Installing Windows XP Professional

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Installing Windows XP Professional

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This article covers how to install Windows XP Professional on a variety of stand-alone computers and computers working in a network environment. It also covers an individual's ability to perform installation through a CD-ROM, upgrade of a previous version of Windows to Windows XP Professional, and troubleshoot the issues generated during installation. Installing Windows XP Professional is quite easy. Following is the minimum and recommended requirement of hardware to install Windows XP successfully:

Hardware requirements

Hardware	Minimum	Recommended
Processor	Pentium II processor running at 233MHz or faster	300MHz
RAM	64MB	128MB
Hard Disk Drive	1.5GB of free hard disk space for boot partition. More space will be needed if installing over a network.	2GB
Video Card and Monitor	Running at VGA resolution	Higher
Network Card	PXE-enabled or a network boot disk and network card for a network-based installation	Same as minimum
Other Appliances	CD-ROM or DVD drive for CD-ROM-based or DVD-based installations, respectively, a keyboard and a pointing device	Same as minimum

Necessary preparations before Installation:

• Before installation, run the Setup program, which checks hardware and software compatibility with the Windows XP Professional HCL list.


• Ensure that the hard disk partition is enough to meet the space requirement.


• The hard disk should be partitioned with the FAT/FAT32 or NTFS file system.


• Ensure that other required peripheral devices such as the CD-ROM drive, Network adapter card, keyboard, mouse, etc., are properly attached.

If your computer loads Windows XP through a CD-ROM, the Setup program runs the Setup Wizard automatically, sets a user name and password, and then installs networking components to connect your computer to the network server. To run Windows XP over a network, first boot your computer and install network client software, which locates and connects to the distribution server. In case, no operating system is loaded before, boot it from a floppy. Rest of the process is the same. The Setup program accesses WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE from the I386 directory on the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM. It saves settings, configures your computer, eliminates all temporary files and restarts your local computer. At least 1.5GB hard disk space is required to be partitioned with the FAT file system for copying the installation files here.

Note: Ensure that the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM is not staying on the CD-ROM drive after completing the installation. Otherwise your computer might attempt to reboot from the CD-ROM.

Sharing a computer between two operating systems requires dual booting. You can use either operating system on the computer, but not both at once. Each operating system boots from and uses its own hard drives or disk partitions. When you install Windows 2000, the mounted NTFS volumes are automatically converted to the version of NTFS included with Windows 2000.

To enable dual booting in Windows 98, you must set BootMulti=1 in the [Options] section of the Windows 98 version of MSDOS.SYS.

Modification on the WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE files by using command line switches

WINNT.EXE and WINNT32.EXE are used to start the Setup program for the installation of Windows XP Professional from the command line. WINNT is used for installation from a DOS or boot disk and Windows 3.0. WINNT32.EXE can be run from Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4, or Windows 2000 Professional command prompt.

WINNT.EXE:

Switch	Function
/a	Enables accessibility options. This option is not recommended for most users.
/s[:sourcepath]	Specifies the location of the Windows XP Professional source files. If the required files are not in the current folder, the location must be a full path of the form w:[path] or servershare[path].
/udf:id[,UDF_file]	Indicates an identifier (id) that Setup uses to determine which values in the UDF file are used to override the values in the answer file. The /udf parameter overrides the values in the answer file.
/u[:script_file]	Performs an unattended installation by using an optional script file. Unattended installations also require the /s switch.

WINNT32.EXE:

Switch	Function
/checkupgradeonly	Checks the target computer for upgrade compatibility with Windows XP Professional. With unattended installations, no user input is required. For Windows 95 or Windows 98 upgrade, the default filename is UPGRADE.TXT in the Windows installation folder. For Windows NT or Windows 2000 upgrade, the default filename is NTCOMPAT.TXT in the Windows installation folder.
/s:sourcepath	Specifies the source location of the Windows 2000 files. To simultaneously copy files from multiple servers, specify multiple /s sources. If you use multiple /s switches, the first specified server must be available, otherwise Setup will fail.
/syspart:[drive_letter]	Copies the Setup startup files to the hard disk and marks the drive as active. You can then install the drive in another computer.
/makelocalsource	Copies all the installation source files to your local hard disk. When you are installing from a CD-ROM, use /makelocalsource to provide installation files if the CD-ROM will not be available later.

File System

On a computer, a file system refers to the methods and data structures that an operating system uses to keep track of files on a disk or partition. It is the way files are named and logically placed for storage and retrieval. Most of the operating systems, such as Windows, UNIX, and Linux, use file systems in which files are placed in a hierarchical (tree) structure. File systems also specify conventions for naming files, such as the maximum number of characters in a name, the characters that can be used, the length of a file name suffix, etc. File systems include a format for specifying the path to a file through the structure of directories.

