Ok all you people 10x more brilliant than me, I need to know if I can do
this. I have xp home, downloaded beta 2, and I want to wipe out my existing
drive of everything. Now i know when you go through the set up it says at
one point ,move all files to a folder named old. computer or something like
that. Now in XP I use to just run the install disc at startup and boot from
it and then delete the existing partion and then create and new one and do
fresh install. Now the question is, can that be done in beta 2 without
moving files and folders into the new os. Thank you

Yes it can.
When the installation starts and it asks you where you want to install it,
it should show all your existing drives/partitions.

Simply click on teh 'advanced' button at it will take you to a screen that
will allow you to format or just delete the existing partitions.


"Smitty" <Smitty@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:37C4FDD3-9B59-4E20-91F6-BDA8952F21F9@microsoft.com...
> Ok all you people 10x more brilliant than me, I need to know if I can do
> this. I have xp home, downloaded beta 2, and I want to wipe out my
> existing
> drive of everything. Now i know when you go through the set up it says at
> one point ,move all files to a folder named old. computer or something
> like
> that. Now in XP I use to just run the install disc at startup and boot
> from
> it and then delete the existing partion and then create and new one and do
> fresh install. Now the question is, can that be done in beta 2 without
> moving files and folders into the new os. Thank you

Ok so i put back in the burnt beta dvd, let the menu pop up, clicked on the
install windows button. I then went through the setup of product key
verification and updates. I then clicked on the button "advanced" and it
brought me to the page where it showed my drive or partition for the matter.
Now is it at this screen that I can repation or delete the existing, b/c im
confused i guess about it. It says at the bottom "to change a partion or
delete it you must restart windows with the installation cd" Now does this
mean I need to boot from the burnt beta 2 dvd when i restart because i dont
think itll read it when i restart, or does it mean that i need to get the
windows xp installation cd and insert it. Ijust need some guidance through
this step. Thank you for you time. Smitty

"Smitty" wrote:

> Ok all you people 10x more brilliant than me, I need to know if I can do
> this. I have xp home, downloaded beta 2, and I want to wipe out my existing
> drive of everything. Now i know when you go through the set up it says at
> one point ,move all files to a folder named old. computer or something like
> that. Now in XP I use to just run the install disc at startup and boot from
> it and then delete the existing partion and then create and new one and do
> fresh install. Now the question is, can that be done in beta 2 without
> moving files and folders into the new os. Thank you

You need to start with the Vista DVD in the drive, and boot directly from it.
The reason for this is that you CANNOT delete or format a drive while it is
in use. When you are booted from the DVD, go into the same advanced options,
and delete the partition, not format. The when it shows unallocated space,
create a partition, and install vista to that.


"Smitty" wrote:

> Ok so i put back in the burnt beta dvd, let the menu pop up, clicked on the
> install windows button. I then went through the setup of product key
> verification and updates. I then clicked on the button "advanced" and it
> brought me to the page where it showed my drive or partition for the matter.
> Now is it at this screen that I can repation or delete the existing, b/c im
> confused i guess about it. It says at the bottom "to change a partion or
> delete it you must restart windows with the installation cd" Now does this
> mean I need to boot from the burnt beta 2 dvd when i restart because i dont
> think itll read it when i restart, or does it mean that i need to get the
> windows xp installation cd and insert it. Ijust need some guidance through
> this step. Thank you for you time. Smitty
>
> "Smitty" wrote:
>
> > Ok all you people 10x more brilliant than me, I need to know if I can do
> > this. I have xp home, downloaded beta 2, and I want to wipe out my existing
> > drive of everything. Now i know when you go through the set up it says at
> > one point ,move all files to a folder named old. computer or something like
> > that. Now in XP I use to just run the install disc at startup and boot from
> > it and then delete the existing partion and then create and new one and do
> > fresh install. Now the question is, can that be done in beta 2 without
> > moving files and folders into the new os. Thank you