After XP SP2 Installation

1]If you want to keep the Windows XP Service Pack, it is safe to delete the uninstall files.These may be hidden files.

2]To view:Go to C:\WINDOWS>TOOLS>FOLDER OPTIONS>VIEW>"Show hidden files and folders">OK

3]Go to C:\WINDOWS and delete "$NTServicePackUinistall$"

4]Open Add/Remove Programs>delete the shortcut[xp sp2]

5]Delete uninstall files( "$NTUninstall********")for the updates in the same way.

6]The file "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download" may also be safely deleted

7]But NEVER delete "C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles".

Read More

XP SP2 KB Articles

Product Information

835935

Release notes for Windows XP Service Pack 2

837783

Hard Disk Space Requirements for Windows XP Service Pack 2

811113

List of fixes included in Windows XP Service Pack 2

838079

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools

838080

Windows XP SP2 Deployment Tools

883262

The new language locales that Windows XP Service Pack 2 supports

883792

Frequently asked questions about Windows Security Center

883353

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is installed with Windows XP Service Pack 2



Top Support Issues

842242

Some programs seem to stop working after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

843016

How to configure pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer

843017

Description of the IE Information Bar

843018

Images are blocked when you open an e-mail message in Outlook Express on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

843090

Description of the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

870700

How to troubleshoot problems accessing secure Web pages with Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 2

870702

How to troubleshoot wireless network connections in Windows XP Service Pack 2

875349

How to change your auto update settings using Windows Security Center

875350

How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer

875351

You receive a "Data Execution Prevention" error message in Windows XP Service Pack 2

875352

Detailed description of the data execution prevention feature in Windows XP SP2

875356

How to configure the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2

875357

Troubleshooting Windows Firewall settings in Windows XP Service Pack 2



How To Articles

883255

How To configure Internet Explorer automatic download prompts on your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

883256

How To manage Internet Explorer add-ons in Windows XP Service Pack 2

878451

How To turn on the Remote Desktop Sharing feature of Windows NetMeeting in Windows XP Service Pack 2

883259

How To install and configure Bluetooth devices in Windows XP Service Pack 2

842844

How To install Windows XP Service Pack 2 by using Systems Management Server

875355

How To use the Automatic Recovery feature to recover your computer if the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Setup program is not completed successfully

870903

How To remotely administer a printer through a network share when you use Windows XP Service Pack 2 in a workgroup environment



Application Compatibility Articles

870890

You cannot modify Windows Firewall settings for an AOL dial-up network connection by using Network Connections in Control Panel in Windows XP Service Pack 2

873173

The Application Center 2000 client snap-in does not display correct health monitor information in Windows XP Service Pack 2

873185

You may not be able to open a project when you try to connect to a remote Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer by using the AutoCAD FTP service

873164

You cannot use Veritas Backup Exec to back up a remote Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

870904

ARCserveIT 6.61 does not successfully back up files that are in the %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution folder of your Windows XP SP2-based computer

870901

"Installation failed: Access is denied" error message when you try to perform a remote installation of Computer Associates eTrust Antivirus 7.0 client software on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2

843020

You cannot play licensed media content in Windows Media Player after you remove Windows XP Service Pack 2

870908

Command AntiVirus version 4.62.4 causes an error message on a blue screen in Windows XP Service Pack 2

873165

You cannot use Computer Associates BrightStor ARCServe Backup 9.0 Manager to back up a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer from a remote computer

842701

You may not be able to add Manage Add-ons columns by using only the keyboard in Windows XP Service Pack 2

878472

You receive the "Control ID not found" error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2

870881

You receive an error message when you try to start Money on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

878478

The Gravis GamePad Pro device is not recognized when you install it on a Windows XP-based computer

870905

McAfee Internet Security version 4.0 quits unexpectedly during installation in Windows XP Service Pack 2

870906

McAfee Virusscan Professional version 6.0 quits unexpectedly after you install it on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

