Clean/Reformat Install

[Phreddy]

Hi:

I have some corrupted windows xp files and it appears my only option at this point is for a clean install (repair install did not fix my problem). I have my boot XP disk

How do I go about wiping the hard drive of everything and doing a clean install. I load up the xp boot cd, got to the option to install or go to the repair console, selected windows set-up, got to the option to continue with clean install or repair install, I selected clean install, got to a screen that showed my one partition and asked me if I wanted to delete the partition or continue to install xp on the existing partition. Here is where I am stuck. When I continued on the existing partition, I got a prompt that said that installing two instances of XP on the same partition is not recommended. Did I choose the wrong option? I want to wipe the hard drive clean and install... not install a second instance of XP.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Since I'm a newbie, step by step instructions would be a huge help

Many thanks

[quickoldcar]

If don't care about anything on the drive then select the current xp partition as you did.

Ignore the message, It will format the harddrive in later step.

I always pick "quick format NTFS"

[Phreddy]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was reading a couple of things and somebody said to delete the partition which will essentially format the hard drive. Does that make sense to you?

[akaBruno]

Just let Window walk you through it. Just format the C: drive. XP will do it for you.

[Atomic Rooster]

When it gets to the part where it asks to delete the partition or continue to install XP on the existing partition, select delete the partition. You will then be prompted to create a new partition and then you will format it. After formatting, you will then setup XP on the newly formatted partition.