Do You Really Want to format the Hard Drive?
Be forewarned, formatting a hard drive much different than formatting a Word document. The format will erase * everything * on the disk (the operating system) your programs and files, and you do not even let you boot your PC. About the only thing you do is install with a freshly formatted drive, an operating system from CD-ROM.
I know ... that is exactly what you said youwanted to do. But that * can * a little drastic. After restarting install of Windows XP, you must re all patches and updates from Microsoft, then install all the software packages that you previously. It can take many hours to download just the Windows Update files.
I guess you think about this step because your PC has been infected by a bundle deal of spyware and / or viruses, and is now sluggish and flaky. But before you go all samurai on your hard drive, Irecommend you all the steps in my Make Windows Run Faster! Article. It is my special recipe for the sticky mass of tubes of your computer clean, so Windows will start to run faster more reliable and faster on the info highway.
If you really want to format your hard drive ...
You can not ... at least not if you run Windows. You need to boot from the Windows XP installation CD, because you are not on the drive on the formatWindows is running. But first you will probably want to your hard drive, or at least a part of it. For help, see the Back up your files and the various options for securing your personal files.
Okay, back to format ... when you install the hard drive to boot, you will see a message asking if you want to repair your existing installtion. You do not, press ESC to bypass the Repair option on.
Select the partition is now installed with Windows, then press the Ddelete. Press L to confirm to delete. Okay, it's time to create and format a new partition. Select the unpartitioned space and press C to create a new partition. Allot the maximum amount of space available, press the Enter key.
Now select the partition that you created now, and format it. Choose the NTFS option, go for the "quick format" then sit and wait. If the new partition is formatted, you are ready to re (-) installation of Windows. Do not forget to reinstall yourTo ensure anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and be careful to Windows Update as soon as possible that you have all the latest security updates have to visit.