FAT: The FAT or FAT16 file system is used to store data on a disk. The FAT file system is better suited for hard disk drives or partitions less than 200MB. It supports a single partition up to the maximum size of 2GB.

FAT32: The FAT32 file system is an enhancement of the FAT16 file system. FAT32 can support hard disk drives larger than 2GB (maximum 2TB) without having to use multiple partitions. It is more efficient as compared to 16-bit FAT on larger disks, as FAT32 reduces the cluster size on large hard disk drives, thereby minimizing the amount of unusable space.

NTFS: NTFS is an advanced file system designed for use specifically in Windows NT, Windows 2000/2003, and Windows XP operating systems. The NTFS file system supports volumes up to 2EB. It supports compression on volumes, folders, and files. It is a new technology file system to provide high security, storage, file system recovery and reliability of the data stored.

NTFS offers features such as disk quotas, distributed link tracking, compression, and mounted drives. NTFS also offers security features such as encryption, and file and folder permissions. These features are not available on FAT volumes.

The NTFS file system supports volumes up to 2EB. It supports compression on volumes, folders, and files. If the hard disk is partitioned and formatted with FAT or FAT32, and you want to change it to the NTFS file system, simply use the CONVERT command on DOS-editor.

CONVERT volume: /fs:ntfs [/v] [/x] [/cvtarea:filename][/nosecurity] [/?]

The major characteristics of these file systems are as follows:

File Systems	Supported By	Long Filename Support	File-level Security Support
File Allocation Table (FAT)	DOS, Windows 9x/ME/NT/XP/2000	No	No
File Allocation Table, 32 BIT (FAT32)	Windows 95 OSR2/98/ME/XP/2000	Yes	No
Windows NT File System (NTFS)	Windows NT/XP/2000	Yes	Yes

Advantages of the NTFS file system over the FAT file system

The benefits of using the NTFS file system over the FAT file system include the following:

• NTFS is a transactional file system and can automatically recover from errors.


• Access to files can be secured, and files and folders can be encrypted.


• Supports large hard disks, theoretically up to 2EB (Exabyte) and practically up to 2TB. The maximum drive size for NTFS is much larger than file allocation table (FAT).

Installation over a network

To install from a CD-ROM, you just have to insert the CD and run the Setup program, which checks and verifies your information, copies files to the hard disk, and boots it. However, if you need to perform installation over a network, you require installation files, which reside on the network file server. Your network client software program locates the distribution server and copies the installation files to the hard disk across the network, partitions it with at least 1.5GB space and formats it. Once it has copied the installation files, WINNT.EXE or WINNT32.EXE starts running. The Setup program starts identifying network adaptor cards and the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP). Then it configures your network module access file resources and hardware resources. It also installs and configures the TCP/IP protocol suite.

The distribution server receives the installation files from the i386 folder on the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM.

Note: The WINNT.EXE file is used for an installation having MS DOS or Windows 3.0 operating system. This file is used for an installation using Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 professional, and Windows Me.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol: DHCP is responsible for assigning a dynamic and unique IP address to the client computers on a network. It automates the configuration of the computers that use TCP/IP.



Installing from CD-ROM

As you insert a CD-ROM in the CD drive, the Setup program is loaded and starts running on your computer. You have to create partitions on the hard disk using the FDISK command if no operating system is found on it. However, if an operating system already exists on the hard disk, the Setup program selects an existing partition that meets the installation requirements to copy the installation files to the client computer. The Setup program formats it with the NTFS/FAT32 file system, which is supported by Windows XP Professional.

The Setup Wizard (GUI part of Setup) customizes your computer settings and assigns a name and password for administrative privileges.

Any computer joined to a domain has its own identity. The Setup Wizard checks and displays modem-dialing information. Thereafter, it checks and verifies the information to make sure that a new computer in the network is authentic. Then it configures network settings, copies installation files, and restarts the computer. Now you are ready to work on Windows XP professional.

When your computer is already running with an operating system, there is no need to boot it. Simply log on and start installation. Specify the hard disk location that meets the minimum space requirement, or it will overwrite an existing operating system (previously installed) in case the space is not enough to install the Windows XP operating system. After getting the installation files, run the Setup program. The rest of the installation process is the same as you would do when no operating system is loaded before.

Unattended Installation

This is the most convenient method for system administrators, original equipment manufacturers, and users to install Windows XP on a single or multiple computers. For preparing installation routines and deploying the installation method from a CD-ROM, you should first rename the answer file to WINNT.SIF and save it to a floppy disk. Then Setup Manager locates it, and the processing starts. First of all, you need to make sure that your computer supports booting from CD-ROM. Your computer's BIOS must adhere to El-Torito non-emulation specification.

