Almost all the times I install Windows OS on a PC, its either Windows 7 or Windows 10. However, on this particular day, I received a client at my Internet Café in Nabbingo whose PC didn’t meet the basic requirements for Windows 7. This particular PC had 128MB of RAM and a 1.2 GHZ processor. I had to convince the client to accept a Windows XP installation, after all, its major purpose was for kids’ games at his nursery school.
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The thought of installing Windows XP brought back memories of over a decade ago. It was my first operating system to install and remember my first lesson on a an old Pentium II picked from the rejects in the computer lab of King’s College, Budo. Just to be sure that I had learnt, I remember installing the OS over and over up to 3 am in the morning and even mastered the 25 character key.
In this article, I am giving you a step by step guide on how to install this now ditched OS. All you need now is a Windows installation CD.
Step 1: Switch on your PC, insert the Windows installation CD in the optical drive and then switch off the PC.
Step 2: Switch on the PC and carefully watch the screen. When you read the message “Press any key to boot from CD”, quickly press any key on your keyboard. (Kindly note: “ANY” literally means “Any”, don’t debate on which one to press.)
You will then see a windows like this.
Step 3: Press “Enter” to start continue with the installation process.
Step 4: Press F8 to agree to the End User License Agreement (EULA)
Step 5: Choose a partition and press “Enter” to install Windows.
Step 6: Press “Enter” to format the partition on which you intend to install a fresh copy of Windows XP.
Step 7: At “Regional and Language Options”, click “NEXT”.
Step 8: Fill in your Name and Organisation and click “NEXT”.
Step 9: Fill in the Windows XP product key (25 characters)
Step 10: Assign a name for your PC
Step 11: For network settings, leave as “Typical” and click NEXT.
Step 12: Maintain the default workgroup and click NEXT.
Step 13: At the display settings box, click OK. The computer will then automatically set the display settings.
Step 14: At the Windows welcome screen, click NEXT
Step 15: At Register with Microsoft screen, choose “Not this time” and click NEXT.
Step 16: At “Who will use this computer”, enter a name and click NEXT.
Step 17: You now get a ‘Thank You’ Screen, click NEXT.
You are done! You now have a fresh installation of Windows XP.
Stephen Dumba
E-zone School of Computing
0772 111 223 / 0752 111 223
