[victoria_v23]

My friend recently got a computer that has been handed down to him and it is in bad shape. He said he doesn't want to save anything that's on there and there are so many programs and files on it. The computer has a Pentium III and I believe it is partitioned and he has Windows XP. Apparently there was a Windows 98 on there at sometime too and it was never completely uninstalled. When I start up the computer, it gives me the choice to select Windows XP Home or Windows. When I click on the option that just says Windows, it has a Windows 98 splash screen and then takes me to a C prompt and that's it. I know very very little about computers and need help to erase everything. The computer is so slow that just to get the desktop to come up is at least five minutes and when I went to Add/Remove programs, it takes about 20 minutes for the programs to come up or it just freezes. He can't afford to get a new computer and I have a Windows XP disk I can use and would just like to start from a clean slate on his computer. Is this possible? I just want to erase EVERYTHING, but am scared I will erase DOS or BIOS or something really important. Please help me, I don't know where to start! Thanks in advance.

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Boot from the XP setup cd he has and just follow the instructions. It will ask you along the way (during the blue screen section) if you would like to partition some space or install on one of the existing partitions. It will show you at the bottom the partitions. Now you can also delete all the partitions here. Do that. Delete them and then create one to install on. You can tell the computer you want the whole drive to be one partition or you can make a smaller one and then create others after windows has been installed.

-=jonnyrotten=-

[-=jonnyrotten=-]

Boot from the XP setup cd he has and just follow the instructions. It will ask you along the way (during the blue screen section) if you would like to partition some space or install on one of the existing partitions. It will show you at the bottom the partitions. Now you can also delete all the partitions here. Do that. Delete them and then create one to install on. You can tell the computer you want the whole drive to be one partition or you can make a smaller one and then create others after windows has been installed.

-=jonnyrotten=-

[victoria_v23]

I will try what you recommended to reinstall Windows and reformat the hard drive, but before I do....he also has an external TDK CD burner and no longer has the installation disk. Is there a way I can install the CD burner after I reformat the hard drive without that disk? Thanks!

[-=jonnyrotten=-]

You should have no problems finding the drivers for download on the manufacturer's website. They always give free downloads for hardware drivers. If you cannot find them at that point, let me know and I will help you. Also try http://www.driverguide.com

-=jonnyrotten=-

[victoria_v23]

Thanks jonnyrotten, you've been a big help!

[-=jonnyrotten=-]

Good luck! Come back for help if you need to

-=jonnyrotten=-