Clean install of XP

[Giles]

I want to install Windows-XP on a clean HD. Windows-XP setup will not run in dos mode. How do you get a clean install on a HD without running Windows (whatever version) in order to start the setup program. I'm disconnecting my C drive and switching my backup drive (now clean) to C. I don't want XP to mess with my original HD with all my data thus it is disconnected. The setup will not run with any of the windows boot disks (they all turn on the cd, no problem there). I could install Win98 on the clean drive and run it and then install XP but it won't be a completely clean installation. Any suggestions.

 

[coolVariable]

The CD is bootable!
And if you downloaded it from the MS site look for the tool that makes the WinXP Bootdisks.

 

[Nevo]

If booting to dos, you should be able to run winn.exe to install XP.

I think.

 

[Rudee]

Format the drive, then with a bootable floopy boot to your A:. Run X:\I386\winnt.exe with "X" being your CDROM. The whole process will go much quicker if you run Smartdrv from your floppy ahead of time.

 

[HYD]

Just boot from your cd. It has a option for "fast format" excellent options, takes like few seconds to format your whole HDD and then follow the instructions!

 

[Giles]

Got it. Thanks for the help. It's amazing the amount of data that XP puts in the win98 directory when it installs along with setting aside about 100Megs of space for disk undoo programs. Windows is getting worserer every time a new one comes out, but, there isn't anything else. We're all playing monopoly. Thanks again.