Cannot get PC to install OS

[jamhammer]

hi im a bit new to all this so would like some help please. i have bought a pc and it dosnt work properly.when i switch it on it comes up with welcom to setup "to install windows press enter, to repair a windows xp installation press r".i press enter and then it takes me to a screen that says insert the cd labelled windows xp home edition service pack 2 into your drive?.i dont have the xp home edition i have the pro edition so it dosnt work.i have inserted my os disk of windows xp pro with service pack 2 and started the pc again and done so it boots from cd first. when it runs it comes up with choice which operation sysytem you wish to use xp pro or home? when i go to move the option to xp pro it dosnt move and then runs itself and goes back to the same page as before "the windows xp home edition setup page"? is there a way i can completely wipe the disk clean without having to use a disk first. someone mentioned you can do this by inserting a command?

any help with this situation would make my life stress free again i have got a wicked headache from this

many thnx in advance jason

 

[milky]

First of all you should get yourself a copy of XP Pro SP3.
When you first start the comp, enter the bios setup (f2 or delete usually)
Set the boot order to boot from CD-ROM first. Save changes and exit.
Now when the comp boots with a Windows disc in the drive, you will see "Press any key to boot from cd...."
You only have a few seconds to press any key or the comp will search the next boot device for an OS
Once Widows Setup finishes loading, press Enter to setup windows xp.
You should then see a list of HD Partitions.
Delete all of the partitions and create new ones.
Create the partition that you will install windows on first. make sure you give yourself at least 30GB for the windows partition (if you plan on installing lots of software such as the entire Adobe Creative Suite, give yourself 40 or 50GB) Make sure you create a partition with the remaining unpartitioned space at this time in order to utilize that space once windows is installed. you will be able to format the secondary partitions from Windows after it is installed.
Now select the partition you just created for windows and since it is a brand new partition you will have no choice but to format it somehow. Choose NTFS for an XP installation. Do a quick format only if you know there are no problems with the hard disc. A full format will scan the HD for errors and thus take a while, but worth it if this HD is new to you.

You should be good to go from here. Hope this helped