Installing an "Older" Version of XP...

[DMKA]

Ok, see, I'm trying to format my hard drive so I can install XP Professional. I currently have SP2 Home Edition installed (it's what came installed on my system when I purchased it), and it won't let me install Professional since it's "older". I was wondering how I can format my hard drive (only my C: drive though, because the partitioned part of my hard drive, labeled the H: drive has the System Restoration on it that I don't want to lose it) so I can do a clean install of Professional.

[Yamaneko]

Either download a Linux Live CD such as Knoppix or Ubuntu and format the partition using the built-in partition tools, or make a DOS boot disk and use fdisk to delete the Windows partition. Then when you go to install XP Pro it will find unformatted space and you'll be able to format it and install it into there.

[Samuraid]

The XP Disc should be bootable and allow you to recreate/format the C: partition only.

[Yamaneko]

Depending if it's OEM or retail it might not.

[Samuraid]

Ah, well all of my OEM discs work that way. I'm not sure about the retail versions...

[DMKA]

Well I did it. I didn't backup my drivers though, so I had to download them all and burn them to a cd on my roommate's comp while he was gone. :P