Installing Win XP Home (SP2) on new pc - Best Method?

Hi...

NB: This message is cross posted, so apologies if you see the message more than
once.

I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build (about three years)
I've forgotten the best method to install XP?

I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be mainly for games
(flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with Vista and many
games.

What is the best method to install XP? If I run the Win XP CD will it just install
Windoze, or am I being wildly optimistic!

The new pc will not have a floppy drive (but I do have access to one if I need one)
and will have a DVD/CD drive and Sata 2 drive, and I will be using an OEM CD
version of Windows XP Home (SP2).

ISTR from the dim and distant past that I had to install Win98 first, then install XP
over the top of this, hopefully things have moved on and I will not have to do this now?

Any hints, tips, advice would be appreciated, thanx.

Peter

*Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

'P Gagg' wrote, in part:
| I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build (about
three years)
| I've forgotten the best method to install XP?
_____

The best place to post would be Microsoft.public.windowsxp.basic.

If you have the full version Windows XP Home then you can do a clean install
by booting from the CD, partitioning and formatting the hard drive, and
proceeding with the installation. No floppy is necessary. Be aware that if
the OEM version of Windows XP Home has ever been installed on another
computer, it can not be validated on a different computer, even if it has
been uninstalled. The OEM version lives and dies with the original
computer. That is a big part of the reason for the lower price.

You message is not cross-posted; perhaps you multi-posted? Cross-posted
messages have more than one newsgroup listed in the header. Multi-post is
the same message posted separately to several newsgroups. Cross-posting is
preferable if the number of newsgroups is kept to three or less.
Cross-posting has benefits for the original poster and readers.

Phil Weldon

"P Gagg" <pjgtech@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20070430193819.4064B@peterjohn.gagg.194. 153.2.1...
| Hi...
|
| NB: This message is cross posted, so apologies if you see the message more
than
| once.
|
| I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build (about
three years)
| I've forgotten the best method to install XP?
|
| I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be
mainly for games
| (flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with Vista
and many
| games.
|
| What is the best method to install XP? If I run the Win XP CD will it just
install
| Windoze, or am I being wildly optimistic!
|
| The new pc will not have a floppy drive (but I do have access to one if I
need one)
| and will have a DVD/CD drive and Sata 2 drive, and I will be using an OEM
CD
| version of Windows XP Home (SP2).
|
| ISTR from the dim and distant past that I had to install Win98 first, then
install XP
| over the top of this, hopefully things have moved on and I will not have
to do this now?
|
| Any hints, tips, advice would be appreciated, thanx.
|
| Peter
|
| *Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/

"Phil Weldon" <not.disclosed@example.com> wrote in message
news:XsrZh.6971$j63.1412@newsread2.news.pas.earthl ink.net...
> 'P Gagg' wrote, in part:
> | I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build
> (about
> three years)
> | I've forgotten the best method to install XP?
> _____
>
> The best place to post would be Microsoft.public.windowsxp.basic.
>
> If you have the full version Windows XP Home then you can do a clean
> install
> by booting from the CD, partitioning and formatting the hard drive,
> and
> proceeding with the installation. No floppy is necessary. Be aware
> that if
> the OEM version of Windows XP Home has ever been installed on another
> computer, it can not be validated on a different computer, even if it
> has
> been uninstalled. The OEM version lives and dies with the original
> computer. That is a big part of the reason for the lower price.
>

If you have a true OEM version of XP (not one preinstalled on a boxed
system) the system information resets after 180 days. Upgrades trigger a
phone call to MS, but they will revalidate it just like any retail
edition. I have used only OEM copies of XP Pro since it was released and
have found it identical to retail copies as far as activation goes.
These are OEM copies that I purchased with major components. I just
finished installing and activating an OEM copy of XP Pro on my new
system and it activated normally. It was orginally installed on a laptop
that went belly up on me about a year ago. I don't want a war
here........:-). This is just my own personal experience with OEM copies
of XP.