883606

Messages in Microsoft Outlook are not sent immediately in Windows XP Service Pack 2

870907

NetZero closes unexpectedly when you start it in Windows XP SP2

870902

You cannot back up the %windir%\SoftwareDistribution folder by using the NovaStor NovaNet-WEB backup program on Windows XP Service Pack 2

870886

"This presentation was optimized for more recent versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer." message when you open a PowerPoint 2002 presentation in Internet Explorer in Windows XP Service Pack 2

873176

You cannot install Paint Shop Pro 8 on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

873179

The JumpStart Preschool - 1st Grade Learning Playground Demo screen does not appear correctly on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

870883

"Cannot load Word for Windows 6.0 files" error message when you try to open the "What's new" file in Quicken on a Windows XP-based computer

870897

SonicWALL Complete Anti-Virus program does not work after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

873152

You occasionally receive a "STOP: 0x000000D1" error message when your Windows XP Service Pack 2 computer resumes from standby

843022

You cannot run executable files or program add-ins that are downloaded by using Internet Explorer or by using Outlook Express on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

870900

SOURCENEXT VirusSecurity2004 real-time monitor does not work correctly on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

873162

You cannot use Legato NetWorker to back up a remote computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2

843019

You cannot start Windows Messenger after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

883603

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 is installed on your computer when you install Windows XP SP2



Bluetooth Issues

870701

You cannot add a Bluetooth printer on a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2

840635

Cannot install a Bluetooth device after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

841803

List of Bluetooth radio drivers that are included in Windows XP SP2

873154

A Bluetooth keyboard or mouse does not work when you start Windows XP Service Pack 2

883258

How to troubleshoot Bluetooth detection and connectivity problems in Windows XP Service Pack 2

870895

You receive a "STOP: 0x000000D5" fatal system error message after you update to Windows XP Service Pack 2 on your Toshiba portable computer

841799

Bluetooth device installation may not work without any notification



Driver Issues

873161

After you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, your computer restarts continuously

883775

Device drivers known to cause instability in Windows XP Service Pack 2

873166

Your computer may unexpectedly stop responding when you try to install modem drivers on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

873171

Roll Back Driver feature in Device Manager does not work after you update a device driver to the Windows XP Service Pack (SP2) version of the device driver

870892

Rollback of the driver in a multi-device scenario results in mismatched Driver and miniport

870891

Third-party device drivers are not restored after you restore the System State data from backup in Windows XP

870896

You receive a "STOP: 0x000000D5" error message when you close an IP Phone connection on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based Toshiba computer

873169

When you install Windows XP Service Pack 2, the USB 2.0 drivers do not appear to update



Setup Issues

883609

"This Service Pack requires the machine to be on AC Power before setup starts" error message when you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

870898

You receive a "Windows XP Setup is incompatible with this version of Windows" error message when you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 on a Hewlett-Packard computer

883356

You receive a "Windows was unable to install the modem" error message when you try to install a modem on your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

878454

How to help protect your computer if you decide to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2

878459

The Windows Explorer status bar is not visible after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

883791

Explorer.exe repeatedly quits unexpectedly in Windows XP



Miscellaneous Issues

843021

Programs or services that use the Alerter service or the Messenger service do not work as expected after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

873160

You may receive a 7391 error message in SQLOLEDB when you run a distributed transaction against a linked server after you install Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2

875362

The Computer Browser service does not start and event ID 7024 is logged when you restart your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

870894

You receive a "Delayed Write Failed" error message in Windows XP Service Pack 2

883257

Description of plain text mode in Outlook Express in Windows XP Service Pack 2

878471

Some DVD movies are blocked although the DVD movie rating is allowed on a Windows XP Media Center Edition Service Pack 2-based computer

883608

You receive an error message when you add a reference to a COM object in Visual Studio .NET after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

840633

Event ID 612 appears in the security log every time that you restart Windows XP Service Pack 2

883613

Outlook Express automatically downloads external content when you reply to a message or forward a message on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

