xp install

OK... had an aborted uogarde of XP Pro over Win 2K.. using a backup XP disk. Went the full route, bought a legit FULL copy of XP and am going to try and install it this weekend.
Question is: how?

I will attempt to boot from the cd, since XP comes up locked in blue screen.'
When and if I can boot, which option do I try?
I have NO way to backup any programs on my three drives since I can only boot do WIN98/MSDOS7 command prompt.
If I do a full install will it reformat the drives or just install?

Ross

 

This is what I do to make a "Clean Install".
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm

 

now I am really confused, Dr Dave...

Thanks for the tip and the web site link, but it makes me more nervous than before!

If I choose a clean install, then I have no option than to format the drive, even if it is already formatted in Fat 32?

If I do that, I will lose all my data on the C drive, which previously had Win 2K installed.

Any other way to do it??

 

You don't have to format to do a clean install. The setup menu will ask you which partition to install to. If that partition is already formated, it will give you options to format in NTFS or leave the file system as is. Select whichever you desire and go to town.