Windows XP Tutorial

Guide for Installing Windows XP

2008-10-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Installing Windows XP (Home or Professional Edition) can be very simple, even for those without much experience working with computers. This guide assumes that you are installing Windows XP directly from a disc onto a clean, unpartitioned, unformatted hard drive, and that all computer components are installed and working correctly.

System requirements for Windows XP (Home or Professional)

1. Ensure that your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements to run Windows XP:

300 Mhz Intel or AMD CPU
128 Megabytes of system RAM (It can work with 64 Megabytes of RAM but its not recommended)
1.5 Gigabytes of available drive space
Super VGA 800x600 Display Adapter
CD or DVD-ROM
Keyboard and mouse, or other pointing devices
Network Interface Adapter required for Internet and Network Connectivity

2. Ensure you have a Windows XP Product Key. It is printed on a sticker on your software package. It is a string of 5 groups of characters (each 5 long), separated by dashes, resulting in 25 characters in all.

It looks like this: WHTMF-MFC8P-N3YCP-RXDMH-FM4H6.

When the software has almost finished installing, you will be asked for it.You need the product key to complete installing Windows.

3. Before inserting the CD, you'll have to enter bios (in most cases by presing DEL on system startup) and select your primary boot device CDrom. Insert the Windows XP Installation Disc and start your computer. When prompted to "Press any key to boot from CD," press a key on the keyboard.

4. The installation program will check your hardware, install default-set drivers, and load files necessary for installation. When arriving at the "Welcome to Setup" screen, Press ENTER to begin the installation process.

5. Read the License Agreement, and press F8 indicating you agree to its terms.

6. On the next screen, you are presented with a summary of the available partitions on your installed hard drives. At this point, you should see only one entry, "Unpartitioned Space." It will be highlighted in grey. Press C on your keyboard to begin creating partitions for the drive.

7. Enter the size in megabytes for the new partition. If you intend to install only one drive, enter the maximum amount shown. If you wish to create multiple partitions on a single drive, remember that Windows XP requires at least 1.5 Gigabytes of space, plus swap space, and areas for temporary files. A good rule of thumb is not to install Windows XP on a partition less than 5 Gigabytes, unless you wish to impact performance. When calculating, remember that there are 1,024 Megabytes per Gigabyte. Press ENTER once you have chosen your desired partition size.

8. The system will create your new partition, and you will now be at the partition summary screen once again. Select your new partition, usually labeled "C: Partition 1 [Raw]" and press ENTER.

9. Select either "Format the Partition using the NTFS File System" OR "Format the Partition using the FAT File System," and press ENTER. NTFS is the preferred method, supporting a larger amount of disk space per partition than FAT, and including security features at the file system level. NTFS also includes system level compression. If your partition is larger than 32 Gigabytes, you must choose NTFS. However, with a partition less than 32 Gigabytes, you can choose FAT, and convert to NTFS later should you desire. Be aware that NTFS cannot be converted back to FAT.

It is highly recommended to avoid Quick Format, as this skips an important process that checks the hard drive for errors or bad sectors. This scan is what consumes the majority of the time taken when performing a full format. If there are errors on a disk at the physical level, it's best to catch them now rather than later.

10. The system will now format the partition. The length of time this process requires depends on the speed and size of the drive, and the type of file system you selected earlier. In most cases, the larger the partition, the longer the process will take.

11. Windows will now start copying files from the installation disc and prompt you to reboot the computer when the process is completed. Press ENTER when prompted to reboot, otherwise it will do so automatically after 15 seconds.

12. This is the most time consuming part. When the computer reboots, do not press enter to boot from the disc this time, rather allow the computer to boot from the hard drive. If you are greeted with the Windows XP Boot screen, all is well so far.

13. Now the setup program will display various marketing information to you as it installs and configures itself to your system. The estimated time remaining is displayed in the lower left corner.

Note: it is normal for the screen to flicker, turn on and off, or resize during this process.

