Reformatting hard drive

[Misha]

I need to re-format my hard drive. I am running Vista Home Premium and have
the OEM VD. How do I do this?
Thanks

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I need to re-format my hard drive.

Why? How do you know that you "need" to do this? Most people don't and
it's almost always a mistake.

I am running Vista Home Premium and have
the OEM VD. How do I do this?

VD? I hope not. If you have VD, I recommend contacting your doctor.
;-)

But if you mean the CD, read on:

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if
necessary to accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean
installation (delete the existing partition by pressing "D" when
prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_install_windows_xp.htm

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

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

 

[Misha]

Thank you for your reply. I would have thought that you could recognise a
typing error where I typed VD instead of DVD.
I wish to reinstall Vista, not XP, so why should I use an XP CD?
Is there a website which gives instructions for Vista? The reference you
have cited all seem to be for XP. If the procedure is the same, fine, but I
need to be sure.
Thanks again

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you for your reply. I would have thought that you could recognise a
typing error where I typed VD instead of DVD.

I did, of course. That's why I added the smiley, ;-)

I wish to reinstall Vista, not XP, so why should I use an XP CD?
Is there a website which gives instructions for Vista? The reference you
have cited all seem to be for XP. If the procedure is the same, fine, but I
need to be sure.

It's essentially the same.

 

[John Barnett MVP]

Here are the illustrated instructions from my website for installing Vista:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/install_windows_vista.htm

As Mike say the procedure is basically the same, it is just the screenshots
that look different. For creating/deleting etc a drive/partition you need to
click on Drive options (Advanced) see the screenshot just above step 14 in
the list of instructions on my website

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[Misha]

Thank you

Here are the illustrated instructions from my website for installing Vista:
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/install_windows_vista.htm

As Mike say the procedure is basically the same, it is just the screenshots
that look different. For creating/deleting etc a drive/partition you need to
click on Drive options (Advanced) see the screenshot just above step 14 in
the list of instructions on my website

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

 

[John Barnett MVP]

You're Welcome

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail/post is supplied "as is". No warranty of any
kind, either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail/post. The Author shall not be liable for
any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the
use of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this
mail/post..

Thank you