HP Compaq nw9440 - Clean Installation

Howto install a clean copy of Windows XP on a HP Compaq nw9440.

1. Backup all Data
2. Boot from Recovery Disk 1 - press F to Format everything.

The Laptop will now be reverted back to factory defaults, with a working Windows installation. This process runs for about an hour.

1. Login with Administrator Password: admin
2. Control Panel: User Accounts: Change the way users log on and off: Unselect 'Use the Welcome screen'
3. Right click on 'My Computer' → Manage: Local Users and Groups / Users: Create your own new user and add yourself to 'Administrators' group.
4. Change password of Administrator user (right click → Set Password) VERY IMPORTANT!! If you neglect this step the odds of getting hacked are at 100%. Also, pick a very strong password and write it down somewhere. Don't loose/forget this password EVER.
5. Reboot
6. Login via new user (only use this user from now on)
7. Right click on Task bar: Properties / Start Menu: [x] Classic Start Menu, OK.
8. (optional) Right click on Desktop → Properties: Theme: Windows Classic, OK.

1. Control Panel: Add/Remove Software
2. Uninstall everything except:

• HDAUDIO Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP
• HP Integrated Module with BLuetooth wireless technology (remove if you neither use Wireless nor Bluetooth)
• HP Performance Tuning Framework (might be safe to uninstall aswell ?)
• HP Quick Launch Buttons
• HP Wireless Assistant (remove if you neither use Wireless nor Bluetooth)
• Microsoft …. (several entries)
• MXSML …. (several entries)
• NVIDIA Drivers
• SoundMAX
• Synaptics Pointing Device Driver
• Texas Instruments PCIxx21/x515/xx12 drivers.
• Windows …. (several entries)

There will be several “reboot now?” prompts, answer all with No and reboot once your fully done.

1. Click Add/Remove Windows Components, unselect MSN Explorer and Windows Messenger, then hit Next.
2. Control Panel: Regional and Language Options / Languages → Details: Remove US Keyboard
3. Control Panel: Regional and Language Options / Languages: [x] Install files for East Asian Languages
4. Reboot
5. Launch Windows Update - install all updates (4-5 reboots)
6. Install AntiVirus program (e.g. NOD32, Kasperky)
7. Reboot
8. Install MS Office, launch Word, accept EULA and run Live Update again
9. Recommended packages to install
   • 7zip [freeware]
   • AC3Filter [freeware]
   • ACDSee [commercial]
   • AD-Aware Free [freeware]
   • CCleaner [freeware] (do NOT install the toolbars)
   • Comodo Firewall [freeware]
   • Defraggler [freeware] (or Diskeeper 10 Pro Premier [commercial] if you're serious)
   • DivX Codec [freeware] (do not install anything except the codec)
   • iColor Folder [freeware]
   • iTunes [freeware] (or Foobar2000 [freeware] if you're serious)
   • Media Player Classic [freeware]
   • Mozilla Firefox [freeware]
   • Nero [commercial]
   • Recuva [freeware]
   • Skype [freeware]
   • Tweak UI [freeware]
   • VideoLAN VLC [freeware]
   • Winamp [freeware] (or Foobar2000 [freeware] if you're serious)
   • Winzip [commercial]

• View:

• Tools / Folder Options / General:

[x] Use Windows classic folders

• Tools / Folder Options / View:

• Control Panel: Power Options

• Taskbar:

• http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/OptimizeXP.html
• http://filehippo.com/
• http://free-codes.com/