Before You Reinstall; Reinstalling Windows Xp - Dell Dimension 8250 Series Manual

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance and click System.
3. Click the Hardware tab and click Device Manager.
4. In the Device Manager list, check for conflicts with the other devices.
Conflicts are indicated by a yellow exclamation point (!) beside the conflicting device or a red (X) if the device has been disabled.
5. Double-click any conflict to display the Properties window.
If an IRQ conflict exists, the Device status area in the Properties window reports the cards or devices that share the device's IRQ.
6. Resolve conflicts by reconfiguring the devices or removing the devices from the Device Manager.
To use the Windows XP 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.
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
the device driver with the previously installed version.
If Device Driver Rollback does not resolve the problem, then use
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 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
1. Insert the Operating System CD into the CD or DVD drive.
2. Exit any program or utility that might run after you insert the CD.
3. Shut down and 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. Use the arrow keys to select CD-ROM and press <Enter>.
6. When the Press any key to boot from CD message appears on the screen, press any key.
Starting Windows XP Setup
1. When the Windows XP Setup screen appears, press <Enter> to select To set up Windows now.
2. Read the information in the Microsoft Windows Licensing Agreement screen, and then press <F8> to accept the license agreement.
3. If your computer already has Windows XP installed and you want to recover your current Windows XP data, type r to select the repair option, and then
remove the CD from the drive.
4. If you want to install a new copy of Windows XP, press <Esc> to select the fresh copy option.
5. Press <Enter> to select the highlighted partition (recommended), and then follow the instructions on the screen.
HINT: The time required to complete the setup depends on the size of the hard drive and the speed of your computer.
The Windows XP Setup screen appears, and the operating system begins to copy files and install the devices. The computer restarts multiple times.
Completing the GUI Setup
System Restore to return your operating system to the operating state it was in before you
Device Driver Rollback to replace