14. Sooner or later, a dialog window will appear, asking you to choose your Regional settings. Select appropriate settings native to your area. Click the "Next" button when that is completed.

15. Enter your Product Key, (otherwise known as a CD or Install Key,) at this window. You will not be able to complete this process without a valid Key. Click "Next" to continue.

16. If your computer is going to be on a LAN (Local Area Network) at home, or even just for kicks, give it a name.

17. Select your time zone, and ensure that the date/time are correct. Click "Next" to continue.

18. Leave "Typical Settings" selected for Network Setup, unless you have a specialized access device or protocol required. Refer to the documentation for that device for installation procedures.

19. Setup will continue to install other devices and peripherals connected to your machine, give you marketing and capability information, then reboot as before.

20. Congratulations! You've installed Windows XP. There are a few more additional set-up routines required, but you have completed the installation. Remove the CD from the drive.

21. Upon Reboot, click Yes when you are informed Windows will be changing your visual settings to improve quality.

22. In the next box, if you can read the text, press the "OK" button.

23. A similar screen to Part 2 of the install process will appear. If your computer is connected to the internet, select your connection type. Press Next to continue.

24. If connected to the Internet, Select "Activate Now."

25. After the Activation Process, a window will appear allowing you to select the users for the computer. Enter your name, and the names of others who will be using the machine. Press Next to continue.

26. You will now be looking at the default Windows XP Desktop. Congratulations!

Tips

The setup generally takes 15 to 40 minutes depending on the speed of your system. It's best to stay near, because throughout the installation, it will ask questions such as the Time and Network settings
Don't forget to set your boot priority in your BIOS. On older systems, the BIOS is set to read Floppy, HDD, and THEN CD-ROM. You will need to set your boot priority to load the CD-ROM before Floppy and HDD.

Cautions:

You can install Windows more then once on a single partition, but this may lead to system instability in the future. Download software such as Partition Magic 8, to safely divide the hard drive into partitions for safe install.
Do not attempt to install Windows on a system that does not meet the minimum requirements.
Be sure to Activate Windows within 30 days of installation, otherwise the system will not allow you to log on until Activation is complete.

Features of Windows XP

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Digital photography
The features in Windows XP make it easy to transfer pictures directly from your digital camera to your computer and even organize and share your photos to your family and friends.

Games for Windows
Games for Windows open a wide world of fantasy and adventure. Take a break from reality and have fun with friends and family at any age. Its good to play 3D games like Cabal Online, Rose Online, Tales of Pirates, Mapple Story and many more games.

Making movies
With Windows Movie Maker, you can use your computer to create and edit home movies with a few simple drag-and-drop moves. Then you can share your movies via the web, e-mail, your computer, or CD.

Music and video
With its fast and flexible playback features, Windows Media Player makes it easy to enjoy your favorite music and movies whenever you like.

TV and multimedia
Take advantage of these resources to get the most out of your Media Center personal computer.

Instant messaging
Windows Messenger lets you instantly communicate with friends and family all around the world from your computer, using text chat and even voice and video. I recommend also yahoo messenger you can send an SMS to your family and friends. And you

can chat using your cellphone also.

Security and privacy
Learn to keep your computer and personal data more secure with Windows XP.

Computer setup and maintenance
Learn how to set up, personalize, and maintain your computer running Windows XP.

Home and small business networking
Networks let you share files, printers, and other peripherals. Get the information you need to set up and maintain your own network. Its is applicable if you have server to maintain the access.

Pen and ink
Find out how to put the features of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to work for you.

Working remotely
Get as much work done on the road as you can in the office. Find out how to use the mobility features of Windows XP Professional.

Accessibility
Accessibility features in Windows XP make it easier for people with accessibility needs to work efficiently.

Internet tips
Find time-saving tips for browsing the web using Windows XP.