873158

The Help and Support Center does not run when the Data Execution Protection feature is turned on in Windows XP Service Pack 2

883605

New features of the Scheduled Tasks Control Panel item that are included in Windows XP Service Pack 2

870703

Known issues with the client administrative tools in Windows XP SP2

878461

Pictures do not appear as expected, or you receive an error message when you open an HTML file on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

878468

You receive an "An error occurred while sending a message to " error message when you run the net send command to send a message to a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

873153

Your screen reader software may not function if you install Windows XP Service Pack 2 by using OOBE

870704

Peer-to-peer networking programs do not work as expected in Windows XP Service Pack 1

841802

Phone Dialer calls are immediately disconnected in Windows XP

843015

Pop-up windows appear with Pop-up Blocker turned on in Windows XP Service Pack 2

870705

Remote Storage Service recall notifications will no longer operate in XPSP2

841804

RIP Listener does not update the route table with new route information

883261

You are prompted to accept or reject certain Windows Messenger files in Windows XP Service Pack 2

883355

You cannot use an MP3 or WMA file as the background sound for an e-mail message in Outlook Express

878467

Your Windows XP-based computer does not resume from standby when you move your USB mouse or press a key on your USB keyboard

870893

USB device does not function after connecting device to Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

883607

Web server functionality may not work correctly after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

883611

You have to specify certain Group Policy settings before you can remotely administer Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) or remotely edit local Group Policy objects in Windows XP Service Pack 2

840634

You receive an "Access denied" or "The network path was not found" error message when you try to remotely manage a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2

Read More

Networking Troubleshootings In XP SP2

A Few Most Common Problems:-



NET SEND messages no longer received:-

Workaround:-



First enable the File and Printer Sharing exception in the firewall.



Next,Go to Control Panel, Admin Tools, Services, double-click on the Messenger service, set its start type to Automatic.



FTP folder error:-



Workaround:-

Open Internet Explorer>Tools>Internet Options>Advanced Tab>Put a check mark next to: Use Passive FTP>Put a check mark next to: Enable Folder View of FTP sites



Dial-up connections or Remote Access Connection Manager problems:-

See:-You cannot create a network connection after you restore Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=329441

Workgroup is not accessible:-

If you get one of these symptoms or error messages or a similar one:

You cannot access shares on other computers.

You cannot locate other computers in the workgroup.

When you double-click the workgroup in My Network Places, you get the error message: Workgroup is not accessible. You may not have permission to use this network resource.

Workgroup is not accessible. The list of servers for this workgroup is not currently available.



Workaround:-

1>make sure the File and Printer Sharing exception is enabled in the firewall.

2>Make sure the Computer Browser service is running. To have the Computer Browser start automatically, select Administrative tools, Services, and change the Start setting for Computer Browsing to Automatic. You can then reboot the computer or start the service manually by clicking on the Start button.

3>Uninstall third party client software that can interfere with the networking settings.

Winsock corruption:-It may be caused by adware or a virus. Service Pack 2 adds a new command to repair this Winsock corruption problem.

netsh winsock reset catalog

Firewall blocks LPR printing:-The LPR protocol uses TCP Port 515, which is, by default, blocked by the firewall.As a result When you try to print to an LPR printer, the print job fails without any further error message.

Workaround:-Add an exception for TCP port 515 in the firewall.,name it LPR. Enable it only for the local subnet, unless the printer is outside.



