Need to reinstall Windows XP to fix a serious operating system problem? Our tutorial will show you how

Last updated May 28, 2010 2:41 PM

In this tutorial, we'll take a look at how we can reinstall Windows XP. The type of installation we will be doing here is called a "repair" installation. This can sometimes repair Windows XP if files are missing or have become corrupt. However, in our experience, it can also make matters worse, especially if the problem is caused by an underlying hardware fault such as a faulty hard disk. Before you get started with this tutorial, it is a good idea to read our guide to reinstalling Windows first.

Not using Windows XP? Windows Vista users should click here for details of how to perform a repair installation, while Windows 7 users should click here.

In order to carry out this procedure, you'll need your original Windows XP installation disc. Certain OEM manufacturers bundle their own operating system recovery discs which may work differently to the standard XP installation disc, so please check the instructions provided with your computer before you proceed.

Please exercise caution when following this tutorial!

We recommend following this procedure only as a last resort when troubleshooting your PC. Although this procedure should be perfectly safe, in some instances it can go wrong and render your computer unusable. Please back-up all your important files and documents before proceeding.

Please allow for a short delay while the video loads. When loading is complete, press the play button to start the video.

Please be sure that you use the correct Windows XP installation CD - It is not normally sufficient to borrow a Windows XP CD from a friend unless they have the same make and model of computer as you. If you do this, Windows may not accept your CD key during the reinstall process, so please be careful. Err on the side of caution and only use the disc provided with your computer or that you bought and used yourself.

If your PC does not display the "press any key to boot from CD" message, check that you have inserted your Windows XP installation CD correctly. If the message still does not appear, you may need to change your computers BIOS settings so that your computer will boot from CD. See this tutorial for a rough guide on how to do this.

When the procedure is complete, it is advisable to run Windows Update to make sure that the process did not replace any updated files with older versions. You can find out how to access Windows Update by following this tutorial.

What should I do if this procedure fails? - If the repair installation does not cure the problem with your PC, you may want to contact a PC repair specialist. The next step would be to check for hardware failures and then reinstall your operating system from scratch. If this procedure is not carried out carefully, you can lose data from your hard drive. For details of how to reinstall from scratch, see our tutorial here.