates tab. 3. Select the Keep My Computer Up To Date check box. 4. Choose from the following options: a. Notify Me Before Downloading Any Updates And Notify Me Again Before Installing Them On My Computer.You should choose this option if you are using a dial-up connection and you do not want to tie up the connection with the downloads. b. Download The Updates Automatically And Notify Me When They Are Ready To Be Installed.You should choose this option if you are using a high-speed, always-on connection such as a cable modem or digital subscriber line (DSL) connection. An alert bubble will pop up from the system tray area to let you know when the download has arrived. You can accept or reject any download. c. Automatically Download The Updates, And Install Them On The Schedule That I Specify.You should choose this option when you want to specify the time that Windows Update runs. The default time is 3:00 A.M. every day. Windows Update will download and install each critical update that is available when it runs. ----------------------------------------- Activation and registration are very different. Activation does not require you to divulge your name or any personal information. Your choice to register the software is completely separate from your choice to activate it. Registration does ask for some personal information.As part of the activation process, Microsoft examines and registers key hardware components in your computer system. Because of this, if you decide to reinstall the operating system on the same computer, you can reinstall it without activating it again. However, if you upgrade your hardware or replace your computer completely and then reinstall the operating system, you might have to reactivate the Windows XP operating system as well. In this case,the activation will not be automatic, and you will need to call your Microsoft customer representative at the telephone number listed on the software in the activation wizard. You will need to explain the situation to the Microsoft customer representative and then follow the directions given by the representative. ----------------------------------------- Summary It’s important that you understand how operating systems should be installed so that you can troubleshoot failed installations. *************The Essentials***************** *Know the minimum requirements to install Windows XP. Although you will probably never install Windows XP on a computer that meets only the minimum requirements, it is still important to know these specifications for the test. You may need to define which components will need to be upgraded to install the operating system. *Understand the differences between file systems. You should understand the advantages and disadvantages of the main file systems that Microsoft clients use. You should also know which clients can use which file systems. Multiboot scenarios might require this knowledge. *Understand how answer files and UDFs operate. You don’t need to be an expert on the syntax in answer files, but you do need to know what happens if a setting in a UDF conflicts with a setting in an answer file. You should also know what will happen if there is a section in a UDF that does not exist in an answer file for the same computer. *Know how to use the Upgrade Advisor. You should know how to use the Upgrade Advisor by inserting the Windows XP CD and selecting the options to check compatibility. You should also know the location of the file on the Windows CD and on the Internet. *Know what is required to create a successful multiboot. You should know the basics of what is required to create a successful multiboot, for example, the order of installation of multiple operating systems and your options for file systems on the system partition. You should be familiar with the fact that the boot.ini file will be changed automatically by the operating system when you create a multiboot installation.