This article shows you how to reinstall Windows XP without having the installation CD available. You must have a valid product key in order to complete the installation of the operating system.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Prepare to Reinstall the Operating System
Step 1. Back up your files
Since you are about to reinstall your computer's operating system, the chances of losing important data or files are very high. To work around this problem, it's a good idea to perform a full backup to make sure you can restore your data after the operation is complete.
After creating the backup file it is good to copy it to an external hard drive or USB stick
Step 2. Obtain the Windows XP Product Key
It is an alphanumeric code consisting of 25 characters. It is usually printed directly on an adhesive label placed on the bottom of laptops or on the case in the case of a desktop computer. In other cases it is visible on the Windows XP packaging, if you only bought the operating system.
If you can't find the product key, you can try using the ProduKey program to get this information directly from your computer
Step 3. Access the Start menu
Press the green button of the same name located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 4. Choose the My Computer option
It features a monitor icon and is located at the top right of the menu Start. This will bring up the window Computer resources.
Step 5. Enable viewing of hidden files and folders
Follow these instructions:
- Access the menu Tools located in the upper left part of the window;
- Choose the voice Folder options … from the drop-down menu appeared;
- Access the card Visualization;
- Select the radio button "Show hidden files and folders";
- Now press the buttons in succession Apply And OK.
Step 6. Double click on the Local Disk icon
It is located within the "Hard Drives" section of the window Computer resources.
If there are multiple hard drives, be sure to select the one that contains the Windows installation which is normally characterized by the drive letter (C:).
Step 7. Access the Windows folder by double clicking on it
This way you will have access to the relevant content.
Step 8. Double click on the i386 folder
In order to locate this directory you may need to scroll down the list.
Step 9. Locate the "winnt32.exe" file and double click on it
The Windows XP installation wizard will start.
Step 10. Wait for the Windows installation wizard window to appear on the screen
It may take several minutes before this happens, depending on your computer's processing capacity and the number of programs running when you selected the file winnt32.exe. When the Windows XP installation window appears on the screen, you can proceed with the reinstallation.
Part 2 of 3: Format the Hard Drive
Step 1. When the blue screen appears, press the Enter key
This will start the installation procedure.
Step 2. Press the button related to the "I accept" option
It is listed at the bottom of the screen on the left under "I agree" (normally this should be function key F8). By pressing the indicated key you accept the terms of the agreement drawn up by Microsoft to be able to use Windows XP under license.
Step 3. Press the "Do Not Repair" button for the current Windows XP installation
This key is also listed at the bottom of the screen. This is usually the Esc key.
Step 4. Delete the current Windows XP installation
Select the partition or hard drive indicated by the wording NTFS using the directional arrows on your keyboard, then press the "Delete Partition" option key (usually the D key) listed at the bottom of the screen.
Step 5. When prompted, press the Enter key
This will notify the system that you wish to delete the selected partition.
Step 6. When prompted, press the L key
The hard drive will be formatted, after which you will be redirected to the Windows installation menu.
Step 7. Choose the Unpartitioned Space item and press the button Enter.
Your computer's hard drive will be selected as the installation drive.
Step 8. Format your computer hard drive
Choose the option Format the partition using the NTFS file system and press the Enter key. The indicated disk will be prepared for Windows installation. The formatting procedure may take between a few minutes and an hour, depending on the size of the disk.
If you wish, you can choose the option Quick to shorten the time. However, in this case the hard drive will not be formatted correctly.
Step 9. Wait for the computer to restart
Once the hard drive is formatted, the system will automatically reboot and the actual Windows XP setup and installation procedure will begin. Do not press any key until the user interface for the Windows installation wizard appears on the screen.
Part 3 of 3: Install Windows XP
Step 1. Press the Next button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window.
To customize the regional options and the language you can press the button Customize …, located at the bottom right of the "Regional and Language Options" section.
Step 2. Enter your name, then press the Next button
You will need to use the "Name" text field.
If you wish, you can enter the name of the company you work for in the "Organization" text field
Step 3. Enter the Product Key, then press the Next button
Type the 25-character alphanumeric code you retrieved in the previous steps into the "Product Key" field.
Step 4. Create a login password and press the Next button
Use the "Administrator Password" and "Confirm Password" text fields at the bottom of the screen. You can choose the password you prefer.
If you wish, you can use the text field shown at the top of the window to change the computer name
Step 5. Set the date, time and time zone, then press the Next button
Select the "Date" drop-down menu, choose the current date, then repeat the step to configure the "Time" and "Time Zone" field.
Step 6. Select the "Typical Settings" checkbox and press the Next button
This will install Windows XP using the default settings.
Step 7. Select the "No" radio button
It is placed at the top of the window. If your computer is part of a workgroup, select the "Yes" option and type the group name into the "Workgroup" text field.
Step 8. Press the Next button
In this way the Windows configuration phase is completed and the system will continue with the installation of the necessary files. At this point you will need to wait about 30-40 minutes for the installation to complete.