Windows XP Hotkeys - keyboard Shortcuts

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CTRL and A - Selects all the items in the active window.
CTRL and C - Copies the item or items to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V.
CTRL and F - Displays the Find all files dialog box.
CTRL and G - Displays the Go to folder dialog box.
CTRL and N - Displays the New dialog box.
CTRL and O - Displays the Open dialog box.
CTRL and P - Displays the Print dialog box.
CTRL and S - Displays the Save dialog box.
CTRL and V - Pastes the copied item or items from the Clipboard.
CTRL and X - Cuts the item or items selected to the Clipboard.
CTRL and Z - Undoes the last action.
CTRL and F4 - Closes the active document window.
CTRL while dragging an item - Copy the selected item
CTRL+SHIFT with arrow keys - Highlight a block of text
CTRL+F4 - Close the active document
CTRL+ESC - Display the Start menu
CTRL and F6 - Opens the next document window in the active application.
ALT+ENTER - View the properties for the selected item
ALT+F4 - Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR - Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT+TAB - Switch between the open items
ALT+ESC - Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened
F1 key - Gives help on the active window or selected item.
F2 key - Rename the selected item
F3 key - Search for a file or a folder
F4 key - Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 key - Update the active window
F6 key - Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 key - Activate the menu bar in the active program
Windows Logo - Display or hide the Start menu
Windows Logo+BREAK - Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+D - Display the desktop
Windows Logo+M - Minimize all of the windows
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M - Restore the minimized windows
Windows Logo+E - Open My Computer
Windows Logo+F - Search for a file or a folder
CTRL+Windows Logo+F - Search for computers
Windows Logo+F1 - Display Windows Help
Windows Logo+ L - Lock the keyboard
Windows Logo+R - Open the Run dialog box
Windows Logo+U - Open Utility Manager
TAB - Move forward through the options
SHIFT+TAB - Move backward through the options
CTRL+TAB - Move forward through the tabs
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB - Move backward through the tabs
ALT+Underlined letter - Perform the corresponding command
ENTER - Perform the command for the active option or button
SPACEBAR - Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
F1 key - Display Help
F4 key - Display the items in the active list
Arrow keys - Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
BACKSPACE - Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
END - Display the bottom of the active window
HOME - Display the top of the active window
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) - Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) - Display the contents of the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) - Collapse the selected folder
LEFT ARROW - Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder
RIGHT ARROW - Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder

Windows XP Tutorial Part 5 - copy/delete/rename files/folders

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In this 5th part of our Win XP tutorial, we will look at how to create, copy, rename and delete folders, as well as how to rename, copy and delete files.

Creating a new folder or folders
As mentioned there are numerous ways to create a new folder in Win XP, we will look at only one method here.

Open Windows Explorer, navigate to the drive or folder in which you want to create your new folder, for our example we are going to create a new folder in our pc courses folder.

The steps are:
1. right click anywhere in the white space (fig 1.1) and hover the mouse over new
2. then click on folder from the sub-menu that appears as shown in fig 1.2 below.

You will then be prompted to name the folder (as shown in fig 1.3 on the left), simply type in the name and then press the enter (return) key, we are going to name our folder example C.

Try and be as descriptive as you can when naming folders, and avoid using any punctuation symbols in the names.

Copying, Deleting, and Renaming Files and Folders

All of these tasks are straight forward and can all be achieved using the same method. First, navigate to the folder where the file or folder is stored, then right click on the file/folder of interest, you will be presented with a menu similar to that shown in fig 1.4.

Your menu may vary, we have pointed out 3 options:

1. copy - clicking on this option will copy the file or folder into (the clipboard) memory, you can then navigate to the folder where you want to copy the file to, right click (as if making a new folder) in the right hand pane and select paste from the menu that appears.

2. delete - this option will delete the file or folder (send it to the recycle bin), Windows XP will prompt you for confirmation first.

3. rename - this option allows you to rename the file or folder, simply type in the new name and press the enter (return) key.

