Is it worth it to “bother” with the problem of how to reinstall Windows when you live a stone's throw from the service center, and in the neighborhood is a familiar specialist who is always ready to come to your aid? In this case, to know and be able to use several simple rules for installing the OS is everyone’s choice. On average, the cost of this procedure is low and this despite the fact that 99 percent of it is performed automatically. Hand on heart, this money is better spent on cleaning the computer. This is where the real specialist sometimes has to work hard, although this procedure can also be mastered and carried out independently.
But often, mastering the science of how to reinstall Windows, we simply save time. Despite the appearance of the seventh version of the window OS from Microsoft, many users are in no hurry to part with the proven Windows XP, which was initially considered experimental. To reinstall Windows of any of the above versions, you will need to perform similar operations.
Just before starting the OS installation procedure, it is necessary to carry out several preparatory measures. Since preparing the disk space, the system will format it, it is necessary to save all the necessary files on a removable device or transfer them to a neighboring local disk.
Sometimes computers are initially configured so that the user has one large disk that matches the size of the hard drive. In such situations, it makes sense to break it into several sections. A convenient tool for performing this operation is Acronis Disk Director.
We start the program, select the automatic mode, select the disk in the corresponding paragraph, on which we will allocate the "territory" for the new partition, and set its size. We inform the utility that we intend to create a logical partition. As a file system, we will give preference to NTFS, choose any letter for its name. Any request can be made to the query “indicate disk label”, but usually it is left blank. In a new window, admiring the expected result of the work, click the “finish” button.
It is possible that Disk Director will restart the system several times, but it will constantly inform you of the progress of the work. When everything is over and after the next reboot the familiar Windows window pops up, you can continue to work.
Before reinstalling Windows, we will audit our files and folders, save only the most necessary things, and just get rid of the rest of the garbage.
When all the preparatory operations are completed, we proceed directly to the reinstallation. For example, we describe how to reinstall Windows XP. The seventh version repeats these steps almost completely.
We insert the distribution disk into and reboot the computer. The message “Press any key to boot from CD ...” will appear, fulfill this requirement and click on any button.
Sometimes in the BIOS settings the “boot” item is set not from the drive, but from the hard drive. Then you have to change them. To do this, before starting the system, click Delete. So far, the most common are two BIOS options.
In the AMI BIOS with a dark blue design on a gray background, select the Boot tab at the top, install our drive there as the first boot device. For the hard drive, we put second place. We control either the plus, minus or PageUp and PageDown buttons.
For Award BIOS with a yellow-red design on a bright blue background, you need to go to Advanced BIOS Features and configure the First Boot Device line. Exiting BIOS occurs when you click Save & Exit or the standard F10 key.
Some modern motherboards use the Qiuck Boot Menu, which defines the boot device. It is usually assigned to F8 or F12.
After starting the installation, we ignore all system suggestions up to selecting a partition on the hard drive. Traditionally, this is drive C. We agree to fast formatting in NTFS.
At the final stage, when Windows XP is successfully hosted on your computer, again go into the BIOS and return the hard drive to the place of the first device.
You can also complete the instructions on how to reinstall Windows, as the usual user settings follow, which are already easy to manage.