Related KB Articles:-

List of networking fixes in Windows XP Service Pack 2



How to troubleshoot wireless network connections in Windows XP Service Pack 2



You cannot modify Windows Firewall settings for an AOL dial-up network connection by using Network Connections in Control Panel in Windows XP Service Pack 2



How to remotely administer a printer through a network share when you use Windows XP Service Pack 2 in a workgroup environment



You cannot configure Windows Firewall settings or Security Center settings on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based client computer that is in a Windows Small Business Server 2003-based network



You cannot check for updates to the broadband networking software after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2



Error message when you try to run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard after you update to Windows XP Service Pack 2



A physical hard disk drive on your computer may appear as a removable drive when you run the Wireless Network Setup Wizard in Windows XP Service Pack 2



The Computer Browser service does not start and event ID 7024 is logged when you restart your Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer



You receive an "Access denied" or "The network path was not found" error message when you try to remotely manage a computer that is running Windows XP Service Pack 2



Using Internet Connection Sharing with user profiles You cannot scan images with a network scanner when Windows Firewall is turned on in Windows XP Service Pack 2



You can use Windows Firewall to help protect network bridge connections in Windows XP Service Pack 2



Regarding more information on XP SP2 Firewall check it here:-Understanding Windows Firewall in Windows XP Service Pack 2

Description of the Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/843090

Read More

General Troubleshooting Windows XP Service Pack 2

1]You receive an "Access is denied" error message when you try to install Windows XP Service Pack 2

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=873148



"Access Denied" error when trying to install SP2

http://forum.aumha.org/viewtopic.php?t=7796&view=next



Best option is to go through the Service Pack Installation log files-



you can check the following log files for cues at what may have gone wrong.

Start>Run>type in %windir%\Svcpack.log>ENTER

Start>Run>type in %windir%\setupapi.log>ENTER

%windir% can be replaced with theWindows folder, normally: C:\WINDOWS

To set the Verbose logging level:-

Start>Run>Regedit>Ok

Now navigate to the following key:-

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \Software \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \SetupValue Name: LogLevelData Type: REG_DWORDValue (Hexadecimal): 0000FFFF

When finished, set it back to the original, Value (Hexadecimal): 20000000



2]File Copying Problem:-

It may happen due to virtual drive software.The solution is either to deactivate or to uninstall the software.



3]Cryptographic service Error:-



*Cryptographic service error

**Error 0x800710D9 Unable to read from or write to the database

To resolve the issue visit:-

You cannot install some updates or programs

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=822798

Here try the 3rd option:-

Rename the Catroot2 folder, and then try again.

Click Start, and then click Run.

In the Open box, type cmd, and then click OK.

At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each line:

net stop cryptsvcren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2 catroot2oldnet start cryptsvcexit



Important: Do not rename the Catroot folder. The Catroot2 folder is automatically recreated by Windows, but the Catroot folder is not recreated if it is renamed.



4] Adaware Related Problems:-

Adware T.V. Media Program may prevent XP SP2 to install.

see:-Adware T.V. Media Program Removal Tool

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=886590



5]Automatic Restart Problem:- If the computer is set to automatically reboot after unrecoverable errors, you may have to hit F8 twice during boot-up to actually get to see the blue screen. There is an option in the advanced menu to suppress automatic rebooting once..

Your computer repeatedly restarts after you install Windows XP Service Pack 2

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=878474



6]Blue Screen of Death:-Nero InCD 4300 can cause IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL STOP: 0x0000000A .A very strange situation in which you can boot normally but can NOT boot in Safe mode.The workaround is to update InCD or to uninstall it.

Demystifying the 'Blue Screen of Death'

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winntas/tips/techrep/bsod.mspx



7]Very Slow Boot:-To find out the exact cause use Msconfig tool.

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP.



8]Explorer freezes or crashes when right-clicking a file:-This may be due to third party software that installs an incompatible codec.Either update Dr.DivX or uninstall it.



9]Device Malfunctioning:-Either update or uninstall/reinstall the software.



10]Installer Problem:-see:-

Update for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB885894)http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=36dd19df-bc5e-44b7-a339-6794d97994a2



11]Monitor and Picture Problem:-Either adjust through the preset buttons of the monitor,or,change the resolution,or,update/roll back the video driver.

Pictures do not appear as expected, or you receive an error message when you open an HTML file on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=878461



Related Microsoft Articles:-

•

WinXP.jpg Programs that may behave differently in Windows XP Service Pack 2SP2 introduces a number of new features that help increase the performance and the security of your system. These changes also affect the operations and functionality of some programs. The programs that are listed in this article may experience issues after you upgrade to SP2.

