The procedure for installing Windows XP onto a new PC

The procedure for installing Windows XP onto a new PC is as follows:

• Switch on the PC and put the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM. Press the reset button on
  the PC and allow it to boot.
• The PC should boot to the CD-ROM, if not check your motherboard manual to enable 'Boot
  to CD-ROM' in its BIOS settings.
• After a few seconds a blue Windows Setup screen will appear.
• The system will load some basic files to enable it to begin the install
• At the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER to continue.
• The system will check the HDD to determine if/how it is configured
• At the Windows XP license agreement screen, read the agreement and press the F8 key to
  continue.
• It will be necessary to agree to continue the installation
• Highlight Unpartitioned space and press ENTER
• The system will 'Partition' the hard disk to enable it to be formatted
• Select one of the Formatting options and press ENTER
• FAT would be the most common option for home users. If you are confident with operating
  systems you can select any of the options available.
• To confirm that you wish to format the HDD, press ENTER
• Setup will format the HDD and check it for errors. This may take some time depending on
  the capacity of the HDD
• Once formatted, Setup will copy its files to the HDD.
• This may take a few moments depending on the speed of your system
• Setup will reboot the PC after a 15 second delay (or press ENTER to reboot quicker)
• During the reboot, remove the XP CD from the CD-ROM Drive. The CD is removed to force
  the system to boot to the HDD. If this produces an error, configure the BIOS settings to
  boot to the HDD first
• The system should now boot to the HDD to continue the installation
• After it has booted to the HDD, place the XP CD back into the CD-ROM drive
• A Windows XP Home Edition screen should appear and the installation will continue
• The system will now load and configure the Operating System. During this time, five small
  green squares will 'pulse' in sequence at the bottom right of the screen. This indicates that
  the system is actively installing files and settings. If this stops for a long time, simply
  shutdown and restart your computer.
• A Region and Language Options window will pop up during the installation. Configure the
  options available for your country, then click Next to continue.
• If you're unsure about the options, they can also be configured after the installation has
  completed
• At the Personalize your software window, click inside each text box and fill in your name
  and organisation/company (if you have one) then click Next
• Before the next step, locate the XP Product key which should be on the CD case.
• At the Your product key window, copy the product key into the boxes exactly as it appears
  on the CD case, then click Next
• If it doesn’t work, don't worry, just try typing it in again. It’s easy to mis-type a complex set
  of numbers and letters.
• At the ‘What’s your computers name?’ window, type in a name for your PC, then click Next
• If you ever create a home network of two machines or more, the name of each machine will
  need to be different.
• At the Modem dialling information window, fill in the required details then click Next
  This window will only display if you have a Modem fitted to your PC
• At the Time and Date window, check that the time, date and time zone are correct and
  click Next
• Again don't worry if they're not right as this can also be configured after the installation
• At the Network Information window, select Typical settings then click Next
  These settings can be reconfigured later as required.
• The system will finish the installation and automatically reboot the PC.
• Phase Two of the installation is complete and the system needs to reboot again...
• Again, remove the XP CD and allow the system to boot to the HDD
• The operating System will start for the first time and configure itself
• A windows XP logo should appear for a few seconds as it boots
• The system will now attempt to configure its software for your particular hardware setup
• At the Welcome to Microsoft Windows screen, click Next
• The XP CD is required for further tasks and must be ready in the CD-ROM
• At the Setup the Internet screen, follow the instructions as necessary then click Next
• Configure your Internet connection as instructed by your ISP (Internet Service Provider)
• At the Ready to activate Windows screen, click No, remind me every few days, then click
  Next
• You will have 30 days to test Windows XP, during which you can activate it at any time.
• At the Internet Access screen, click No, not at this time, then click Next
• This can be configured after installation has completed
• At the User Names screen, fill in your name at the top, followed by the names of any other
  users of your PC in the spaces below
• This allows for each person listed to have their own account which 'remembers' their
  personal preferences and settings
• Windows XP is now completely installed on your PC. Click your name from the list to
  continue.