XP Clean Install

Here's a good Web site about clean installing Windows XP. Please give it a look. I'm in the middle of clean installing Windows XP. I don't even have office installed, yet. But the machine is very managable in this Spartan state.

I've been threatening this for 2 months, but 2 blue screens and general system instability yesterday pushed me to the brink.

I think that everyone has their own personal way of approaching it, but if you want to know how I do it here are the basics. First, I make sure I back up any personal data I want to use again. This includes backing up My Documents and any other folders with settings I may need. You can use the built in Files and Settings Transfer Wizard for this. The only reason I don't do this is that I want as clean an install as possible. If I haven't already done so, I make sure I have any login information needed to connect to the internet, and I gather CDs and files for the software I will want to install.

Second, I use the disk management tool to delete the partition where I'm going to install to unless this is already a system partition, in which case I'll have to wipe it out with the Windows installer. Doing this ahead of time is not necessary, but it makes it easy for me to find, especially if I already have data on other partitions. If you have a fresh disk drive, of course everything will be empty.

Next, I double check that I have any disk controller or RAID controller drivers that Windows will need. Windows will ask for these and if you need them and don't have them you will not be able to install because Windows won't see your hard drive. After that I install Windows XP (preferably a copy that is slipstreamed or came with the lastest SP). When that is done, I double check that the Windows firewall is configured and active. Then I install my motherboard drivers. After that, I install my video drivers and any other drivers for installed hardware that weren't installed with Windows. For hardware that is not yet installed, I leave the drivers for later. Next I install my antivirus. Only then do I configure whatever networking device I use to access the internet. After I connect to the internet, I Immediately update my antivirus, and complete any windows updates. Since IE is not my favorite browser, this is when I get Firefox up and running. After that I check to see that I don't need Windows updates for my Windows updates. (Don't laugh -- it happens). In fact, as I type, I'm downloading my second round of updates.

That gets me through the initial stuff. Next, I will be installing MS Office and configuring my e-mail. Because I still have a lot to do in order to get back to the point where I can just work, I probably won't be blogging much more today. Now you know why.