How to Install Windows XP on an Old Computer

1. Verify that the computer meets the minimum hardware requirements. The computer must have a 300 MHZ processor or higher, 128 MB of RAM and 1.5 GB of free hard drive space.
2. Power up the computer and insert the Windows XP installation disk into the CD drive. The machine will boot and pause at a screen that says, 'Press any key to boot from CD.' Press the spacebar to continue.
3. Press 'Enter' when the Welcome screen appears. Read the license agreement details and press 'F8.' The Setup screen will appear. This screen will display the computer's hard drives. Use the arrow keys to highlight the drive where you want to install XP. If you have only one drive, highlight that drive
4. Press 'Enter.' Windows will display a list of hard drive partitions. Highlight the one that says, 'Format the partition using the NTFS file system' and press 'Enter.' Windows will format your hard drive and reboot. This process could take up to a half an hour.
5. Click 'Next' after Windows reboots and displays the Setup screen. The setup wizard will display the next screen in the setup process. Enter your name and organization on this screen and press 'Next.'
6. Continue to follow the instructions provided by the wizard as it walks you through the setup procedure. When the setup ends, Windows XP will open and display a welcome window.