•

Some programs seem to stop working after you install SP2 Some programs seem to stop working after you install SP2After you install SP2, some programs may seem not to work. By default, Windows Firewall is enabled and blocks unsolicited connections to your computer. This article discusses how to make an exception and enable a program to run by adding it to the list of exceptions.



•

How to use the Data Execution Prevention dialog box in SP2This article describes how to use the Data Execution Prevention dialog box when you receive the "A Windows security feature has detected a problem and closed this program" error message.





•

How to use the Security Alert dialog box when it appears on your screenWhen a program tries to use the resources or the ports on your system that are covered by Windows Firewall, a Security Alert dialog box appears. This article describes how to use the Security Alert dialog box when it appears on your screen.

Read More

Preparing for XP Service Pack 2 installation

Before you install XP SP2 check the followings:-

1]Visit your motherboard's manufacturer's website and download,install the latest BIOS.

2]Download and install latest hard disk controller drivers (RAID, SATA, others), graphics adapter drivers, and USB related driver.

3]Scan your system with latest virus definitioned antivirus software,adaware,spybot,search and destroy,CWShredder or HijackThis!

Run them in Safe mode.

Visit:-

Trend Micro - Free online virus Scan - Scan Now

www.lavasoft.de

www.spybot.info

www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn

4]Chkdsk drive to make sure there is no bad sector.

5]Disk defrgment the hard drive.

6]Hard disk Space:-



Hard disk space that is required if you install Windows XP SP2 from a shared folder on the network:-



Service pack

495 megabytes (MB) for the service pack



Working space

260 MB



Files that remove Windows XP SP2

200 MB



Total hard disk space required if the System Restore feature is enabled

895 MB 1060 MB peak usage during installation





Total hard disk space required if the System Restore feature is not enabled

395 MB 770 MB peak usage during installation



Hard disk space that is required if you install Windows XP SP2 from the Windows XP SP2 CD



495 megabytes (MB) for the service pack and an additional 500 MB for the service pack files that are stored in the %Windir%\Servicepackfiles folder



Working space 260 MB



Files that remove Windows XP SP2 200 MB



Total hard disk space required if the System Restore feature is enabled

1455 MB 1560 MB peak usage during installation



Total hard disk space required if the System Restore feature is not enabled

681 MB 1100 MB peak usage during installation





886358 Getting and Installing Microsoft Service Pack 2 (Support WebCast)

883733 Understanding Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Support WebCast)

875364 Detailed Windows XP Service Pack 2 installation walkthrough

555185 Installation of Service Pack 2 on PCs with Prescott, Celeron D and Extreme Edition CPUs

Read More

Windows XP Installation

Windows XP Installation:-



Clean installation:-



Advantages of clean installation:-

1]nothing is carried from the previous operating system.It's totally fresh or virgin.

2]a smaller footprint on your hard drive.

3]a better stability as well as performance.



Disadvantages of clean installation:-

1]You need to back up all your important files before installation.

2]You have to reinstall all the programs.



Steps to Clean Install XP

1]Enter the BIOS and make the first boot preference from the CD-ROM drive and save the changes.

2]Restart the machine with Windows XP on inside the CD-ROM drive.

3]Press any Key when you see the prompt to 'Press Any Key'

4]Setup will start copying files, if you want to install any third-party or RAID drivers press F6

5]choose to 'enter setup' and skip the 'Repair' option.Press ENTER.

6]Press F8 to agree to the license.

7]you can choose to create a partition in the un-partitioned space.You can set a size for the partition. If you want to delete the previous partition select 'D'

8]If you have more that one partition or hard drive , make sure you are formatting the correct partition/drive.

9]It’s time for that important decision. FAT32 versus NTFS. The preferred choice is NTFS. It allows security features and stability that aren’t possible with FAT32.

10]Select 'F' and continue.

