I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old. It is
fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP Pro, SP
2. I have always kept it up to date.

Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen and it
either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes back to
the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or restarts.

I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load windows
from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install. It gets
to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the disk;
answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and the
installation will now stop.

How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean, install with a
new genuine XP Pro disk?

Can anyone help me?

Many thanks

"FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8A08630B-FA0C-4CD5-8E3E-F1C138A26777@microsoft.com...
>I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old. It is
> fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP Pro,
> SP
> 2. I have always kept it up to date.
>
> Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen and
> it
> either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes back
> to
> the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or
> restarts.
>
> I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load windows
> from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install. It
> gets
> to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the disk;
> answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and the
> installation will now stop.
>
> How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean, install with
> a
> new genuine XP Pro disk?
>
> Can anyone help me?
>
> Many thanks

Your first assumption --
"It is fine in hardware terms" --
appears to be incorrect.
As you have discovered, you can not install Windows until you fix the
hardware problem that caused the Blue Screens and is now preventing Windows
from installing.
Steve

"Og" wrote:

> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8A08630B-FA0C-4CD5-8E3E-F1C138A26777@microsoft.com...
> >I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old. It is
> > fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP Pro,
> > SP
> > 2. I have always kept it up to date.
> >
> > Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen and
> > it
> > either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes back
> > to
> > the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or
> > restarts.
> >
> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load windows
> > from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install. It
> > gets
> > to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the disk;
> > answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and the
> > installation will now stop.
> >
> > How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean, install with
> > a
> > new genuine XP Pro disk?
> >
> > Can anyone help me?
> >
> > Many thanks
>
> Your first assumption --
> "It is fine in hardware terms" --
> appears to be incorrect.
> As you have discovered, you can not install Windows until you fix the
> hardware problem that caused the Blue Screens and is now preventing Windows
> from installing.
> Steve
>
> OK.... What I mean is that the day before, the first failure the laptop was fine and it hasn't been dropped, damaged etc in any way. If I can't start XP, I am not sure how I can check it's physical integrity
>

Try downloading the hd manu checking utility, available fom their site - it
will create a bootable cd/floppy
www.memtest.org for a memory testing utility

PS if you are doing a fresh install you should be deleting partitions, prior
to create & format

"FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0002CFC7-B0CD-4385-9DA2-7406B08A3C26@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Og" wrote:
>
>> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:8A08630B-FA0C-4CD5-8E3E-F1C138A26777@microsoft.com...
>> >I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old. It
>> >is
>> > fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP
>> > Pro,
>> > SP
>> > 2. I have always kept it up to date.
>> >
>> > Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen
>> > and
>> > it
>> > either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes
>> > back
>> > to
>> > the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or
>> > restarts.
>> >
>> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
>> > windows
>> > from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
>> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install. It
>> > gets
>> > to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the
>> > disk;
>> > answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and the
>> > installation will now stop.
>> >
>> > How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean, install
>> > with
>> > a
>> > new genuine XP Pro disk?
>> >
>> > Can anyone help me?
>> >
>> > Many thanks
>>
>> Your first assumption --
>> "It is fine in hardware terms" --
>> appears to be incorrect.
>> As you have discovered, you can not install Windows until you fix the
>> hardware problem that caused the Blue Screens and is now preventing
>> Windows
>> from installing.
>> Steve
>>
>> OK.... What I mean is that the day before, the first failure the laptop
>> was fine and it hasn't been dropped, damaged etc in any way. If I can't
>> start XP, I am not sure how I can check it's physical integrity
>>

"DL" wrote:

> Try downloading the hd manu checking utility, available fom their site - it
> will create a bootable cd/floppy
> www.memtest.org for a memory testing utility
>
> PS if you are doing a fresh install you should be deleting partitions, prior
> to create & format
>
> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0002CFC7-B0CD-4385-9DA2-7406B08A3C26@microsoft.com...
> >
> >
> > "Og" wrote:
> >
> >> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:8A08630B-FA0C-4CD5-8E3E-F1C138A26777@microsoft.com...
> >> >I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old. It
> >> >is
> >> > fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP
> >> > Pro,
> >> > SP
> >> > 2. I have always kept it up to date.
> >> >
> >> > Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen
> >> > and
> >> > it
> >> > either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes
> >> > back
> >> > to
> >> > the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or
> >> > restarts.
> >> >
> >> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
> >> > windows
> >> > from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> >> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install. It
> >> > gets
> >> > to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the
> >> > disk;
> >> > answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and the
> >> > installation will now stop.
> >> >
> >> > How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean, install
> >> > with
> >> > a
> >> > new genuine XP Pro disk?
> >> >
> >> > Can anyone help me?
> >> >
> >> > Many thanks
> >>
> >> Your first assumption --
> >> "It is fine in hardware terms" --
> >> appears to be incorrect.
> >> As you have discovered, you can not install Windows until you fix the
> >> hardware problem that caused the Blue Screens and is now preventing
> >> Windows
> >> from installing.
> >> Steve
> >>
> >> OK.... What I mean is that the day before, the first failure the laptop
> >> was fine and it hasn't been dropped, damaged etc in any way. If I can't
> >> start XP, I am not sure how I can check it's physical integrity
> >>
> many thanks. I will do that. By the way, it won't let me delete partitions and tells me that the whole disk if free space, which it clearly isn't.
>
>

I suspect your hd has failed, allthough its allways possible its the mobo or
a simple bad internal connection

"FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:886A6D59-A883-4648-9FDE-336AB9EF392F@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "DL" wrote:
>
>> Try downloading the hd manu checking utility, available fom their site -
>> it
>> will create a bootable cd/floppy
>> www.memtest.org for a memory testing utility
>>
>> PS if you are doing a fresh install you should be deleting partitions,
>> prior
>> to create & format
>>
>> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:0002CFC7-B0CD-4385-9DA2-7406B08A3C26@microsoft.com...
>> >
>> >
>> > "Og" wrote:
>> >
>> >> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:8A08630B-FA0C-4CD5-8E3E-F1C138A26777@microsoft.com...
>> >> >I have a spare IBM ThinkPad for travelling which is now 4 years old.
>> >> >It
>> >> >is
>> >> > fine in hardware terms. I am running the original Genuine Windows XP
>> >> > Pro,
>> >> > SP
>> >> > 2. I have always kept it up to date.
>> >> >
>> >> > Very recently, the OS fails to load; I get a fatal error blue screen
>> >> > and
>> >> > it
>> >> > either freezes, so that I have to disconnect the battery, or it goes
>> >> > back
>> >> > to
>> >> > the start up routine, gets to the same place, then freezes again or
>> >> > restarts.
>> >> >
>> >> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
>> >> > windows
>> >> > from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
>> >> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
>> >> > It
>> >> > gets
>> >> > to the point where it asks you if you would like to repartition the
>> >> > disk;
>> >> > answer no and then it tells you that an error has been detected and
>> >> > the
>> >> > installation will now stop.
>> >> >
>> >> > How can I reformat this HDD, so that I can do a fresh, clean,
>> >> > install
>> >> > with
>> >> > a
>> >> > new genuine XP Pro disk?
>> >> >
>> >> > Can anyone help me?
>> >> >
>> >> > Many thanks
>> >>
>> >> Your first assumption --
>> >> "It is fine in hardware terms" --
>> >> appears to be incorrect.
>> >> As you have discovered, you can not install Windows until you fix the
>> >> hardware problem that caused the Blue Screens and is now preventing
>> >> Windows
>> >> from installing.
>> >> Steve
>> >>
>> >> OK.... What I mean is that the day before, the first failure the
>> >> laptop
>> >> was fine and it hasn't been dropped, damaged etc in any way. If I
>> >> can't
>> >> start XP, I am not sure how I can check it's physical integrity
>> >>
>> many thanks. I will do that. By the way, it won't let me delete
>> partitions and tells me that the whole disk if free space, which it
>> clearly isn't.
>>
>>

FalcoPilot wrote:

> I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
> windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
> has been detected and the installation will now stop.

If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it be
an OEM disk from another manufacturer?

What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
access the hidden partition.

"Daave" wrote:

> FalcoPilot wrote:
>
> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
> > windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
> > It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
> > repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
> > has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>
> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it be
> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
>
> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
> access the hidden partition.
>
> Daave,

I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro

Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the machine was
given to me by a relative when about a year old. He didn't give me the disks
and no longer has them.