For quicker ways of achieving the above tasks, see our guide to Keyboard Shortcuts.

The Windows XP Explorer using My Computer - Tutorial Part 4

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Welcome to the 4th part of our Windows XP tutorial, in this section we will give you an introduction to Windows Explorer and how to open it, and look at a method for navigating through your file system.

Opening Windows Explorer
An integral part of using your PC is file management, at some point you will want to make a new folder or delete a file. Windows Explorer has been around since Windows 95 and is a very handy tool for managing your files and folders.

Windows Explorer is basically the same environment as My Computer except it has a folders list shown by default (which can be turned on anyway in the My computer environment, making them exactly the same), so all of the tasks in this section can be achieved using either Windows Explorer or the My Computer enviroment.

To Open Windows Explorer
There are a few ways to open Windows Explorer, here are 4 different methods:

Method 1
Click on the START button, hover your mouse over the All Programs (or programs in classic view) and then hover over Accessories, finally click on Windows Explorer.

Method 2
hold down the START button and press the E key.

Method 3
click the START button, click run, type explorer into the box and press enter.

Method 4
open My Computer and click on the Folders button at the top of the My Computer environment.
Whichever method you choose to use it has the same results.

Navigating through your drives and folders
When you have opened Windows Explorer (or opened my computer and then clicked the folders button) you will see something similar to that shown in fig 1.1 below:

You can see Windows Explorer is split into two parts, the left hand side which is called the folders list (A in fig 1.1) and the right hand side (B in fig 1.1) which is where you will be managing your files and folders.

First let's concentrate on the folders list, you may have noticed the small plus sign (+) next to some of the icons, these indicate that the drive/folder has more folders inside it.

The file system of your PC is organised in a hierarchical way, below is an example:
The Disk or Device is the upper hierarchical level and is known as the root.

Notice how the folders are organised, this type of structure can facilitate a very organised PC !

In the following example the disk or device is Local Disk (C:).

In fig 1.3 below we have navigated to the pc course folder on Local Disk (C:).

First we clicked on the small arrow next to the My Computer icon
then clicking the arrow next to Local Disk (C:)
and finally left clicking on the pc courses folder in the left pane.

Now that we have navigated to it, if we wanted we could make some changes to our pc courses folder, which is exactly what we are going to do in the next part of our tutorial.

Note: you can also navigate through your folders by double clicking a folder in the right hand window

The Windows XP Taskbar - Tutorial Part 3

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The taskbar (see fig 1.1) is another important part of the Windows XP operating system, one of its main uses is to switch between any open programs or documents, we will look more closely at the Windows XP Taskbar and its features in part 3 of our Windows XP tutorial.

In fig 1.1 shows a typical Windows XP Taskbar.

We have pointed out the areas of interest, these are explained below:

Start Button - The Start Button is used to access the Windows XP start menu
(covered in part 2 of our windows xp tutorial).

Window Tabs - The Windows tabs are used to switch between any open windows (programs, folders, documents, etc), in our example we have 2 windows open (word and excel). You can switch between the windows by simpy clicking on the corresponding window tab, clicking a second time on the same tab will minimise the window.

Grouping Window Tabs - A nice feature of Windows XP is that unlike previous versions of windows when the taskbar fills up with window tabs it can consolidate all files/windows within a program into just one window tab, in other words, if you have 2 documents open in Word you will only have one tab on the taskbar (instead of 2), you can then access each document by left clicking on the tab and selecting the file/window you want from the menu that appears. This feature can be switched off by right clicking on the taskbar, clicking on properties and then unchecking the box next to Group similar taskbar buttons.

System Tray - The system tray displays icons for programs that are loaded into memory, although not all programs place an icon in this tray. We will cover the system tray in detail later in this section

The Quick Launch Bar

By default, Windows XP has the quick launch bar hidden, if you want to use the quick launch bar you need to activate it, to do this simply right click on the taskbar, hover the mouse pointer over toolbars and then put a tick in the box next to Quick Launch.

