Hi Vern
The first thing you need to understand is that when you format it is the
drive that you are dealing with, the operating system which has been set up
to boot off the drive is rendered unusable as is any data that was on the
drive in the process.
What you are actually doing is officially referred to as a high level format
to differentiate between a low level format which is something which you
will not normally need to do.
The high level format performs two major functions, it creates the root
directory and it also creates the FAT,(file allocation table)
Formatting is required after partitioning to enable your operating system to
see the drive.
Formatting is not normally required again because it serves no further
function.
If you want to remove the operating system use your emergency boot disk, and
using DOS, delete the windows directory and any other directories you  might
want to get rid of, although it would probably be easier to delete your
other files or directories while still in windows. Windows won't normally
let you delete the windows folder however I discovered a way to do this
while in windows for any of you  that might find this usefull.
I used a free program called eraser
You can grab a copy here http://www.tolvanen.com/eraser/
Eraser somehow sneeks by windows file protection and you can watch your
windows files get erased.
Of course immediately after you will have to reboot to a  no operating
system found error and have to reinstall your choice of windows.
If after all this you still prefer to format the drive the procedure is the
same in any operating system, use an emergency boot disk and perform the
format from within true DOS.
Whatever you do have fun.
Ron White

Date:    Tue, 23 Mar 2004 12:06:49 +1000
From:    Vern Vale <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Formatting XP Home Edition

Dear Sirs,

I have downloaded your instructions on formatting W98se. However, I wish =
to format XP Home Edition and would like the procedure.
At present I have two separate hard drives and have W98se on one drive =
and XP on the other drive.
I wish to uninstall both and install W98se and XP on disc and install =
all my other programs on the other disc including a copy of Backup.
Would appreciate any information as I have only formatted W98se twice =
before and never formatted XP.
Thanking you.

Vernon Vale
Milton=20
Queensland
Australia

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