How to Reinstall Windows XP on an Acer Aspire 3000

Reinstalling Windows XP on an Acer Aspire 3000 is fairly straightforward. You may need to reinstall Windows XP due to hardware failure, a virus infection, major hardware changes or a hard drive upgrade. Whatever the reason, you can do the reinstall yourself at home. The reinstall will take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of your hard drive. Be aware that reinstalling Windows XP will format your hard drive, getting rid of all data on, so you'll want to back it all up on a media device.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Quick restore disk or currently installed Windows XP disk with product key
• Backup media device (optional)

1. Back up all data on your computer before reinstalling.

2. Insert the Windows XP disk and restart your computer.

3. Press any key when prompted to begin running the disk.

4. Press F8 to agree to the terms of service.

5. Choose the partition you want to reinstall Windows XP on. This is usually "C:" for most users.

6. Choose the type of format. You can choose either "Quick" or "Full" for NTFS systems. A quick format only takes a few minutes less than the full format.

7. Wait for the format to complete. The Windows XP installation wizard will begin. You will be asked to choose your time zone, computer name, and to input any network information. Otherwise, the reinstall will run by itself.

Tips & Warnings

• The prompts during the reinstall will occur 10 to 15 minutes after the wizard begins.
• Use the original product key or the Windows XP installation will not activate. You will need to call Microsoft if your product does not activate. The number is listed on the activation window.

Resources

• Microsoft Windows XP Reinstallation Advice