1: Installing a Client Operating System

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Attended Installation
3. Setup Program (Text Mode)
4. Setup Wizard (Graphical Mode)
5. Install Windows Networking
6. Post Installation
7. Installing over a network
8. Unattended Installation
9. Upgrades
10. Post-Installation Updates
11. Troubleshooting Failed Installations
12. Troubleshooting SAQs

Attended Installation

Attended installation goes through the following setup stages:

1. Setup Program (text mode): prepares the hard drive for the subsequent stages of installation and copies the files required for running the Setup Wizard. Requires reboot. (Clean installations only.)

2. Setup Wizard (graphical mode): prompts for additional information such as product key, names, passwords, regional settings, etc.

3. Install Windows Networking: detects adapter cards, installs networking components (Client for MS Networks, File & Printer Sharing for MS Networks), and installs TCP/IP protocol by default (other protocols can be installed later). You can choose to join a workgroup or domain at this stage. You must be connected to network and provide appropriate credentials to join a domain. After all choices have been made, components are configured, additional files are copied, and the system is rebooted.

4. Post installation: create user accounts and activate retail versions of Windows XP (the Corporate Edition does not require activation). This stage is sometimes referred to as the "Out of Box Experience" (OOBE).

Microsoft assumes that your system either has the ability to boot directly from a CD-ROM or that you will use a Windows 95/98/ME boot floppy to begin installing from a CD. The ability to create setup floppies has been dropped from Windows XP, but you can download a set of Windows XP boot floppies from the Microsoft web site.

If installing using an MS-DOS or Win95/98 boot floppy, run winnt.exe from the \i386 folder to begin Windows XP setup.

Setup will not prompt you to specify the name of an installation folder unless you are performing an unattended installation or using winnt32 to perform a clean installation.

The following pages give a screen-by-screen description of the installation of Windows XP Professional. If you wish, you can download a one-page summary. The installation process for Windows XP Home is very similar.

A record of the actions you have taken in carrying out a manual installation of Windows XP Professional can contribute towards your logbook for this unit.

Next: Setup Program (Text Mode)