Peter is correct.  A proper complete format WILL wipe out everything.  
There will be no remnants. 
My thinking is that (1) your copy of WinXP may be from an OEM vendor who 
adds stuff to it before reselling it to you or (2) you did not have a 
firewall and antivirus program installed before you connected to the 
internet for the first time with the new install.  It is said that an 
unprotected computer may be infected within less than a minute of 
connecting to the internet. 

Tony Mayer


[log in to unmask] wrote:

>No... Peter.. I did a complete/clean format.  I had the  company software 
>people help me with it.  So it was done correctly.   And I never installed any of 
>that stuff afterwards.  So that's what makes  me think some of the remnents 
>were still in there. Especially since one of them  I have never installed ever.
>==========================
>Formatting a disk will effectively delete all of your operating  system,
>including the registry. If you did a clean install after  formatting, then
>the entries you mention could only have gotten there by your  installing that 
>software again. On the other hand, if you got your  operating system running 
>again by doing a restore, then you formatting did not  get rid of anything in 
>your  registry!
>
>Peter
>--------------------------
>[log in to unmask]
>
>
>-----Original  Message-----
>In reading this note from Al, reminded me of when I was looking  at  my
>Registry yesterday and noticed I still had McAfee, Norton's and  some other
>firewall mess still in there, although I have formatted my  HD.  I would
>like to know if ALL stuff stays in there such as what Al  mentioned before,
>and  what good does it do to format if it's still  hanging in there?
>

      "Hold No Punches.." Rode brings you great shareware/freeware
        programs with his honest opinions in this weekly column.
                       http://freepctech.com/rode