11]Watch the onscreen prompts but do not press a key when the “Press any key to boot CD” message appears.

12]From this point, you will follow the on screen prompts.Installation will continue, prompting you from time to time to supply some additional setup information. .Setup continues and eventually the computer will reboot.



Points to keep in mind:-



a]Your Time Zone-Time and Date



b]Network setup-

For home you will choose your workgroup,use the existing workgroup name, otherwise,keep the default.



For Pro, the same goes for Pro as suggested for Home, but you will have the choice to join a Domain, if you do not have a Domain or do not know leave blank.



How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310353



Regarding Product Activation:-

Technical Details on Microsoft Product Activation for Windows XP

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/evaluate/xpactiv.mspx



How to change the Windows XP Product Activation Key Code

http://labmice.techtarget.com/windowsxp/articles/changeID.htm



Windows XP Repair Installation

please go through:-

Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q315341



If the "Repair" option is missing:-

"If the option to Repair Install is NOT available and you continue with the install; you will delete your Windows folder, Documents and Settings folders. All Applications that place keys in the registry will need to be re-installed."[Thanks to michael stevens]



Possible Fix:-

Go to Recovery Console and type in:-bootcfg

Now retry repair installation.

The following is a suggestion from MVP Alex Nichol



"Reboot, this time taking the immediate R option, and if the CD letter is say K: give these commandsCOPY K:\i386\ntldr C:COPY K:\i386\ntdetect.com C:

(two other files needed - just in case)

1. Type: ATTRIB -H -R -S C:\boot.ini DEL C:\boot.ini

2. Type: BootCfg /Rebuild



Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console



How to obtain Windows XP Setup boot disks

Read More

Windows XP Hardware Requirement

The requirements are similar to those of Windows 2000. So a good general guideline is to take a look at the operating system your machines are presently running and how well the machines are performing. For example, if your Windows 98 machines are already running sluggish, you shouldn’t even think about loading Windows XP onto them. However, if your workstations run Windows 2000 Professional smoothly, they probably won’t have trouble running Windows These are the minimum requirements for basic functionality.

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Home Edition are:

•

Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)

•

At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)

•

At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk

•

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

•

Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device

•

Microsoft advises that you’ll need a video adapter and monitor capable of displaying 800 x 600 or higher video resolution. The truth is, at 800 x 600 resolution, users may eventually have trouble with the Start menu. As you load programs onto the machine, the Programs section of the Start menu gets larger. When the menu gets too large to fit on the desktop, it starts leaving out menu choices, and it may eventually become impossible for a user to access some applications via the Start menu. I recommend running video at a minimum of 1024 x 768 resolution.

•

Sound card

•

Speakers or headphones



For more information about system requirements for Windows XP Home Edition, visit :-http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/sysreqs.mspx



The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP Professional are:

•

Pentium 233-megahertz (MHz) processor or faster (300 MHz is recommended)

•

At least 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM (128 MB is recommended)

•

At least 1.5 gigabytes (GB) of available space on the hard disk

•

CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive

•

Keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse or some other compatible pointing device

•

Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution .I have discussed about it in detail earlier.

•

Sound card

•

Speakers or headphones



For more information about system requirements for Windows XP Professional, visit :-http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/sysreqs.asp



Make sure you have at least 256 MB of RAM, any less and your machine will lag due to use of the hard drive as memory. 512MB is preferred.



Maximum RAM Support For Windows XP:-

Windows XP Professional can handle up to 4GB of RAM and according to Microsoft, the same is true for XP Home.Most users run quite well with 1GB of RAM.

But all depends upon the motherboard's supporting capabilities.



Before You Increase RAM keep Two Things In Mind:-

1]Read the motherboard manual just to know how much RAM your motherboard can supprt.

2]Make sure that that all of your RAM is the same type from the same manufacturer.



More Information Here:-

Microsoft Windows Hardware Compatibility List

Microsoft Support Policy on Hardware Not On Windows HCL

Read More