Wipe and Reinstall windows xp pro

Irish Gunner

ok I want to wipe my pc as registry is all over the place

Backed up files onto external hard drive

Clicked on install windows xp so I could re-install and it came up with
Setup cannot continue because the version of Windows on your computer is newer than the version on the CD.

Warning: If you decide to delete the newer version of Windows that is currently installed on your computer, the files and settings cannot be recovered

does not give me option to format / wipe even when I re-boot

So how can I wipe it and then reinstall cheers

optiplexgx270

boot from the winxp disc

SirLemonhead

You shouldn't be doing it from within Windows. Reboot the pc with the XP disc in and check for a message like "press key to boot from cd" during the boot process. If that appears, press a key and the Windows installer will load up and you can reformat from that. You're getting the newer version message from within windows I presume because of any service packs you installed that wont be present on the disc.

If you dont get the boot from cd message, then you'll need to go into the BIOS and make sure that CD ROM is present on the list of bootable devices. You'll usually see it as something like HARD DRIVE then FLOPPY. You'll want the CD ROM to be on that list too, preferably the first item.

Mr. Presentable

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/898594/

and they say Microsoft have no sense of humour.......

Irish Gunner

MasterOfSolos wrote:

You shouldn't be doing it from within Windows. Reboot the pc with the XP disc in and check for a message like "press key to boot from cd" during the boot process. If that appears, press a key and the Windows installer will load up and you can reformat from that. You're getting the newer version message from within windows I presume because of any service packs you installed that wont be present on the disc.

If you dont get the boot from cd message, then you'll need to go into the BIOS and make sure that CD ROM is present on the list of bootable devices. You'll usually see it as something like HARD DRIVE then FLOPPY. You'll want the CD ROM to be on that list too, preferably the first item.

Will try this but bit of a noobie so how do I go into the BIOS and check ?

cheers

_Turismo4

cheers[/QUOTE]

Irish Gunner wrote:

Will try this but bit of a noobie so how do I go into the BIOS and check ?

Reinstalling Windows xp
cheers

Option 1/
Ok shutdown your pc and then restart it, as it boots up, tap F8 or F11, this will bring you to the WINDOWS ADVANCED OPYIONS MENU.
place in WinCD in and select boot c drive. or you can do it this way,
Shutdown your pc and then restart it again, as it boots up, tap F12
this will bring you to the boot sequence, at the top of the list you should see INTERNAL HDD, and under that CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive’s , now move the CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive to the top of the list (BUT DON’T PRESS ENTER YET) Now place the Reinstalling disk in the drive, and now you can press Enter.

This Will Reinstall Windows correctly. Now during the Reinstall you will be asked to select the free space, FAT or NTFS, make sure you select NTFS. And install a fresh copy erasing all perverse files. (back up your files prier)

I recommend you back up what you want to keep on CD Rom or Memory Key.

RobertFoster

If you want to completely wipe the HDD, I suggest Boot and Nuke.

SirLemonhead

Irish Gunner wrote:

Will try this but bit of a noobie so how do I go into the BIOS and check ?

cheers

Erm it should say as you boot up "Press such and such a key to enter setup/BIOS"

Generally it's F1 or Delete.