My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an external
drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop; reinstall the HDD into
the laptop and then load Win XP afresh. Assuming, for one moment that doesn't
though up serious problems with the disk itself, that is the only way that I
can think around this.
>

FalcoPilot wrote:
> "Daave" wrote:
>
>> FalcoPilot wrote:
>>
>>> I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
>>> windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
>>> Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
>>> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
>>> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
>>> has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>>
>> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it
>> be
>> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
>>
>> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
>> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
>> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
>> access the hidden partition.
>>

> I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro

Is it Retail or OEM? And if the latter, is it a generic or branded OEM?
If it's a brand new retail (or generic OEM) XP Pro with its own Product
Key, you're good to go. But you need to give more details!

> Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the machine
> was given to me by a relative when about a year old. He didn't give
> me the disks and no longer has them.

You still need to answer my question! :

"What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
access the hidden partition."

It's possible your relative didn't give you disks because they never
existed in the first place! It's possible that the correct way of
restoring your system is by accessing the hidden restore partition on
your hard drive (don't know if you have one or not; you didn't
indicate).

Of course, you can choose to clean install a retail or generic OEM XP
Pro (personally, I wouldn't spend the extra money as you already have a
license for XP. (Also obtaining/borrowing the proper install disk would
work as well since you already have a license/product key. Maybe this is
what you're doing?) But if you do go the clean install route, here's a
guide which may help (in case you've missed any important steps):

"Clean Install Windows XP"
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Earlier you said:

>>> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
>>> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
>>> has been detected and the installation will now stop.

What was the exact error message?

> My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an
> external drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop;
> reinstall the HDD into the laptop and then load Win XP afresh.
> Assuming, for one moment that doesn't though up serious problems with
> the disk itself, that is the only way that I can think around this.

In case your hard drive is failing, do what you can to save the data
(post back if you need guidance), install a new hard drive, then try the
clean install.

Good luck!

and you also need to run the disk checking utility

"FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:95903439-C7DA-47A5-94DF-72A29D374FF7@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Daave" wrote:
>
>> FalcoPilot wrote:
>>
>> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
>> > windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
>> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
>> > It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
>> > repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
>> > has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>>
>> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it be
>> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
>>
>> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
>> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
>> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
>> access the hidden partition.
>>
>> Daave,
>
> I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro
>
> Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the machine was
> given to me by a relative when about a year old. He didn't give me the
> disks
> and no longer has them.
>
> My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an external
> drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop; reinstall the HDD
> into
> the laptop and then load Win XP afresh. Assuming, for one moment that
> doesn't
> though up serious problems with the disk itself, that is the only way that
> I
> can think around this.
>>

"Daave" wrote:

> FalcoPilot wrote:
> > "Daave" wrote:
> >
> >> FalcoPilot wrote:
> >>
> >>> I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
> >>> windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> >>> Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
> >>> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
> >>> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
> >>> has been detected and the installation will now stop.
> >>
> >> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it
> >> be
> >> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
> >>
> >> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
> >> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
> >> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
> >> access the hidden partition.
> >>
>
> > I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro
>
> Is it Retail or OEM? And if the latter, is it a generic or branded OEM?
> If it's a brand new retail (or generic OEM) XP Pro with its own Product
> Key, you're good to go. But you need to give more details!
>
> > Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the machine
> > was given to me by a relative when about a year old. He didn't give
> > me the disks and no longer has them.
>
> You still need to answer my question! :
>
> "What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
> access the hidden partition."
>
> It's possible your relative didn't give you disks because they never
> existed in the first place! It's possible that the correct way of
> restoring your system is by accessing the hidden restore partition on
> your hard drive (don't know if you have one or not; you didn't
> indicate).
>
> Of course, you can choose to clean install a retail or generic OEM XP
> Pro (personally, I wouldn't spend the extra money as you already have a
> license for XP. (Also obtaining/borrowing the proper install disk would
> work as well since you already have a license/product key. Maybe this is
> what you're doing?) But if you do go the clean install route, here's a
> guide which may help (in case you've missed any important steps):
>
> "Clean Install Windows XP"
> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
>
> Earlier you said:
>
> >>> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
> >>> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
> >>> has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>
> What was the exact error message?
>
> > My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an
> > external drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop;
> > reinstall the HDD into the laptop and then load Win XP afresh.
> > Assuming, for one moment that doesn't though up serious problems with
> > the disk itself, that is the only way that I can think around this.
>
> In case your hard drive is failing, do what you can to save the data
> (post back if you need guidance), install a new hard drive, then try the
> clean install.
>
> Good luck!
>
>
> Thanks, Daave.

