Reformating a hard drive

This sounds like an age old issue. However after searching, I still don't see any simple approach.

I have an XP system (sp 2) I want to wipe off of a hard drive. I see all sorts of suggestions such as rebooting with my XP (sp 1) boot CD while slipstreaming sp2??? wow

MS prevents me from simply reinstalling the XP sp1. I guess they know better than me what I want to do.

How about this? If I delete the registry of my current installation, (thus trash canning the old system) will the CD (with sp 1) allow me to reinstall the original system?

If that is not brute force enought, can I put a magnet on the hard drive to completely corrupt it so that I can reformt it.

I am not really into all the finesse stuff.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

You can't delete the Registry under normal circumstances without knowing some hot licks.

You won't have any problem installing from your old XP version if you will choose to delete the present partiton and create an new one, as is offered during the install. It's only when you try to install an older version over a newer one (repair install) that the trouble arises.

 

I have the original Windows XP (sp 1) CD. I've selected "Install ". The disk simply returns the message that it won't overwrite a new version of Windows XP (which is the sp 2 version).

I have even booted from the CD and then gone to a command prompt and typed "format C: ". How is that for a "blast from the past ". Access denied.

Should I get out my magnet?

I haven't yet tried to dig out a Westren Digit disk utility that might just reformat over top any operating system (if you tell it to). Suppose I'll try that next.

Thanks

Don

 

I didn't think about deleting the partition.

I'll try that

Thanks

Don