1. Windows OS Reinstall Guide

► Windows Vista Reinstall Guide:

As a Microsoft Windows Vista support professional, one of your tasks may be to install the operating system.

Step #1: Plan your installation

When you run the Windows Vista Setup program, you must provide information about how to install and configure the operating system. Thorough planning can make your installation of Windows Vista more efficient by helping you to avoid potential problems during installation. An understanding of the configuration options will also help to ensure that you have properly configured your system.

I won't go into that part right now (I might later this month, no promises...) but here are some of the most important things you should take into consideration when planning for your Windows Vista installation:

* Check System Requirements
* Check Hardware and Software Compatibility
* Determine Disk Partitioning Options
* Decide on a Workgroup or Domain Installation
* Complete a Pre-Installation Checklist

After you made sure you can go on, start the installation process.

Step #2: Beginning the installation process

You can install Windows Vista in several methods - all are valid and good, it all depends upon your needs and your limitations. In this manual I will focus on the simplest form of installation - directly from the Windows Vista DVD media.

More on other forms of installation can be found in the Windows Vista Information, Tweaking, Tips and Tricks section.

So, insert your Windows Vista DVD media into your DVD drive and reboot your computer. A black window will appear momentarily while the DVD content is read.


Step #3: The GUI-based portion of the Setup program

Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows Vista does not have a noticeable text phase of the setup process, and it will boot directly into the Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode.

1. After a few moments you will see the first prompt:
Press Next unless you want to change some regional settings for the installation process.

2. Press the Install now button.
1. After a short delay you're be prompted to enter your product key:
You can skip this part if you don't have the product key handy (read Install Windows Vista Without Supplying the Product Key for more info). However, if you do have a valid product key at that time (and you should have one, we're dealing with legal issues here), then by entering the right key the setup program knows which version of Vista to install.

If you skip it, you'll be prompted for a Vista version that matches your product key (the one you don't have handy at that moment):
3. You now have to accept the license terms:
4. Next you need to press the Custom (Advanced) installation type button:
The Upgrade button is disabled because this specific installation if performed on a new computer without any previous operating system on it.

5. The next phase is to pick the installation partition. Since this computer has a new hard disk that hasn't been formatted before, you will only have the option to create a new partition on it. Had it had previous partitions on it you could have chosen to either delete them or perform other tasks. Pressing the Advanced button will bring up the following options.
Since we don't need to perform any additional task we will just press on the Next button. The installation process will then create a partition on all the available disk space, and format it.
6. The setup process will now begin to copy files from the installation DVD media to the hard disk.
This will take some time:
7. After some time (the exact amount of time will greatly depend on your computer's hardware), the setup process will install updates for the operating system.
8. The computer will then automatically reboot.
9. Now comes a long waiting period, where the installation process configures the system. Again, the exact amount of time will greatly depend on your computer's hardware.
10. After the long wait, the system will then reboot once again.
11. You will think something went wrong because of the relative long time it take the system to display anything besides the black screen, but finally, after a few moments you will note a small colored circle:
12. A few seconds after that you will be prompted to enter a username and password for the first user on the computer.
Although the setup program will let you continue without entering a password, note that it is very advisable to enter a password here, and the best option would be to choose a complex password made of at least 7 characters or more (something like P@ssw0rd or MYpa$$w0rd). Make sure you remember it.

Also pick your user's display picture. This can be changed later.

13. Pick a name for your computer. The setup program will create one based upon the username you chose in the previous step, but you can change it now (and later).
Also pick a background for the user's desktop. This can be changed later.

14. Choose what sort of protection your computer gets. The recommended settings are best for someone that doesn't plan to hide their computer behind a corporate firewall (and even then, in some cases, this would be the best option). If you plan to install a 3rd-party firewall later you can opt to be prompted later.
Note that this setting will also have effect on how the computer uses the Microsoft Windows Update (Automatic Updates) features.

15. Next comes the Time Zone settings window. Choose your location.
A note for Israeli users: Finally! Windows Vista has the DST setting enabled for us!!!

16. Done! You're prompted with the last setup screen:
17. Again a long wait and some promotional screens you see the hourglass circling around, in preparation for the first logon.




18. Finally, the first screen appears, you're ready to rock and roll!
Note that if the computer was connected to the Internet while installing it, it will automatically download and prompt you to install any missing hotfix or update it finds for the current state of the operating system.





► Windows Xp Clean Reinstall Guide:

Have your Product Key available, typical install is around 30 minutes. If setup seems to hang, wait at least 10 minutes + before restarting system. You should experience momentary screen blackouts..


1. Insert XP CD into CD/DVD drive. Press ENTER to resume booting from the XP CD (BIOS must support booting from CD and boot order must be set so CD boots before hard drive. If computer does not support booting from CD go to for floppy install).

2. After configuring the system for booting from a CD, the Windows Setup screen appears.At this point, Setup is loading the driver files it needs to continue with installation.

3. The "Welcome to Setup" screen appears with the option of Continuing Setup, Repair a previous installation, or Quitting. Press ENTER to Continue Setup. You may also choose R to Repair, or F3 to Quit and reboot the system.

