There are three reasons why you may need to install
a new copy of Windows XP:
-
Your
current operating system doesn’t support an upgrade
to Windows XP Professional.
-
Your
current operating system supports an upgrade to
Windows XP Professional, but you don’t want to keep
your existing files and personalized settings.
-
Your
computer does not have an operating system.
The
setup process is similar for new installations and upgrades
with a few notable exceptions. For example, during a
new installation, you are able to configure Special
Options, convert your file system, and create a new
partition for the Windows XP installation.
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IMPORTANT
A new installation deletes all programs or system
files from a previous installation.
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Special Options
Under
Special Options, you have the choice to change Language,
Advanced, and Accessibility settings during the setup
process.
Note: If
you are in a country that has recently adopted the euro
as its currency, you may have to modify the currency
settings to display monetary amounts correctly.
For
more information, go to Help and Support Center and
type “euro” in the Search box.
|
Language |
Choose
the primary language and regions for Windows
XP, which affects the default settings for date,
time, currency, numbers, character sets, and
keyboard layout.
Choose
additional language groups and character sets
to use with the programs you are running on
Windows XP.
|
|
Advanced
Options |
Change
the default location of the Setup files.
Store
system files in a folder other than the default
(Windows) folder
Copy
the installation files from the CD to the hard
disk.
|
|
Accessibility |
Use
Narrator or Magnifier during Setup.
|
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IMPORTANT
Unless you're an advanced user, it's recommended
that you use the default settings.
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Choosing a File System
During
a new installation of Windows XP, you may have to choose
which file system your computer should use. Windows
XP Professional supports:
-
FAT32:
An enhanced version of the file allocation table
(FAT) system that is standard on all Windows operating
systems starting with later (32-bit) versions of
Windows 95. The FAT32 system can be used on large
hard disks, from 512 megabytes (MB) to 32 gigabytes
(GB).
-
NTFS:
The NT file system (NTFS) is used with the Windows
NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP operating systems.
NTFS provides enhanced reliability, stability, and
security, and supports large hard disks of up to
2 terabytes (TB).
|
IMPORTANT
You can convert your file system any time, even
after you install Windows XP, without losing
any of your data.
The conversion to NTFS is one–way only; if you
convert your FAT or FAT32 file system to NTFS
you can’t convert your hard disk back to FAT
later.
|
If
you’re not sure which file system to use, keep the one
your computer defaults to during Setup. If you want
to change your file system, here are a few recommendations:
-
Use
FAT32 if your hard disk is smaller than 32 GB.
-
Use
FAT32 if you want to install more than one operating
system on your computer.
-
Use
NTFS if your hard drive is larger than 32 GB and
you are running only one operating system on your
computer.
-
Use
NTFS if you want enhanced file security.
-
Use
NTFS if you need better disk compression.
Disk
Partitions
You
can create partitions to organize information—for example,
to back up data—or to install more than one operating
system on your computer. A hard disk can contain up
to four partitions.
If
you’re performing a new installation, the appropriate
disk partition is selected automatically during Windows
XP Setup unless you click Advanced Options and specify
your own requirements
For
more information about configuring, sizing, reformatting,
or converting disk partitions, see your current online
Help before you install or upgrade to Windows XP Professional.
source- freepctech.com