I need to permantly delete everything off of my HDD.
I have Windows XP on a Pentium 3 computer. I would like to
remove all of the contents of the HDD, and start all over
from scratch. If you know how this is done, please email
me at: (E-Mail Removed)

Here is what you do, first do you have the original xp cd? (I:E) not a
burned copy?) If you do, have your computer boot to disk (first you have to
put the cd in) restart the computer with the cd in it and follow the
bouncing ball I:E new install, do you want xp to format this drive, click
yes. If you do not have the original cd, then you need to start up using the
start up floppies, if you do not have the floppies then you can download
them from Microsoft but be aware there are two types for xp pro, xp pro
without a service pack or xp pro with SP1a. Start up disks for straight xp
pro will not work on a machine with xp pro SP1a. A good place to get the
boot disks and other information is http://www.bootdisk.com that's where I
got my disks.
The other alternative and more complicated is to use F-disk from the dos
prompt, if you know how to boot to the dos prompt you can format from there
at the command line you would type in (it should read A://, or similar) C:
"hit enter" then it should show C:, at this point you can start type in:
oformat C: or type in format c:
(the screen should look like this C:// oformat C no parentheses. Pretty
much follow the bouncing ball from there allow large disk, enter a volume
name when prompted at the end. Reboot the machine again to dos prompt, enter
fdisk (again), click yes then click #4 to see your partition(s) make sure #1
is active, you may have to create a dos partition this is when you do that
and again make sure it is active. Reboot with your cd in the drive and
reinstall. Remember you will LOOSE all information on the disk. Good Luck

The Windows XP CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows XP to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing XP.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows XP CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows XP.

5. Clean Install Windows XP
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. ** Immediately after installing Windows XP, turn on XP's Firewall **
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

7. After Windows XP is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates".

8. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows XP compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

9. If you happen to run into any installation difficulties, use the following resources:

How to Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;310064

Troubleshooting Windows XP Setup
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_setup.htm

[Courtesy of MS-MVP Kelly Theriot]

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr. Connell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message:
news:06ea01c3d786$b1f181d0$(E-Mail Removed)...
|
| I need to permantly delete everything off of my HDD.
| I have Windows XP on a Pentium 3 computer. I would like to
| remove all of the contents of the HDD, and start all over
| from scratch. If you know how this is done, please email
| me at: (E-Mail Removed)

Greetings --

Simply boot from the WinXP installation CD and pay careful
attention to the on-screen instructions and prompts. You'll be
offered the opportunity to delete, create, and format partitions as
part of the installation process.

HOW TO Install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default...B;en-us;316941

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm


Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH


"Mr. Connell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:06ea01c3d786$b1f181d0$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I need to permantly delete everything off of my HDD.
> I have Windows XP on a Pentium 3 computer. I would like to
> remove all of the contents of the HDD, and start all over
> from scratch. If you know how this is done, please email
> me at: (E-Mail Removed)

Mr. Connell wrote:

> I need to permantly delete everything off of my HDD.
>I have Windows XP on a Pentium 3 computer. I would like to
>remove all of the contents of the HDD, and start all over
>from scratch.

You do it as part of a reinstall of the system after booting the XP CD
direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New Install.
When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete the
current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next
stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one


If you want to install some other system, then you probably delete the
XP partition during that install - or in the above, bail out once the
old partition is deleted


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (E-Mail Removed) (remove the D8 bit)