format c: drive and reload windows xp

[jim]

I am having serious problems with windows xp(home edition)
probibly of my own making. I need to reformat my c: drive
and reload windows xp. However, the only full version
of windows I have is windows 95. all other versions
of windows 98 and windows xp(home edition ) are upgrades.
I need to know how to reformat my C: drive so I will
not lose access to my cd rom and 31/2 inch floppy drive
when I reload windows 95. I will then reload windows 98
and windows xp(home edition).

any help you can give me will be appreciated;

thanks;
jim

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP Windows Shell/User\)]

If Windows XP Home Edition you can install it clean without installing any
previous version. First, be sure your system is set to boot from the CD Rom
drive. When you boot your system, the first screen usually contains a
message to depress a specific key if you wish to enter setup, do so.

Once inside, navigate to the boot sequence and place the CD-ROM drive first
in line. Place the XP CD in the drive, save and exit setup, if an OS is
already installed on your system, a few screens into the boot process, you
should see a message to press any key if you wish to boot from the CD and
about 10 seconds in which to do it. ***NOTE: because this is an upgrade, at
some point during setup you will be asked for proof of a previous operating
system, place one of the CDs containing a previous OS in the drive and
follow the instructions at that screen.

After loading drivers and files, you should be taken to a screen with
the following:

To Setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
To Repair a Windows XP Installation using Recovery Console press R.
To Quit setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

In your case, press ENTER.

Agree to the License agreement by pressing F8.

You will then be taken to a screen with two options.

To repair the selected Windows XP installation press R.
To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing,
press ESC.

This will bring you to a partition map where you
can delete, create and format partitions.
Select the drive you wish to format, delete the partition, then create a new
partition, format as desired and continue with XP installation.