Ed
> You message is not cross-posted; perhaps you multi-posted?
> Cross-posted
> messages have more than one newsgroup listed in the header.
> Multi-post is
> the same message posted separately to several newsgroups.
> Cross-posting is
> preferable if the number of newsgroups is kept to three or less.
> Cross-posting has benefits for the original poster and readers.
>
> Phil Weldon
>
> "P Gagg" <pjgtech@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20070430193819.4064B@peterjohn.gagg.194. 153.2.1...
> | Hi...
> |
> | NB: This message is cross posted, so apologies if you see the
> message more
> than
> | once.
> |
> | I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build
> (about
> three years)
> | I've forgotten the best method to install XP?
> |
> | I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be
> mainly for games
> | (flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with
> Vista
> and many
> | games.
> |
> | What is the best method to install XP? If I run the Win XP CD will
> it just
> install
> | Windoze, or am I being wildly optimistic!
> |
> | The new pc will not have a floppy drive (but I do have access to one
> if I
> need one)
> | and will have a DVD/CD drive and Sata 2 drive, and I will be using
> an OEM
> CD
> | version of Windows XP Home (SP2).
> |
> | ISTR from the dim and distant past that I had to install Win98
> first, then
> install XP
> | over the top of this, hopefully things have moved on and I will not
> have
> to do this now?
> |
> | Any hints, tips, advice would be appreciated, thanx.
> |
> | Peter
> |
> | *Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/
>
>

Good choice, VISTA blows, I returned the Dell System because Vista was such
a load of caca. What is microsoft thinking. (I'm not even a microsoft
hater, just amazed that they released that hairball)

++++++++++
I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be mainly
for games
(flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with Vista
and many
games.
++++++++

"I heard that Dell is installking XP upon request after complaints.

"Heywood Jablowme" <a@a.a> wrote in message
news:QtadnZW664hrW6XbnZ2dnUVZ_uiknZ2d@insightbb.co m...
> Good choice, VISTA blows, I returned the Dell System because Vista was
such
> a load of caca. What is microsoft thinking. (I'm not even a microsoft
> hater, just amazed that they released that hairball)
>
> ++++++++++
> I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be
mainly
> for games
> (flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with Vista
> and many
> games.
> ++++++++
>
>

To answer your original post:
Yes you can just do a clean install of windows XP. You don't need to install
any other OS first. Even if you are using an Upgrade version, you just need
a copy of 98 or 2000 to put into your CD drive when asked to prove that you
have an upgradable version of windows.
No, you do not need a floppy drive either as XP boots from the CD drive.
However, make sure that your BIOS is set to boot the computer from the CD
drive before the Hard Drive.
Run your Motherboard drivers first thing after XP is done installing.

Amir


"P Gagg" <pjgtech@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
news:memo.20070430193819.4064B@peterjohn.gagg.194. 153.2.1...
> Hi...
>
> NB: This message is cross posted, so apologies if you see the message more
> than
> once.
>
> I'm building a new pc, but as its been a while since my last build (about
> three years)
> I've forgotten the best method to install XP?
>
> I'm resisting going to Vista for the time being, as this rig will be
> mainly for games
> (flight sims and driving sims) and there are still many issues with Vista
> and many
> games.
>
> What is the best method to install XP? If I run the Win XP CD will it just
> install
> Windoze, or am I being wildly optimistic!
>
> The new pc will not have a floppy drive (but I do have access to one if I
> need one)
> and will have a DVD/CD drive and Sata 2 drive, and I will be using an OEM
> CD
> version of Windows XP Home (SP2).
>
> ISTR from the dim and distant past that I had to install Win98 first, then
> install XP
> over the top of this, hopefully things have moved on and I will not have
> to do this now?
>
> Any hints, tips, advice would be appreciated, thanx.
>
> Peter
>
> *Peter* - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/petergagg/