How to Uninstall Windows XP Without Formatting

Uninstalling your Windows XP operating system may be necessary for several reasons. Your computer may not be powerful enough to run it and you may need to revert to an older operating system that your computer can run. You may also be looking to upgrade to a new operating system such as Windows Vista. Whatever your reason is, Windows XP can be uninstalled in several easy-to-follow steps.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Windows XP installed

Instructions

1. Start up your computer in "Safe Mode." You can do this by pressing "F8" during start-up and selecting the "Safe mode with networking option."

2. Allow your computer to boot up, then log in to the administrator account. Your desktop graphics may seem different but that is due to "Safe Mode" only initiating system critical drivers.

3. Click on the "Start Menu" located in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen.

4. Click on the "Control Panel" icon and a new window will open.

5. Open the "Add or Remove Programs" icon. You will now see a list of installed programs on your computer.

6. Double click the "Uninstall Windows" icon; this will begin to uninstall Windows XP. Confirm that you wish to uninstall Windows XP and then wait while the process completes.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you back up any data you do not wish to lose before you uninstall Windows XP.

References

• Microsoft uninstall support