Download killdisk from here

https://www.killdisk.com/killdisk-home.htm

I suggest the ISO. Burn the ISO to a CD, how to do that can be found here:

https://www.ntfs.com/iso_burner_free.htm

Put killdisk in your CD drive and reboot the machine. This will completely erase your hard drive. Once done re-install XP Pro.

ok thanks, thats the formatting C Drive sorted right?

But I have 2 windows operating systems, if possible I would like to uninstall Windows XP Professional, or does that software do it for me?

Do you know anything about getting the 40GB back from the messed up partition?
I have a feeling that once I put the windows XP cd back in I can get it back then.

I see, now that makes a lot more sense and seems very appealing 😁

but I'm not sure if I made this clear or not, but in relation to the 40GB, that itself is not a separate partition, by this I mean I have only 3 partitions:

I got the following information from "System Information"
Backup - (the Packard Bell area I mentioned in my 1st post, which must be kept safe)

C - "Disk #0, Partition #1
Partition Size 29.99 GB (32,201,971,200 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 8,381,560,320 bytes"

D - "Disk #0, Partition #2
Partition Size 90.19 GB (96,844,446,720 bytes)
Partition Starting Offset 40,583,531,520 bytes"

Sorry if this is a stupid question, although the 40GB is not a whole new partition, instead is part of partition #2, will I still get that back?

Also, if my hard drive will be completely blank, will it delete both/any of the operating systems, obviously because I need 1?

Just wanted to clarify, thanks! 😉

You will get all of your hard drive space back.

All operating systems will be deleted.

The drive will be like you just bought it from the store.

Here is the user guide just in case.

hi, I have finally done as you said, and re-installed windows xp professional, I no longer have the original home edition, both hard drives formatted (for the C drive I had to delete the partition whilst installing windows xp and then make it again since killdisk was not able to do it) however I do not have the 40GB back, which I am not too fussed about no more since everything else seems fine other than.......when I scroll down on websites and drag the windows around it is very stuttery, I am not really too sure why, any ideas?

p.s. it might be because I have not formatted the "backup packard bell safe area" that I mentioned earlier.

The stuttering on dragging windows is because you need to update your graphic drivers.

Killdisk can and does delete everything. I use it all the time. You must have done something wrong.

Your missing 40GB is probably the Packard Bell safe area.

phew, good news, I phoned the pc technical help line that I got with my pc and they fixed everything for me, all I had to was reboot and keep pressing F11 in order to be able to restore the computer to PACKARD BELL FACTORY SETTINGS, just like the day I bought it!

so its all good now.

p.s. the packard bell safe area is 8GB, and this is the area that allowed me to restore the whole computer, the stuttering on windows is now gone too plus I got all my drivers back!

thanks for your help though guys

as ever this forum is still the best

p.p.s good thing I didnt delete the 8GB safe area! 😱 😁

You can retrieve your partition easily. You can rely on some softwares, such as Partition Table Doctor which I used it successfully.