Uninstall XP Home

[stymie222]

I am trying to uninstall XP Home and do a clean install. I inserted my XP CD and reinstalled[ I tcould not find uninstall on CD] and Windows was installed to another drive even though I selected C-Drive, [keeping files]. I cant find Windows in the add remove programs menu now. How can I uninstall and reinstall XP Home ?

[Statica]

Firstly, an OS can't usually just be "uninstalled". The best way to do it is to replace it with another OS or be a fresh installation of the same OS. I'm guessing you wanted to do the latter. Please provide us more information:
a) Maybe why you were trying to do a fresh installation? I'm trying to find out whether a repair installation would've been just as OK for your situation.
b) When you say "keeping files" are you trying to keep your data like documents, music etc? Remember that the fresh installation of XP will require a reinstallation of all your old programs that didn't come with XP (like Office etc).
c) Tell us what's going on when you boot? Do you have a menu of choices that ask you to select between 2 versions of XP home?
d) Where was your old version of XP home installed? (for example C:\Windows) and where is your new version of Windows installed? You mentioned different drive .. so is it something like D:\Windows?

[stymie222]

Thanks for your reply. I only have a few choices on the CD- None of which is Repair or uninstall. I selected install and selected C-Drive but XP wound up on my D Drive. My Movies and other files are now on C Drive. Since most programs install on C Drive I would like to have windows on C Drive. It did save my files. I know I have to reinstall programs

[Cricket]

Do you have more than 1 hard drive in the computer? If you do, I would highly recommend that you disconnect the hard drive you don't want Windows to install to. Also, make sure that all your personal files are not on the hard drive you plan to install Windows to.

Cricket

[stymie222]

I have never been to a site that gives such prompt replies and great info. Thanks to all of you that take the time to help us idiots

[Cricket]

If you have more than 1 hard drive and want to "clear" one out prior to installing Windows, you can "zero-fill" the hard drive with DBan or KillDisk...that will put the hard drive in the same state as it was when brand new. Then you can install Windows to a "clean" hard drive.

Cricket

[stymie222]

Do I uninstall/delete the windows installation from the other hard drive after I plug it back in ?

[Cricket]

This is what I would do...disconnect the hard drive with your personal data on it. Zero-fill the hard drive you want to install Windows on. Install Windows. Connect the other hard drive and then move all your personal data to the hard drive you just installed Windows on (temporarily). Once you're sure all your data is off the second hard drive, you can go into Disk Management and format all partitions on the second hard drive. Once you've done that, all the partitions will be blank and you can then move all your data back to the second hard drive.

Just so you know, having Windows on the second hard drive won't harm anything, but it does take up space. You could leave it as is if you wanted to.

Cricket

[stymie222]

A very big Thanks Again for your info and time.