need to reformat my hard drive......

[Ellen]

I need to reformat my hard drive after some problems with
viruss. I am running windows XP home, but it was
installed as an upgrade from windowsME. Do I use the
windowsXP boot disks, and will it then ask for my windows
ME cd? or do I need to start from scratch with windows ME
boot disks and then redo the upgrade? There doesn't seem
to be any information on this on either the windows or the
dell website. Thanks for any help!

Ellen

[Kent W. England [MVP]]

Of course you know you will lose all your data if you reformat during a
reinstall. If you know what the virus is, you can search the web for
detailed removal instructions and free virus-specific tools to remove
the virus and repair the damage.

If your ME disks are fully capable (ie, retail functionality) and not
simple recovery CDs, then you can boot the XP CD, start a new
installation and the installer will ask you to insert the qualifying ME
CD during the install. If the XP installer refuses your OEM ME CD, then
you will have to install ME and upgrade to XP, as you did before.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows



"Ellen" > wrote in
message ...

> I need to reformat my hard drive after some problems with
> viruss. I am running windows XP home, but it was
> installed as an upgrade from windowsME. Do I use the
> windowsXP boot disks, and will it then ask for my windows
> ME cd? or do I need to start from scratch with windows ME
> boot disks and then redo the upgrade? There doesn't seem
> to be any information on this on either the windows or the
> dell website. Thanks for any help!
>
> Ellen