Unattended installation allows Administrators to partially or completely automate the installation of Windows 2000/XP operating system on multiple computers with minimal user input.

Installation scripts for partially or completely automated setup

For automated installations using scripts, two-installation script files are used: the answer file and the Uniqueness Database File (UDF). The answer files (UNATTEND.TXT) is a text file comprising section headers, keys, and values for the keys. During installation, the answer file provides the required values to Setup Manager.

Note: The answer file must be named as WINNT.SIF while installing Windows XP Professional from a bootable CD-ROM. It should be named as SYSPREP.INF while using the SYSPREP tool for installation.

If you want to install Windows XP Professional to hundreds of computers concurrently, you need as many separate answer files to identify each computer on the network. Instead of creating separate files, the uniqueness database file is an easier way to provide multiple answers during installation. UDF files are used in conjunction with answer files to provide values that are unique to a particular computer, such as computer names.

Setup Manager is used to create and modify answer files and UDF files. You can also use any text editor, such as Notepad, for this purpose. Setup Manager (SetupMgr) is the most important part of the unattended installation. This program enables you to answer all of the installation questions ahead of time, and saves them to a disk.

Note: If you have completed an unattended installation on your computer, you may not be able to log on to the desktop. Find the latest service pack for Windows XP.

Disk imaging: In computers having identical or nearly identical hardware, you can use disk imaging to install Windows XP Professional. The SYSPREP utility is provided with Windows XP Professional for this purpose. SYSPREP is used to prepare an operating system for imaging on the master computer. A third-party imaging tool is required to copy the image to a removable media or to a network share. An answer file called SYSPREP.INF is used to fully automate the installation routine.

Using the /syspart switch with WINNT32: WINNT32 with the /syspart switch is an appropriate tool for installing Windows XP Professional on computers having different types of hardware.

RIPrep tool: This tool prepares images for installing Windows XP Professional on computers by using the RIS method.

Remote installation Service

Remote Installation Services (RIS): Remote installation is the automatic installation of an operating system to several individual computers simultaneously from a distant network server. RIS is used to install a copy of an operating system throughout the organization from a remote location. It helps reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO). Installing through RIS is very similar to installing an operating system locally from any hardware device.

Take the following steps to install RIS:

1. Open Control Panel from the Start menu > Settings > Control Panel.



2. In Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.



3. In the Add/Remove Programs dialog box, click Add/Remove Windows Components.



Then select the Remote Installation Service box. After completing the installation, reboot the server.


RIS is a Windows 2000 Server feature, so your CD-ROM drive must be running on Windows 2000 Server and formatted with the NTFS file system. RIS has a limitation that it cannot upgrade clients such as Windows 98 to XP. Windows Server 2003 computer is required to join the domain and to install domain controllers.

Unique volume license key and unique product key are required for every computer. With the SYSPREP command, you enter this key in your SYSPREP.INF file under the 'User Data' section.

Product activation is an anti-piracy technology, which verifies that the product is legitimately licensed. When a user installs a product for the first time, Microsoft asks for a product key and activates the product for the user after verifying that the installation is performed with a genuine Microsoft product.

Product activation validates that the existing product key has not been used on more personal computers than are allowed as per the end-user license agreement. A user can activate a product via telephone or the Internet.

System Preparation Tool (SYSPREP) is used to install operating systems as well as applications having identical configuration on multiple computers. It allows administrators to replicate a custom image of a Windows 2000/XP Professional installation from a master computer to destination computers. However, in order to accomplish this, it is essential that both the master and the destination computers have similar hardware and software configurations, Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), and mass storage device controllers.

Services required for installation using RIS:

DHCP Server: It is required for assigning dynamic IP addresses to new computers to communicate with other network services.

RIS Server: All new computers will require a RIS server to start installation. The RIS server is a centrally located computer from which all new computers get the image of Windows XP Professional for installation.

Active Directory Server: It is required to authenticate a user to proceed with installation. It also checks for group policy settings to determine the installation options for a user.

The Domain name service is an essential part of the RIS function. A DNS server locates a client computer account throughout a network. The computer on a network needs a particular IP address to distinguish its identity in the network environment. A DHCP server is responsible for allotting IP addresses.

Remote Installation Preparation Wizard (RIPREP.EXE): It creates operating system images and installs them on the RIS server. RIPREP.EXE can also be used to create application images to install standard applications with the operating systems.

Remote Installation Services boot disk (RBFG.EXE): It creates the bootable floppy disk required to install RIS-based operating systems on clients.

