How to start from scratch with my HP?

[bcs350z]

i aquired a HP Pavillion m7350n desktop and have the recovery disk. I want to just start from scratch with it. How do i go about erasing everything and using the recovery disk to get windows and other main programs back on the computer? Thanks!

 

[James^.^]

Well when I use my xp sp2 pro disk I usually have to delete all the partitions then reformat the entire disk and then install the os.

 

[brian]

you can just put the pisk in, start the computer up. hit F12 of delete or esc key right as you turn the power on and then select the dvd drive and hit enter. then just follow the instructions and it should reformat and reinstall

 

[oscaryu1]

i aquired a HP Pavillion m7350n desktop and have the recovery disk. I want to just start from scratch with it. How do i go about erasing everything and using the recovery disk to get windows and other main programs back on the computer? Thanks!

Go to CMOS, boot priorities, make your CD/DVD drive 1st, Floppy 2nd, and HDD0 3rd. Pop in the Windows CD/DVD, and start afresh!

 

[double b26]

you can just put the pisk in, start the computer up. hit F12 of delete or esc key right as you turn the power on and then select the dvd drive and hit enter. then just follow the instructions and it should reformat and reinstall

ive done many computers with xp (including the one im on now ), and its very easy. just make sure to get all of your stuff off of the hdd before you start though!

here is an excellent article on how to clean-install xp. the real instructions start about half way down the page, but you may or may not find the stuff on the top half useful as well.

EDIT: you can start the process from windows with the disc i have (not sure if its the same with all). i just let the computer boot as usual, then put the disc in. a box pops up with a few options and i choose to reinstall.