Dell K0004, DHM Reinstalling Microsoft Windows XP, Before You Reinstall, Reinstalling Windows XP

3Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list.

4In the Hardware Troubleshooter list, click I need to resolve a hardware conflict on my computer, and click Next.

Reinstalling Microsoft® Windows® XP

Before You Reinstall

If you are reinstalling the Windows XP operating system to correct a problem with a newly installed driver, use Windows XP Device Driver Rollback (see page 66) to replace the device driver with the previously installed version.

If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use System Restore (see page 68) to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you installed the new device driver.

Reinstalling Windows XP

To reinstall Windows XP, perform the steps in the following sections in the order in which they are listed.

The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After the reinstallation is complete, you will need to reinstall the device drivers, virus protection program, and other software.

NOTICE: The Operating System CD provides options for reinstalling Windows XP. The options can overwrite files and possibly affect programs installed on your hard drive. Therefore, do not reinstall Windows XP unless instructed to do so by a Dell technical support representative.

NOTICE: To prevent conflicts with Windows XP, disable any virus protection software installed on your computer before you reinstall Windows XP. See the documentation that came with the software for instructions.

Preparing to Boot From the Operating System CD

1Insert the Operating System CD into the CD or DVD drive.

2Exit any program or utility that might run after you insert the CD.

3Shut down (see page 33) and restart the computer.

Advanced Troubleshooting

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