The Windows XP quick launch bar (see fig 1.2) provides direct access to your programs, files or folders with just one click and is visible (by default) even when you have a window open.

When you first enable the quick launch bar there are normally a couple of icons visible:

- Show Desktop Icon, this icon is used to minimise all open windows to show the windows xp desktop, clicking again will restore the windows to their previous state.

- Internet Explorer Icon, this icon will open Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.

Adding icons

It is very straight forward to add icons to the quick launch bar, simply drag the icon of the program/file/folder over the quick launch bar and drop it (release the mouse button).

If you add or delete icons you can increase or decrease the size of the quick launch bar by moving the divider (see fig 1.2) left or right.

Deleting icons

It is also very easy to delete icons from the quick launch bar, simply right click on the icon you want to delete and then select delete from the menu that appears.

Note: - removing the icon will not uninstall the associated program/file/folder from your PC.

The System Tray

In the system tray you will find icons belonging to some of the programs that are currently running, as well as the clock.

There are normally a couple of icons residing in the system tray, in our example (fig 1.3) we have 2 icons, your icons will depend on what programs you have running on your PC.

Some typical programs would be your firewall (if you have one), antivirus software, printer status monitors and some messenger programs.

When you install some software it will automatically set itself to load when you start your PC, when these programs are running they are using your computer's resources.

If there are any programs running that you don't need, for instance messenger programs, you can stop them running by right clicking and using their menu to close them.

If you want to stop a program loading when you first start your machine, either use the setting within the software itself or another option is to use the msconfig utility (we will cover msconfig in future sections).

Note: - If you have a broadband or cable internet connection then any firewalls and/or antivirus software should be left running, if you have a standard dial up connection then ensure your firewall and antivirus are running before you connect to the internet.

Changing the date and time
The first thing to do is double click the clock on the taskbar, you will be presented with the Windows XP Date and Time Properties box.

In fig 1.1 above you can see an example of a typical Windows XP Date and Time Properties box, we have pointed out the areas of interest.

To adjust the date use the monthly calendar (A) along with the month selector (B) and year selector (C).

To adjust the time, click on the part of the time you want to change (hour or minutes) D and then use the up and down arrows (E) to change it.

To adjust the timezone click on the Timezone tab (F) and then select your timezone from the selection tool provided.

The Internet Time tab (G) allows you to synchronise your PC's clock with an internet server.

The Windows XP Start Button - Tutorial Part 2

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The start button (see fig 1.1) is a very important part of Windows XP, clicking on the start button opens up what is called the start menu, the start menu is used to access your programs, settings, printers and more, we will take an indepth look at the start menu and its functions in part 2 of our Windows XP tutorial.

In fig 1.1 above is an example of a typical start menu.

Here is an overview of the different options:
Log off - Log off the current user.
Turn Off Computer - shutdown, restart and standby.
All Programs - Access to installed programs.
Run - Used to manually start executable files (programs).
Search - Search your PC for pictures, music, documents, files and folders.
Help and Support - Opens the built-in Windows help including various help topics, windows updates and also allows you to request remote assistance from a friend/colleague via the internet or network.
Printers and Faxes - Access to your printers and faxes folder, allows you to add and configure printers/faxes.
Control Panel - The control panel is used to configure various Windows XP settings, we will be looking at the Win XP control panel in detail later in the tutorial.
My Computer - Gives you access to your computer's disk drives and files, we will be looking more closely at the My Computer function later in the tutorial.
My Music - Links to a folder created by Windows XP which is used (by default) to store any music files on your hard drive.
My Pictures - Links to a folder (again created by Windows XP) used (by default) to store any pictures/images on your hard drive.
My Recent Documents - This folder contains any recently viewed documents.
My Documents - Gives access to a folder created by Windows XP which is used (by default) to store any documents on your hard drive.
Tour Windows XP - Starts the built-in tour of Windows XP's features.
Windows Movie Maker - Opens Windows XP's movie editing software.
Outlook Express - Opens the Outlook Express mail program.
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard - Allows you to import or export your files and settings from or to a different installation of Windows XP.

