reinstall or install xp

I came here a week or so ago, cleaned up my spyware and all the nasties on my computer but the system is still running super slow. My brothers have piled on programs after programs. Some will uninstall, others wont and there is just a lot of junk floating around. I've saved all the important documents, files, music, etc and I'm thinking about reinstalling windows xp and starting over from scratch. Is that possible? I have the original disks but when I try to bring it up and install, it says that the version on my computer is newer then the cd I have. It won't let me continue after that. Any suggestions or thoughts?

What Operating System are you Running? For instance: XP?, Win98?, Win 2000? It is normal that the Running system is a "newer version" than that on your original installation CD's. That's because of all the Windows Updates and Patches. And probably updates to various Drivers as well. Re-installing is still possible and is a common practice, used by many to get a fresh, clean operating system. The most often "overlooked" part of reinstalling is… Drivers. Sounds like you have the original CD's, and therefore probably have all the Drivers on those CD's. Do you? If you are Running XP and want to get a fresh install, the XP install CD will provide an opportunity to "reformat". To Reformat, wipes all the old stuff and readies the Hard Drive as if it is fresh and new. That's a good thing in preparation for installing the XP operating system. It would also be a good thing to Partition your Hard Drive such that you have a separate partition (c:\) for Windows Operating System only. Then install all your Applications on D:\, and have a D:\ for saving documents, media, etc. That way, if you ever have to do this again, you will only have to re-format C:\ while everything else stays in place the way you like it. If you decide to do that, be sure you have your Drivers, before you wipe the Hard Drive. When you install XP here's the sequence: Install Windows XP Install DirectX 9.0C Install Chipset Drivers Install other Drivers (Sound, Video, NIC, Modem, etc.) Install JAVA Runtime Environment Install Peripherals and their Drivers (Printer, Scanner, Video Cam, etc.) Install Security Utilities (firewall, antivirus, antispyware) Install Application Programs Don't go online with the machine until you've got Firewall, Antivirus, Antispyware installed. Best Regards

I'm running on Windows XP. I'm not 100% sure. I have the windowsxp pack that came with the computer(although it could have been the one that came with our other computer upstairs) "If you are Running XP and want to get a fresh install, the XP install CD will provide an opportunity to "reformat". To Reformat, wipes all the old stuff and readies the Hard Drive as if it is fresh and new." That is what I want to do. When I put the xp disc into the computer, I get that message about it being older then the new system running. How do I get it to install after that? It comes up with 3 buttons- continue, cancel, details but the continue button is not highlighted and it wont let me reinstall/install windows. I also have an old xp system restore disk from 2002 that I could use as well. When I get the stuff for that computer it came on several disks and I thought about trying that as well. You've lost me on the partition of the hard drive. I'm a novice when it comes to all this up. I've saved all the things that matter, I just need to know where to begin? lol.

Each XP installation has a Product Identification Number that is by license supposed to be displayed on a Microsoft Holographic imprinted sticker on the outside of the Tower Case if it is a Desktop or on the bottom of the Case if it is a Laptop. The "PIN" must match with the XP Installation CD.

Microsoft uses this PIN protocol to assure that a purchaser receives a license to use the XP operating system only on the one original machine that it was purchased with. It is "theoretically" possible to use an XP installation CD on a second or more machines, but when the user goes to the MS Update site for Critical Updates and Patches, any machine without the correct licensed copy of XP installed will "fail to Validate" and the necessary updates will be blocked for that user.

Therefore it is absolutely necessary for you to verify that you are using the correct Installation CD that came with the original equipment.

Here's a well respected source for Step-By-Step instructions for a clean install of Windows XP.
http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_pro_install_-_graphic.htm

You should read it in its entirety, maybe more than once. You're not likely to foul things up for your machine, but it can be "tedious" especially to someone new to the task. If you find yourself totally overwhelmed, you can always have a local repair shop do this procedure for you. I'm sure they will tell you that they do it all the time, and may even admit that doing reinstallations is a major part of their business traffic.

There are many other educational and resource sites on the internet where you can learn about reformatting and re-installing XP. Some will even tell you about how to avoid the "product activation" sequence. Read carefully.

Most folks feel a bit intimidated the first time they start a reformat/reinstallation, but by the time they are finished they may feel a great sense of accomplishment and have less reluctance to try it on a second machine, or if needed a second time in the future on the same machine.

If your XP CD does not contain the SP2 upgrade, you will have to download it and burn it to CD, or purchase it from Microsoft, for about $9.00, here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/default.mspx

After you've installed the XP installation, and "BEFORE" installing the SP2 upgrade, install DirectX 9.0c and the machines ChipSet Drivers.
Then install SP2

Then follow the list I outlined above for other drivers, etc.

Partitioning uses the XP installation CD's ability to "divide up" your hard drive into sections called "partitions" that will "act like" they are separate Hard Drives and will be identified with letters like C:\. D:\. E:\ etc.
Remember to "Format" each of them. This will require that you repeat the formating procedure for each Partition you set up.

So if you have an 40gb, 80gb or 160gb or larger, you can make separate partitions for your Operating System, your Office Application programs, your Gamin Applications, your Music files, your Family Pictures, and your General Documents and files.

You certainly don't "have to" partition, but if you do, you will likely start realizing the benefit after you use your system for a while.

Windows XP can be installed into as little as 1.5GB - 2GB of Hard Disk space, but in actual operation, XP needs more "room to manuever". So make your C:\ Partition about 10GB - 12GB. That should be no problem on today's large Hard Drives.

It's an interesting learning experience, and I wish you well with it.

Best Regards

Here's another resource site:
http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxphome/…dexfullpage.htm

Hi XXSomethingCrazy, I hope things are going well for you in your project. I'm writing again to "revise" one element of what I wrote to you earlier. I earlier stated that the installation CD and the Product Key contained in the sticker on the machine must "match". That's not actually true. What is true is that any Retail or OEM Windows installation CD can be used on any machine of the same type of operating system, "as long a owner/user enters the Product Key that is labled on the machine". The "complicating factor" is that many brands of computer manufacturer's (Dell, Toshiba, HP, Compaq, Sony, Gateway) provide installation CD's that they have specifically configured to work on their own brand of machine. So if you put a Dell XP installation CD into a Toshiba machine in hopes of installing XP operating system, you "may" get an Error Warning that the installation CD is for use only with specific Dell machines and cannot be used on the machine you are attempting to install upon. More importantly, the Driver Re-installation CD for any brand name computer has been configured to provide the drivers that are ordinarily found on the specific machine that it was created for and that you purchased. In the event that you don't have a "match-up" for the Driver Files, you can usually download them from the manufacturer's website by browsing to the model number of your machine, then burning a new CD with the necessary Drivers. In your reading about Operating System re-installation, you may come across the term "slip-streaming", which refers to a procedure whereby advanced users can deconstruct an installation CD and reconstruct it usually with SP2 included. This is a major exception to the above types of installation CD "match-ups" and I 'm guessing that it would possibly be beyond your comfort level as a project, at least for the first time around. Bottom line: do your best to get the actual installation CD that came with each machine. Short of that, be sure to use the Product Key from the machine's case. Beyond that, ask more questions. Best Regards So it is important to match up the installation CD's to the machines that they came with, but there "are" some exceptions that may allow you some latitude in how you go about your product. Finally, there are expert who are competent in understanding operating systems and their