4. The "Windows XP Licensing Agreement" screen, otherwise known as "EULA," displays the legal in's and out's of this particular software package.You may press F8 to signify that you agree with the terms, hit ESC if you do not agree and PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN to scroll through each screen. Note: If you do not agree to the terms, setup will quit and reboot the system.

5. Press ENTER to Continue Setup.

6. Hard drive partition information is now displayed. This varies with each systems hardware configuration.This example already has a partition defined. I will choose not to use this and create a new one by pressing D. You may skip this and the next few steps if you do not have any partitions defined.At this point, the options include pressing ENTER to Install on the selected partition, D to Delete the selected partition, or F3 to Quit and reboot the system.

7. If no partitions have been previously defined, this screen will be displayed. You may section your hard drive in as many partitions as you wish by selecting C to Create a Partition and then entering in a value less then the total available. Here, I will Create a Partition in the highlighted, unused portion.
Select the partition you wish to install to using the UP arrow and DOWN ARROW keys.
Press ENTER to use the highlighted partition and Install, C to Create a Partition, or F3 to Quit and reboot the system. Enter in the partition size in MB within the displayed minimum and maximum. I chose the default or maximum available here. You may choose ENTER to Create the new partition or ESC to Cancel the action.

8. Since this OS supports NTFS, format the partition with it. If you do not, many folder and file security features will be unavailable. Note: If you are dual booting your system, a previous OS will not be able to read the local information. This is a fact with Windows 9x and Me. If you have a requirement to view this partition from another OS installed on the system, do not format it as NTFS. Also, the boot partition must be formatted with FAT32 if you wish to dual boot. I have found no problems accessing a NTFS partition mapped as a network drive from an older OS. Select what format you wish to use by pressing the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys.
Press ENTER to confirm your selection and Continue or ESC to Cancel.

9. Press Enter button to formats the partition.

10. Watch the progress bar as Setup formats the partition, or get up and get a soda. It may take awhile.

11. Setup is now figuring out what files to copy over to the hard drive. After the partition is finished formatting, Setup copies various files to support booting from the hard drive and continue on.

12. Setup then creates various information files required to continue on with setup.

13. The first reboot and the end of the blue background has arrived. If you are impatient, press ENTER to Restart before the 15 seconds expire. ENTER to Restart the Computer is the only option available.

14. When you see the "Press any Key to Reboot" do not Press any Key. If CD boots anyway, remove CD and reboot. From this point, you will follow the on screen prompts.
15. If you live outside the US, you will probably need to modify the default settings.
16. Personalize your XP Enter your Name and Organization.
17. Personalize your XP Enter your Name and Organization.
18. Enter the Product Key. The Key is located on the back of the CD folder in the Retail versions, and on a holographic label with the OEM versions purchased with a piece of hardware. Write this key down and secure it in a safe place in case the original is misplaced or destroyed through natural causes.
19. Choose a name for the computer, this should be a unique name for the computer, especially if it is to be connected to a network. In Pro, you are given the option of creating a password or leaving it blank.
20. Set your Time Zone and Time and Date.
21. Setup will continue and reboot if you will not press ENTER key..
22. Setup will scan for network.
23. If detected you will have the choice to choose a typical configuration or custom. Choose typical if you are unsure.
24. For home you will choose your workgroup, if a network is already established and you intend to connect to it, use the existing workgroup name, otherwise, I suggest using the default.
25. Setup will continue and reboot when completed ignore the "Press Any Key".
26. The XP loading window will now display after reboot.

Note: All XP SP2 versions now show the same XP loading screen. Windows XP is displayed for both Home and Professional.
27. You will see a change display settings, say yes, and accept the setting if you can see the screen after accepting.

28. Set up your internet or network connection.
29. This is the Activate, Register screen. You must activate within 30 days of installing XP, but you do not ever have to register, Registration is completely optional and if you do not register, no personal information will be transmitted during activation. If you register, then activation will transmit that information along with the activation. The first Activation is usually done over the internet if the computer is connected to the internet, otherwise, it can be accomplished by copying the alphanumeric string from the activation screen and make a phone call to the phone number [Usually Toll Free] supplied on screen. The activation center will then give you a slightly longer number to input into for activation. I suggest you do not activate immediately in case you need to make hard ware changes, or install to a different system within the thirty days, and you will be reminded on boot up until you do.

Blaster worm warning: Enable the XP firewall before connecting to the internet. Do not immediately activate over the internet. You can activate after the firewall is enabled.

To enable the XP firewall: Control Panel - Network Connections. Right click the connection you use, Properties, and there is a check box on the Advanced page.

30. Setup users screen. Set at least one user for yourself or the person that will be using the computer.
31. Thank You..

32. Logon to XP and apply Service Pack and Critical updates from Windows Update before installing any software or hardware. Install your anti-virus software. Install all applications and setup your email. Restore from Files and Settings transfer after reinstalling all applications.

► Windows Xp Parallel Reinstall Guide

► Windows Xp Recovery Console

► Windows 2000 Reinstall Guide

► Windows Server 2003 Reinstall Guide

► Windows Me Reinstall