Re-installing XP in a new hard drive (Dell Dimension 3000)

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dksellou

My hard drive died in my Dell dimension 3000 and I am getting a new one.
My question is:
I have the windows xp installation software.
i remember my old HD had some partitions like FAT, NTFS etc...
In the new one do I have to partition the drive or just install the XP to the new HD and then install the service packs and drivers?
Thanks
 
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you are given the choice to make partitions at install. I like to use the whole drive, here are some sites to check out and then let me know if you have any other questions after you look them over:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxpclean1.htm
With pictures of clean install
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-xp/help/setup/install-windows-xp
http://www.windowsxphome.windowsreinstall.com/sp2installxpcdoldhdd/indexfullpage.htm
http://www.blackviper.com/os-install-guides/windows-xp-professional-install-guide/
http://tweakhound.com/xp/installxp/installXP1.htm
Clean installs of XP sites
 
quick question.
i purchased a new hard drive because the old one failed the confidence, verify and read test.
Should I try first wipe out old one and try installing the Windows XP or these failed tests are signs of a dying drive?
In other words should I go ahead and use the new drive from the beginning?
Thanks
 
Hello again,
the directions are great.
However, when the computer rebooted and I am in step 16 of 34 of the first link you provided me I got a message:
C: \WINDOWS\system32\grpconv.exe
C: \WINDOWS\system32\\CONFIG.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft applications. Choose close to terminate the application ...

i clicked "ignore" and kept going through the next steps....the message appeared again and I kept clicking "ignore" but now I get this message immediately after I click on "ignore" and it seems like it cannot continue.

P.S. during the copying of the files, it could copy the h323 and the gui (something like that) file...
P.S. I am trying on the old hard drive, the one is dying.....I know I am stubborn!
 
update:
the installing windows process is not stuck...it is running but the message is still there!
Let's see how it will do at the end!
 
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ok everything is OK. I installed windows xp again!
I have a few questions : I entered my service tag in dell's website to see what I need and it has a list of drivers that I need :
the installation order is:
application
driver
firmware
bios

My question is: you said to install the service pack 2 first, right?
and then these drivers above?
Also I checked in the device manager and they have a yellow exclamation marks the following items:
802.11 n wlan
BCM2045B3 ROM
ethernet controller
multimedia controller
SM bus controller
video controller
video controller (VGA compatible).
My second question is: after I installed service pack 2 and the drivers above, is it possible that most of the yellow exclamation marks will go away?


Also, any link to install the service pack 2?
is this ok?
http://windows-xp-service-pack-2.soft32.com/


Thanks
 
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1. install xp

2. install service packs (if no service packs then install 2 and 3, if 1 OR 2 are installed then you can go directly to 3) Run the downloaded SP's installer. Reboot twice.

sp2
http://www.microsoft.com/en-US/download/details.aspx?id=28

sp3
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=24


3. then dell drivers:

ORDER FOR DELL INSTALL DRIVERS

Desktop System Software or Notebook System Software
Chipset or SMBus driver
Processor Driver (if applicable)
Video
Audio (sound)
Input Drivers (keyboard/mouse)
Modem
Network Card
and then any other drivers from dell that you want installed.

4. then antivirus

5. All of the above BEFORE you go online!!!

=============

http://www.dell.com/support/article/ed/en/eddhs1/DSN_179256/{doclang}

read above also when you set up to install did you remove all peripherals and just have keyboard and monitor attached??

=====

what does it say exactly on your reinstallation cd??

======

no , always get microsoft downloads from MIcrosoft!!, the link for sp2 is given above.

one reason to install an antivirus offline is to prevent infections, all your drivers and service packs should be downloaded to a cd or flash drive, and installed offline .

==========

once drivers all installed, if any are still highlighted in device manager we can check that out after but insure that the DSS (or NSS) if it is some kind of notebook and not a desktop) and then the chipset are installed BEFORE any other driver
==========

let me know if you do not understand fully.

ALSO: did you do a full format, NTFS, when you installed??
 
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