Note: some of the options have a small black arrow to their right, this means that another submenu will appear when you hover your mouse pointer over it.

Turn off Computer
If you click on the Turn Off Computer option on the start menu you will see a dialogue box like that shown in fig 1.2, below is a summary of the options available:

Standby - This will put your computer into standby mode, basically it will power down components like the monitor and hard drive to preserve energy.

Turn Off - Shuts down the PC, always use this option to turn off your PC.
Restart - this will restart the computer.

The All Programs Menu
When you hover the mouse over All Programs you will see a menu appear similar to that shown in fig 1.3, from this menu you can access the programs currently installed on your PC.

Your menu will be different from our example as you will have different programs installed on your PC.

To open a program simply left click on it, some options have a small black arrow to the right hand side, this indicates that it contains another sub-menu. For example, the accessories folder has a sub-menu, if you wanted to open a program from within the sub-menu, then you would hover the mouse pointer over accessories (for example) and then click on the program you want from the sub-menu.

You can rename any program on the menu by right clicking on it and selecting rename from the menu that appears.

After installing new software it will (normally) appear on the programs menu, to remove any program just from the All Programs menu simply right click on it and select delete, if you want to uninstall a program then use the control panel (covered later in the Win XP tutorial) to uninstall it, simply deleting it from the programs menu will not uninstall the software.

It's possible to create a desktop shortcut for any of the programs, see related pages at top of this page

The Windows XP Desktop & Icons - Tutorial Part 1

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The first part of the tutorial we will have a look at the Desktop, introduce you to icons and the taskbar.

Below in fig 1.1 you can see an example of the Windows XP desktop, when you first switch on your machine and Windows XP loads it usually looks similar to that shown in our example, although Windows XP by default has a picture for the desktop background.

Desktop refers to the main background area (in our example the white area), you can customise your desktop by adding background pictures, changing the background colour, changing the size of the icons, and more.

Introduction to Icons
Icons are small graphical images that can represent your computer's programs, files, folders and printers amongst other things (see fig 1.1).

To activate the program/file/folder that an icon represents you simply double click (two clicks in quick succession) on it with the left mouse button, this will activate the icon and either start a program or open a file/folder.

The icons on your desktop can be renamed by right clicking on them and selecting rename, similarly they can be deleted by right clicking and selecting delete.

It's possible to create your own icons for programs, files, folders, etc.
See our guide to creating desktop shortcuts in our tips and tricks section.

In our example we have two icons, the outlook icon is for example purposes only, by default you will usually just have the recycle bin icon which is explained below:

Recycle Bin
When you delete a file, Windows XP will place the file into the recycle bin instead of deleting it altogether, this allows you to restore the file in case you deleted it by mistake. For example say you deleted a file by accident you could double click on the recycle bin icon to see its contents, and then restore the file back to where you deleted it from by right clicking on it and then selecting restore from the menu that appears.

Note: some files may be too big to be stored in the recycle bin, but Windows XP should warn you if you delete a file that cannot be restored.

Keeping the Desktop tidy
The more you use Windows XP the more your desktop may start to fill up with icons, either because you install more software or you create your own icons.

Windows XP can automatically align and sort your desktop icons to keep the desktop tidy, to achieve this click the right mouse button anywhere on the desktop and a menu will appear (similar to that shown in fig 1.2), hover the mouse pointer over Arrange Icons By and a submenu will appear, from here you can sort your desktop icons by name, size, type and last modified date. Selecting the Auto Arrange option will automatically align your desktop icons every time you add one to the desktop.

The Desktop Cleanup Wizard will remove any desktop shortcuts that have never been used to a new folder on your desktop called Unused Desktop Shortcuts.