It depends on what type or re-install type of disk it is (MS or OEM?)
and what they built-in to the disk.  SOme of the older OEM ones (from
the large OEMs, liked to wipe out everything...

Side Note: Even MS has been known to do this on occassion...
At the Intel R2R road show, I got a disk that was a beta of Vista,
and the warning was -- it would automatically format your HD!!!

                                            Rick Glazier

From: "Diane Kroeckel"
>I was wondering if I reinstall XP Pro on my system, will it delete
> everything, or just install over my stuff and I'd have to reinstall my
> programs, but my data would still be there.  Naturally I'd back up
> everything first anyway.  Like a nondestructive install, or a destructive
> install.

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