Installation procedures always say "Before installing, close down running programs". This is good advice but how do you do it? Click on, and close any programs parked (minimised) on the task bar at the bottom of your screen. Then in the Notification area (the little tray full of icons at the right hand end of the task bar), click, or right click, or double click each icon and then click the word Exit or Close or Disable (some will not allow you to, so ignore them). After the installation and a restart, the closed programs will be automatically restarted. A screen saver should also be temporarily closed down before installing anything. Go to Start-->Control Panel-->Display-->Screen Saver and select None. After you have installed the new software use the same procedure to restore the screen saver.
Some times during the installation you will be asked to put a previously installed CD into the drive. This could be a Windows Operating System disk or the CD for an earlier version of the program you are loading.
If during an installation you are asked if you would like automatic updates, say yes. If the manufacturer develops a better driver or improved software, these will be automatically downloaded into your computer when you are on the internet.
Be very patient when installing new software, sometimes it will appear to be stuck. When this happens go and make a cup of tea, it is not stuck it is simply examining your computer in detail or loading files. Never interrupt an installation, this can cause very real problems which can be difficult to solve.
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Some installations require that you load the software before connecting the equipment to the computer. Some require the opposite.
Some installations require one or more Restarts during the installation process. These restarts are usually automatic and are triggered by clicking a button on the installation screen.
If nothing happens when you insert the installation CD, don't be hasty. Some installation CDs take awhile to rev up and load. If after a long time nothing happens, then click Start-->Run then type setup.exe and click OK. If it can't find a file called setup.exe then read the instructions which came with the kit to see what the correct file name is.
Installing Windows components.
Start-->Control panel. Double click the Add/Remove Programs
icon.
Click Add/Remove Windows Components.
You will be presented with a confusing list of components and even more confusing
instructions. This is what they all mean:-
Ticked boxes relate to already installed components.
An empty box means that the component is not installed.
A grey box means that some bits of the component are installed but not all
of them.
In this case, to see which bits are installed, double click the component.
To install a Windows component click the empty box alongside its name.
Do not tick or un-tick any other boxes.
Click the Next button.
Windows will add the component to your hard drive (you may be asked to insert the
Windows XP installation disk)