reformating my computer

[BlackMageVivi]

How do i reformat it? Like clean everything off my hard drive and things then make a new clean start. Do i have to buy a copy of the windows xp pro software or can i make it somehow?

[GSDragoon]

In the Windows XP setup, when you boot from it, you can mess with partitions and do all the formatting in there. If your computer came with XP installed you either have to have a CD they gave you or use the restore CD. Hopefully you have one.

[Doppelganger]

if you have an old version of windows and want to install xp, you need to buy upgrade pack (about 100 bucks cheaper than normal one), then choose to reformat during install (you can also choose to install ontop of old windows offering a way so you don't have to delete all on hdd, though old windows image is about 1.4gb, so don't do it on small hdd).

if you already have xp, and you got your computer through an OEM, they always supply a reinstall disk with your version of xp (home/pro/media/tablet). just pop it in there and choose reinstall, then choose to reformat disk(s) (here you can add partitions of any size you want, and you can choose the format type, for drives larger than 32gb, NTFS is a must. for hdd under 32, FAT32 usually works better (under 16gb, choose FAT32 cuz its easier)


whatever you do:
DON'T DELETE EVERY FILE ON YOUR HDD BEFORE REFORMAT, it wastes time to delete them beforehand, and if you delete something needed to reinstall, you will have to reformat the old fasion way....