I am fully backed up (learnt that the hard way, in the past) I will do as
you say.

Regards

OK, DL. Will do. Thanks

"DL" wrote:

> and you also need to run the disk checking utility
>
> "FalcoPilot" <FalcoPilot@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:95903439-C7DA-47A5-94DF-72A29D374FF7@microsoft.com...
> >
> >
> > "Daave" wrote:
> >
> >> FalcoPilot wrote:
> >>
> >> > I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
> >> > windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
> >> > Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh install.
> >> > It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
> >> > repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an error
> >> > has been detected and the installation will now stop.
> >>
> >> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might it be
> >> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
> >>
> >> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
> >> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
> >> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
> >> access the hidden partition.
> >>
> >> Daave,
> >
> > I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro
> >
> > Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the machine was
> > given to me by a relative when about a year old. He didn't give me the
> > disks
> > and no longer has them.
> >
> > My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an external
> > drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop; reinstall the HDD
> > into
> > the laptop and then load Win XP afresh. Assuming, for one moment that
> > doesn't
> > though up serious problems with the disk itself, that is the only way that
> > I
> > can think around this.
> >>
>
>
>

FalcoPilot wrote:
> "Daave" wrote:
>
>> FalcoPilot wrote:
>>> "Daave" wrote:
>>>
>>>> FalcoPilot wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I have tried to start in Safe Mode; it won't. I have tried to load
>>>>> windows from a fresh XP disk (I don't have the original) it won't.
>>>>> Finally, as I have my data backed up, I decided on a fresh
>>>>> install. It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like
>>>>> to repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an
>>>>> error has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>>>>
>>>> If you don't have the original XP disk, what are you using? Might
>>>> it be
>>>> an OEM disk from another manufacturer?
>>>>
>>>> What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
>>>> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
>>>> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe)
>>>> to access the hidden partition.
>>>>
>>
>>> I have a brand new genuine copy of Win XP Pro
>>
>> Is it Retail or OEM? And if the latter, is it a generic or branded
>> OEM? If it's a brand new retail (or generic OEM) XP Pro with its own
>> Product Key, you're good to go. But you need to give more details!
>>
>>> Regrettably I don't have any of the original IBM disks as the
>>> machine was given to me by a relative when about a year old. He
>>> didn't give me the disks and no longer has them.
>>
>> You still need to answer my question! :
>>
>> "What is the means that IBM provided you to restore the system:
>> installation disk, restore disk, or restore partition? If the last
>> method, then you need to press an F-key at bootup (F11, I believe) to
>> access the hidden partition."
>>
>> It's possible your relative didn't give you disks because they never
>> existed in the first place! It's possible that the correct way of
>> restoring your system is by accessing the hidden restore partition on
>> your hard drive (don't know if you have one or not; you didn't
>> indicate).
>>
>> Of course, you can choose to clean install a retail or generic OEM XP
>> Pro (personally, I wouldn't spend the extra money as you already
>> have a license for XP. (Also obtaining/borrowing the proper install
>> disk would work as well since you already have a license/product
>> key. Maybe this is what you're doing?) But if you do go the clean
>> install route, here's a guide which may help (in case you've missed
>> any important steps):
>>
>> "Clean Install Windows XP"
>> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
>>
>> Earlier you said:
>>
>>>>> It gets to the point where it asks you if you would like to
>>>>> repartition the disk; answer no and then it tells you that an
>>>>> error has been detected and the installation will now stop.
>>
>> What was the exact error message?
>>
>>> My next option, I guess, is to take out the HDD; put it into an
>>> external drive enclosure; reformat the disk using my desktop;
>>> reinstall the HDD into the laptop and then load Win XP afresh.
>>> Assuming, for one moment that doesn't though up serious problems
>>> with the disk itself, that is the only way that I can think around
>>> this.
>>
>> In case your hard drive is failing, do what you can to save the data
>> (post back if you need guidance), install a new hard drive, then try
>> the clean install.
>>
>> Good luck!
>>
>>
>> Thanks, Daave.
>
> I am fully backed up (learnt that the hard way, in the past) I will
> do as you say.

Good to hear you backed up your data. Hopefully your hard drive isn't
failing. You should be able to create a bootable CD containing a hard
drive checking utility from the drive's manufacturer. If the drive is
toast, at least you have your data. Either way, the clean install should
work. Post back and let us know how you're doing.