In case Windows 2000 Server infrastructure is not available on client computers, the administrator customizes and configures desktop, creates RIPrep images and sends them to a RIS server. The client computers can install them from there.

Upgrading Old versions of Windows to Windows XP Professional

You become overly frustrated working in a confined environment of an earlier version of Windows operating system with limited functionalities. You can migrate from an existing user environment to a new environment, and take advantages of new features without purchasing it. First, ensure that your computer hardware is compatible with Windows XP Professional. The WINNT32 /checkupgradeonly command tests the hardware/software and generates a report if it meets the requirements to upgrade to Windows XP Professional. However, supplementary changes and modifications in hardware/software make it compatible with Windows XP Professional. Run WINNT32.EXE and check the license agreement. If authorized, check user account and install the upgrade pack. Upgrade packs update the software to work with Windows XP Professional.

Upgrade from a previous version of Windows to Windows XP Professional requires a licensing agreement, i.e., Product Activation. After registration, your product (i.e., Windows XP Professional) will get activated, and you will be allowed to use other services from Microsoft. After completing installation, Setup prompts a window for registering your computer with Microsoft. However, this is optional.

Slipstreaming is a process of integrating the service pack updates into the Windows XP Professional setup files. The slipstreaming process eliminates the need of deploying service pack updates on each computer separately.

The UPDATE.EXE utility is used for slipstreaming.

Syntax:

UPDATE -s:<distribution point path>

where, the distribution point path is the full path name of the distribution point.

Windows Product Activation (WPA) is provided with Windows XP Professional to reduce software piracy. WPA creates an installation ID, which combines product key, PID, and HWID. PID is based on the name and version of the software being installed. HWID is based on specific details of the hardware in a computer.

After the installation is complete, the computer reboots and the Welcome wizard appears. It prompts the user to activate Windows XP Professional immediately. Users can activate Windows XP Professional either through a toll-free phone or over the Internet. For activation, the installation ID is sent to Microsoft license clearing house. After checking the information in the installation ID, clearing house issues a confirmation ID for the computer and activates it.

Note: If an administrator chooses to skip product activation, users will be unable to use Windows XP Professional after thirty days of installation.

The User State Migration Tool (USMT) is used to set and configure your computer migrated from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows Me to Windows XP Professional. IT consists of two executable files, SCANSTATE.EXE and LOADSTATE.EXE, and four information files, MIGAPP.INF, MIGSYS.INF, MIGUSER.INF, and SYSFILES.INF. The .INF files are used to define migration rules. This tool is not used with Windows 2000.

SCANSTATE.EXE collects user data and settings of a computer. SCANSTATE uses information provided by an administrator in MIGAPP.INF, MIGSYS.INF, MIGUSER.INF and SYSFILES.INF.

LOADSTATE.EXE deploys user state data, collected through SCANSTATE.EXE, on a computer running a clean installation of Windows XP Professional.

Microsoft's SUS automatically updates the operating systems (except Windows NT or Windows 9x), Microsoft IIS, and Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Client computers get their updates from the SUS server and test the compatibility of hardware and software updates with their configuration.

Troubleshooting

During the installation process, you may encounter several issues. During installation, The Setup program creates several log files. The Action log file sequentially records all the performed actions.



It displays the list of the actions and their results at the current time. The action details can be found in the individual logs. The Error log file maintains the error record, which shows the errors, where errors occurred during the installation, and additional log files created during installation of Windows XP. The application log contains information about the events registered by applications or programs. For example, a database program will record a file error in the application log. Application developers determine the events that have to be recorded in the application log.

Windows XP Setup program resolves most of the issues regarding installing and setting up Windows XP. The following are the various ways the Setup program uses to troubleshoot the issues:

• The Setup program checks your hardware devices to ensure that they are fully functioning and supported by Windows XP Professional.


• The Setup program examines the hard disk to verify whether the required space is available. Otherwise, it creates a partition by using existing free space on the hard disk.


• The Setup program verifies network settings and ensures that any network devices are not missing.


• The Setup program verifies your domain name account (joined domain) or workgroup account (joined workgroup) and automatically maintains a registry file and saves records chronologically.


• If the CD-ROM drive is not supported, either substitute it with supported drive or try another installation method.


• If your computer on the network could not locate the domain controller while installation is going on, join the domain after installation.


• Last but not the least, the Setup program verifies hardware compatibility.

Now, at the end of this article, I hope you would be able to install Windows XP Professional on a variety of stand-alone computers and computers working in the network environment. It provides you in-depth knowledge of Installation, upgrade from a previous version of Windows to Windows XP Professional, and troubleshooting the failed installation.

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