How to uninstall/remove corrupted Windows XP Install?

[lunacat]

Hello, I tried to install Windows XP Home on my new hard drive. When I tried to install it, it hangs at 39 minutes and gives me the error:

An error has been encountered that prevents Setup from continuing.

Setup failed to install the product catalogs. This is a fatal error. The setup log files should contain more information.

I kind of left it alone for a while and since then want to install Windows XP Pro. I tried to insert the Pro cd, but it wouldn't continue installation since it prepared installation from the Home cd. I've created boot disks with fdisk and format in order to just wipe the drives. However, the computer will not open the disk. I hear that it reads it but then doesn't load anything. I've used this same kind of disk for another PC and it works fine. I know the floppy drive on this pc works because when I tried to install Raid drivers previously, it read it.

I just want to remove the Win XP Home install so I can use my other Win XP Pro to install. Thanks!

[SpywareDr]

DBAN - Darik's Boot And Nuke
http://www.dban.org/

Darik's Boot and Nuke ("DBAN") is a self-contained boot disk that securely wipes the hard disks of most computers. DBAN will automatically and completely delete the contents of any hard disk that it can detect, which makes it an appropriate utility for bulk or emergency data destruction.

[SuperSparks]

Go into the BIOS Setup (it should tell you which key to press during the POST) and in the "Advanced BIOS settings" or similar section, set the boot order to:

1st device = Floppy drive

2nd device = CDROM

3rd device = HDD 0

Then try booting up with the Windows CD in the drive and Setup should run.

[lgbpop]

If this continues you might have bad sectors on the hard drive. I found this hard to understand when it happened to me on a recent build but I was told that certain Windows files have to be in certain areas of the hard drive (ever notice those unmoveable system files during a Defrag?) and if those areas are unuseable the install will fail.

[jmtjet]

I would like to add that all major manufactures of hard drives have free diagnostic tools for download on their websites. All you need to do is download the correct tool for your drive, burn it to CD or floppy and run it as per their instructions. The diagnostic tool will test the drive and tell you if it's good or bad. The tool can even repair a drive sometimes.

[TheTeenScripter]

If you ARE actually booting from the CD, read carefully for the integrated format and partition manager functions. Delete all partitions and format as NTFS (quick, slow, doesn't matter). If you cannot boot from the CD make sure that the CD-ROM is the first in the boot-sequence in your BIOS (not the floppy like the other guy says, which gives an extra un-needed 3 second delay, I find that having the floppy as last for boot works good). If it still doesn't work, the problem is most likely your harddrive (but I could be wrong, it could be RAM, scratched disc, many other problems for you to have fun figuring out lol).

Good luck...