To do a clean install boot the Windows XP install CD-Rom. When you get to
the point, delete the existing NTFS and or other partitions found. After you
delete the partition(s) abort the install, then again restart the pc booting
the CD-Rom to avoid unexpected drive letter assignments with your new
install.

Be sure to apply SP2 or at least these two below to your new install before
connecting to any network.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS03-043.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../MS03-049.mspx

--

Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
http://www.microsoft.com/protect

"ed geddes" wrote:
|I learned I had an unacceptable copy of XP installed on my machine,I bought
a
| valid copy from Microsoft.and decided to do a clean install,this did not
| appear to be sucessful,I repeated the process twice.
| I now have a machine with 350K + files on it as the files appear to have
| just replicated rather than performing a "clean" installion.
| Any suggestions as to what I do now would be very much appreciated
|