Windows XP installation guide

This guide was written 2 years ago and it might be still useful.

1. install system (Boot PartitionMagic from floppy. Create 3x 20GB partitions. Boot from WinXP Install CD. Install system from CD to first partition)
2. install file manager (Total Commander)
3. install hardware drivers (Install chipset, LAN, graphics, audio, USB, additional hardware,...)
4. install service pack and updates (SP2 is available as a download)
5. set up system
   • Move swap file to dedicated partition (swap) on secondary disk
   • Set fixed letters to disk drives
   • switch off indexing of drive C: (system) and X: (swap)
   • Check startup auto load list: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
   • Change audio card's buffer to 128
   • Disable fast user switching (control panel/user accouns/)
   • Disable unnecessary services in services.msc (Indexing service, Webclient, Time, System Recovery, ...)
   • Speed up menus (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop)
   • Disable NTFS Last Access Time Logging (NTFS Only) (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\CONTROL\FILESYSTEM\NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate=1)
   • Disable Notification Area Balloon Tips (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\EnableBalloonTips=0)
   • Disable CDROM Autoplay (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom\Autorun=0)
   • Disable kernel paging (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\DisablePagingExecutive=1 , LargeSystemCache=1)
   • Switch on Folder Options/View/Launch folder windows in separate process (increase stability)
   • ...
6. back up system with Ghost
7. install applications
   • image mounter (Alcohol 120%)
   • cd burner (Nero)
   • web browser (Mozilla Firefox)
   • ...