how much disk space do i need to install XP?

hi, i want to reinstall XP. im going to create a new partition then install XP from disk and set it up over a few days/weeks, maybe even months . then when it's setup the way i want it i'll delete the partition im on now.

is there anything wrong with that ^^^ ?
and how big should the partition be? thanks.

 

1.5-2Gb it says here and here
EDIT: SP2 uses a fair bit of space too....not sure if these pages are too current?

 

I see my brand new re-installation of sp1 is already up to 1.8 GB. I think you would have to add something for your page file since you have to have one on your o/s partition, in my case that adds 700 more mb. I would be interested to hear what size other people's installations are. I have heard people boast of getting it down to 6-800 MB, but one has to wonder what was left when they finished cutting! For fun I am going over to 10 Forward to ask people how big their XP is. Perhaps we will be surprised! I would think I am middle of the road at 1.8, but maybe not here!

- HandsOff

 

i found some unallocated space at the end of the HD and created a primary partition of about 8GB. was that the right thing to do? how do i boot into it? i know you need set it up so the BIOS boot into it, but i havent ever done it. do you know where i can follow some simple steps to set it up? thanks.

 

when i go to my computer and i select local disk E i get the screenshot below. i formatted it, so there shouldnt be anything there. how do i install XP on it? it's a primary partition. can i boot into it

 

hmmm

I would consider that screenshot to be less than encouraging...where is the info? Oh, wait, maybe I am just used to the view called "details".

I don't like to be the one to shoot down someones plans, just because i couldn't do it, but I dont think your plan will work...unless someone other than myself helps. I don't have a terrific memory for details.

You were on the right track to make the partion a primary partition, and you are correct there is another criterion. It must be bootable. I generally like to use partition commander, or partition magic, but i usually end up formatting again when I install the o/s. it seems to be important to use the default ntfs partion, and cluster size of 4kb.

i think, maybe, you could boot up with you xp installation disk, and choose install a totally new windows XP o/s. with only two partitions the installer might even suggest doing it on the empty partition, but I would not bet the farm on that. when it does suggest a partition, there is something odd about how you have to choose between them. As I recall it only gives you one suggested partition. when it suggests the wrong one you have to respond with something that sounds a lot like cancelling the installation...only, then it lists all (2) partitions. I am hoping that since you said you were installing an o/s the installer will be smart enough to make it bootable. since both your o/s's have the same file system ntfs-xp, you don't have to worry about hiding partitions. it should go ahead and install it, and let you choose which to boot up to.

i am not sure that you have to tangle with the BIOS. If you are able to boot to your installation cd, which i would predict you could, then the xp installer should handle that part. it was much worse before xp!

one problem, and someone else will know the details, is the blasted activation process. I hear its a nightmare. my situation is not as bad because I have both a restore disk and an xp intallation disk. and it seems to let me install as many times as I like.

Since it would be a nightmare to reformat and have xp tell me i have installed it too many times, i have a backup of my system on DVD. they cant take that away from me.

Good luck.

you know, maybe I gave up too easily. I have lots of extra room . I think you may be on to something. I could install sp2 on the new partition!

- HandsOff

 

thanks, HandsOff. this really isnt something i know anything about i was going to look for a boot manager, i did find one but it said i needed a FAT partition to boot from, i may try it. i'll try the CD and see what it says about the partitions. i thought, because i dont know anything about it, that i would be able to set it up with the BIOS to boot into it. well, i'll put the XP CD in tomorrow and see what happens. thanks.

 

do you have an xp install disc or are you useing recover disc's? A recover disc set can take up to six gigabytes where as an install disc will be between 1.5 and 2.5 gigs.

 

i have both CDs. i was going to use the install disc to try and boot into the new partition, does that sound OK?

 

If you have a very huge HD for example up to: 80GB 100GB 120/150GB you should have a whopping enormous amount of space to install XP.

 

Im building a compact flash kisok for my thesis. what is the BARE MINIMUM installation of XP i can put on it?

 

i think if you do it with a GB you are doing pretty well. I have heard people claim as low as 650-850mb but I am sure they must have removed much of the functionality.

deleting extra fonts, wall paper, screensavers, annoying system sound files, xp themes, the Windows Tour, document templates, old windows\dowload installations, all log files incld xp updates and xp uninstalls that you will never use, all .bak files...thats not to bad, but much more and subtracting features

oh wait, a huge one: disable system restore and restart to jettison restore points, right click mycomputer icon and while you are there deactivating restore, eliminate the memory dump files...


of course, the extremists have not weighed in yet!

-HandsOff

 

here's something which might help. it's still a beta though.
there is another program which does something similar, but i cant remember what it's called right now
http://nuhi.msfn.org/

http://images.six.betanews.com/screenshots/1087118197-1.scaled.jpg

 

iceni60

The other programme you mention is Autostreamer

http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html

I've tried both with success but with Autostreamer (at least on the version I used) you can't remove anything you don't want (messenger etc.)

 

the other program i was thinking of is XPlite. it looks like it's trialware though.
http://www.litepc.com/download.html

here's a review of it.
http://www.tweakhound.com/reviews/xplite/

 

It takes some tweakings but you can squeeze WXP Pro SP1 down to 650-700MB while maintaining ALMOST 100% functionality. You will need to disable windows file protection and system restore. I don't use these anyway cause I image the whole C primary partition.

 

And how do you disable file protection? Is there a way to disable it running in the normal start up mode? I mean, when you get the warning message tellying you that system files have been replaced by unrecognized versions, is there a way to tell it not to worry about it?

-HandsOff

 

Click on Start, Run type in regedit (Or regedt32) & hit Enter.
Open the following registry key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon].
In the right hand pane, Modify/Add a New DWORD Value Right click entitled SFCDisable.
Enter a value of ffffff9d (Hexadecimal) to disable WFP.
Reboot for the changes to take effect.
Delete all items in the DLLcache folder.


To restart WFP:

Click on Start, Run type in regedit (Or regedt32) & hit Enter.
Open the following registry key [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon].
In the right hand pane, Right click on SFCDisable & select Modify.
Enter a value of 0 to enable WFP.
Reboot for the changes to take effect.

After you re-enable WFP & have rebooted you should perform an SFC /SCANNOW to run the WFP & this will also re-cache Protected System files assuming you deleted the contents of the dllcache.

 

Thanks, one more XP trick revealed!

And also a handy excuse...Next time someone hits me up for money I am going to respond, "Can't help you. I've already deleted the contents of my dllcache folder!" Let them chew on that for a while!


- HandsOff