When to format hard drive when installing new motherboard?

[WAZ]

I've read several opinions on whether to format or not, so that's not the advice I need. I am going to format for my new motherboard no matter what (I haven't done it since May or June anyway, so it's about damn time ). So what I need to know is WHEN to format and install everything. I'm guessing common sense already tells me the answer, but I've never done this before, so I don't want to fudge anything up. Here's my guess...

restart to DOS,
format C:
then shut it off, unplug it all,
take out all my old crap,
install my new motherboard, cpu, cards, power supply, etc
then start it up,
setup the BIOS,
then restart it with the Win98 Startup Disk in and go about re-installing Windows, drivers, etc

I just want to know if that's the right order. Do I need to install Windows before anything? Those are the kinds of questions i have. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks a lot..
WAZ

 

[vm]

This is what I did

format, uninstall old hardware, install the new mobo/processor, boot up and install your OS.

worked fine

If you wanna install the new mobo without formatting, be rdy to back your data up bc unless you really know how to do it you'll get an error msg when booting in and u'll lose everything =/

 

[NCGoldwinger]

WAZ,

When I do a clean install I have made it a point to do one thing which saves me a lot of time later down the road. If you have the room to spare (121 MB) on your hard drive, after your format, make a directory called WIN98 and copy the contents of the WIN98 folder on the CD to the folder on the hard drive. Remove your CD and start your Windows install from inside the WIN98 folder on the hard drive. That way, later on, if you install something that requires a file from the WIN98 CD it will automatically go get it from the hard drive folder rather than you having to hunt down the CD everytime.

Rick