Clean install XP pro problem

[steelman]

I hope you'll excuse me for a dumb question but I'm new to this board. I want to do a clean install of XP pro (I have the corp version) but the problem is that my XP pro cd is not bootable and won't install in dos mode, I basically have to have Win98 or 2000 already installed and up and running. It does give me a clean install option but I'd end up with a dual boot system which I don't want. I simply want to start with a freshly formatted HD and install XP from the start rather than waste my time installing 98 then do it all over again with XP. I have read in the past that there is a way to install XP pro in dos mode using a 98 cd to boot the comp in dos but I can't find that info now. Can any of you help?

[Tobin]

This may help

XP Pro Boot Disk

[steelman]

PERFECT!! thanks a bunch for the tip but I'm curious about 1 more thing. The instructions require that I copy the files onto 6 floppy disks, set my bios to boot from the floppy drive and go from there. This is no big deal but my collection of floppy disks are old and getting unreliable so I was wondering if these start up or boot files can be burned onto a CD and use the CD as the boot disk rather than using 6 floppys? Like I said it's no big deal because I can always get some new floppys it's just that I'd prefer using a CD if possible.

[Grendel]

Sorry, that is not possiable.

What those boot disks do is get you to a point where you can go into the Recovery Console, or install Windows; I don;t think the disk you have can be used to install XP this way either.

You can do what you want with the disk you have.

Chose the Clean install, and it will not make your system duel booting.

During the setup, there will be a choice for Advanced, hit that button, and in there will be a box to check to chose the partition you want to install on, and should be able to format. Also make sure the box to read all the setup files from the CD is checked.

OR, boot into DOS with CD-Rom support. Then load smartdrv from the floppy; you may have to get that file first from 98 or ME; then go to the drive with the XP disk in it and go into the i386 directory on the disk and type winnt

That will start the setup, yo may also need a 98, me, NT, or 2000 disk to do this; I am not sure how the corportate version looks for previous versions.

[steelman]

Just checking if I logged in correctly.

[steelman]

OK guys here's what happened. The problem that started this wild goose chase of mine was that my comp kept rebooting over and over again, sometimes after a few minutes after starting other times after a few hours, I assumed it was a software glitch but reinstalling XP pro as an update or clean install had no effect. The problem had nothing to do with software, it turned out to be that my slot A processor heatsink was so filthy it's cooling fan was hardly working causing the cpu to overheat making the system reboot over and over again. Now that I have a clean heatsink and all my comps cooling fans are working properly, my comp is running smoothly again. Thanks go to Tobin and Grendel for your efforts to help.