Windows XP Installation Guide - Background
There is no doubt that Windows XP is now a very
popular operating system for the home user.
It offers the reliability that Windows 2000
owners were enjoying for a year or so but also adds in some
better support for games and other "home user" applications.
Generally speaking you can simply install the
operating system, then install all of the drivers in any order
you like and that is it, one installed operating system all
ready for use.
However after some research a "correct" method
has been discovered, this is all to do with the order you
install components, drivers and applications. Following this
guide and doing things in the same order as listed later on
should give you less chance of something going wrong.
This is the method I use whenever I need to
install Windows XP and I've really not had any problems,
everything usually works as it should do. This guide is assuming
that you are installing your operating system on an Intel based
system. The steps are very similar no matter what hardware you
are using, however you obviously don't need to install the
"Intel Chipset Driver" if you are running on an AMD based
system.
Although there are lots of "correct" ways to
install the OS there are five things you should always try to
remember:
-
Install Service Pack 1a soon after OS is installed
-
Install chipset drivers before any video or sound drivers
-
Install DirectX9.0b before video drivers
-
Do not use the USB drivers from the motherboard CDROM
-
Update USB driver through the control panel letting Windows
auto find the drivers. But only after Service Pack 1a and
Intel drivers are installed
If you follow these few rules then your installation should be
fine no matter in which order you install other drivers, updates
and applications.
Basic Steps
Although this guide is going to go into more detail than just a
series of points it is worth seeing this list so we know
basically what we are going to be doing:
-
Install the Operating System
-
Install Universal Plug and Play Service
-
Install any other desired Windows Services (IIS,FAX, etc.)
-
Install Windows XP Service Pack 1a
-
Install Intel INF drivers
-
Auto update your USB drivers from the device manager
-
Install DirectX 9.0b
-
Install your LAN drivers if not provided by Windows
-
Go online and get all (non driver) Windows Updates
-
Install drivers for any PCI cards other than sound card,
video card, and TV Tuner card
-
Install drivers for video card
-
Install sound card drivers
-
Install TV Tuner card drivers
We will now proceed to the preparation notes, the things you
should be preparing and doing before you even get your Windows
XP CD out of its box.
<Background>
<Preparation Notes>
<Install Guide Part 1>
<Install Guide Part 2> |