The reinstallation process can take 1 to 2 hours to complete. After you reinstall the operating system, you must also 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 a Dell technical support representative instructs you to do so.

1. Save and close any open files and exit any open programs.

2. Insert the Operating System CD. Click Exit if the Install Windows XP message appears.

3. Restart the computer.

4. Press <F12> immediately after the DELL™ logo appears.

If the operating system logo appears, wait until you see the Windows desktop, and then shut down the computer and try again.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.

Software and Hardware Incompatibilities

If a device is either not detected during the operating system setup or is detected but incorrectly configured, you can use the Hardware Troubleshooter to

resolve the incompatibility.

To start the Hardware Troubleshooter:

1. Click the Start button and click Help and Support.

2. Type hardware troubleshooter in the Search field and click the arrow to start the search.

3. Click Hardware Troubleshooter in the Search Results list.

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

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