Re-installing Windows XP

[wazzalox]

Started getting problems with my desktop - images in emails shown as blank boxes - when logging off having to "end now" on some process or other - plenty of other stuff.
Thought I'd start from scratch and re-install XP. Wouldn't do it as it said I already had XP. Removing XP is not an option in Control Panel.
Thought I'd do a quick format. Wouldn't do it for some unknown reason.
Thinking now of a full format of the C: drive then starting up from the XP CD and re-installing from scratch
How long should it take to format a 500gb Dell C: drive?
Should I do the full format from within Windows or go to the C: prompt?
Or even boot up from the CD and do it from there?
Any pitfalls to be wary of?

 

[tremmor]

Yes. full format. maybe 1hr.
get er done or occurrences may still be there then you will do it again.
full format.

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

-Back up all your important data first!!!
-Boot from the Microsoft Windows XP CD-ROM disk and delete ALL the partitions...
-Now select the UNPARTITIONED SPACE and click the ENTER button on your keyboard...
-Select the option called "Format the partition using the NTFS file system".DO NOT SELECT THE "Quick" ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TIP: HDD = hard disk drive
Well as for the formatting speed,it depends on the spinning speed of your HDD plate.Some of them spin 5200 times per minute,some 7200 and some even more or less.It also depends on the HDD type and the number of the HDD sectors...




Cheers!