This guide is 19 steps long and will walk you through every part of the repair installation. Some things to consider backing up that usually reside on the same drive as Windows XP (which we’ll assume is “C:”) include a number of folders located under C:\Documents and Settings{YOUR NAME} such as Desktop, Favorites and My Documents. Also, check these folders under other user’s accounts if more than one person logs onto your PC. You should also locate the Windows XP product key, a 25-digit alphanumeric code unique to your copy of Windows. First, watch for a Press any key to boot from CD message similar to the one shown in the screenshot above. Once you see it, press a key to force the computer to boot from the Windows CD. If you do not press a key, your PC will attempt to boot to the operating system that’s currently installed on your hard drive. If this happens, simply reboot and try to boot to the CD again. Toward the beginning of this process, a message will appear that says Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver. As long as you are doing a repair installation from a Windows XP SP2 or newer CD, this step is probably not necessary. On the other hand, if you’re installing from an older version of the Windows XP installation CD and you have an SATA hard drive, you will need to press F6 here to load any necessary drivers. The instructions that came with your hard drive or computer should include this information. For most users, though, this step can be ignored. Press Enter to set up Windows XP now. The single installation of Windows on your PC should already be highlighted. If you have multiple installations, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to select the installation that you are wanting to reinstall. Since we want to repair the selected Windows XP installation, press the R key to continue. This step usually only takes a few minutes and no user intervention is necessary. The first section allows you to change the default language and the default location. If the options listed match your preferences, no changes are necessary. If you wish to make changes, select Customize and follow the directions given to install new languages or change locations. The second section allows you to change the default Windows XP input language and device. If the options listed match your preferences, no changes are necessary. If you wish to make changes, choose Details and follow the directions given to install new input languages or change input methods. After you’ve made any changes, or if you’ve determined no changes are necessary, select Next. If you’re installing Windows on a single computer or a computer on a home network, chances are the correct option to choose is No, this computer is not on a network, or is on a network without a domain. If you’re on a network, enter the workgroup name of that network here. Otherwise, feel free to leave the default workgroup name and continue. If you’re installing Windows XP in a corporate environment, you may need to choose the Yes, make this computer a member of the following domain option and enter a domain name, but check with your system administrator first. If you’re not sure, choose No, this computer is not on a network, or is on a network without a domain. You can always change this later once you’re logged in to Windows XP. Select Next. Select Next. Otherwise, choose No, not at this time, and select Next. After entering the account name(s), select Next to continue. Select Finish to proceed to Windows XP. The first step after reinstalling Windows XP is to proceed to Windows Update to install all the latest updates and fixes from Microsoft. The repair installation restored the original system files, so any updates that you installed prior to this repair installation—including all service packs and other patches—are no longer installed.
