Re-Installing XP/home. Need advice.

[Wildnites]

I am clean reinstalling WinXP/home for the 1st time. It is a 60gig HD, partitioned of course. XP will be reinstalled on C:. I have all my software, drivers and have backed up all the email, files, pics, necessaries, etc. I have a cable modem internet connection with a Belkin wireless router for an internet connection share with one other individual in my house.

My questions are:

What should I install first after the initial XP reinstall? NIC driver? NortonAV? Mobo drivers? What would you do? What sequence of driver installation would be correct?
What is the best sequence of steps to take to reinstall all this stuff?
I'm not even sure what will happen during the reinstall because I've never actually *RE*installed XP. Basically I installed it feb. '02 and it's been running ever since with very few problems (until recently).

What should I look for? Will XP setup notify me of any changes to my system I have made over the last 3 years?

Any advice I get before this undertaking would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

I know I'm gonna have to re-setup the cable modem and do all that ip stuff.

[macko72]

I would first install mobo drivers, then AV and antispyware, then NIC then updates and from there whatever progam I may have for : e-mail, games etc....

And about how to do it visit this page: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html and read thru!!!

[Ob1]

i would install mobo drivers, nic, download and install the lastest drivers for all of your components if u can find them otherwise resort to the cd that came with your components, then download and install all windows updates, then norton AV (i use AVG, doesnt use as much system resources as norton), then any antispyware programs that use, then install any programs that u would like to have on your pc.

if you have residential service with your cable modem, then your ip address will be assigned automatically, and when you install your nic drivers it will set the nic to obtain ip address automatically. if your connecting to your modem via usb cable, then u r gonna have to install the usb drivers after installing the mobo drivers

[macko72]

I disagree with Ob1: if you go on line(never mind downloading) your system will be infected in mater of seconds not minutes it's important to have protection before you go on line maybe to download SP2 for XP network install and burn it on CD and have it ready to install or do slipstream with original windows install!!!

SP2 download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[Ob1]

i was assuming that wildnites xp cd already had service pack 2 installed, and the firewall turned on. if he doesnt have service pack 2 or some other firewall turned on before he connects to his pc to the internet then yes, his pc couldl get infected in a matter of seconds. sorry about that, my xp cd has it slipstreamed in just figured everybody had the same thing. my bad . good call macko72