Installing Windows XP is usually an easy process.  Here are a few tips in case you run into any trouble. These tips apply to both the Home and Pro versions of Windows XP OEM.

- Boot from the CD, don't try to install from a running version of Windows. When booting from the CD you'll see a message that says 'Press any key to boot from CD...' and it only lasts about 5 seconds, so don't miss it.

- If your computer won't boot from the CD, you may need to change the startup sequence in your CMOS (or BIOS), which is usually accomplished by pressing [Del] or [F2] when your PC first starts up. Different PCs have different BIOS menus, but look for a way to make your PC boot from the CDROM before it boots from the hard disk (sometimes called IDE-0).

- If you get strange errors during installation, first test your system RAM using the free tool found at memtest86.com. You can also try running a test on your hard disk by visiting the hard drive manufacturer's website and downloading a diagnostic program (Western Digital, Samsung, Maxtor, etc.). Even if your computer worked without problems before trying to install Windows XP your hardware could cause a problem now.