I would use BootItNG to look at the disk and format Vista out.
http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html
download it extract it to a floppy and run it from the floppy....do not
install.....it will go to the partition work screen.
There you will see all of the partitions on the HD and their formats.You can
merge/create/delete partitions from within as well as format partitions.Make
a note of the partition size if you have more than one and are confused
about which drive letter matches what partition
After you are done exit and restart with the XP pro CD .........new install
....pick the partition and let XP reformat.
peter
"Spukee" <Spukee.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:7D477DCA-BB30-4450-952F-34DDEFB5D4F6@microsoft.com...
>I have Vista RC2 installed and I have tried to install XP Pro and erase the
> vista partition. when I boot from the xp pro cd and get to the part where
> it
> ask which partition to delete, it only give me two choices to choose from.
> one says only 118MB and the unpartitioned area is even smaller than that.
> I
> have no idea why its not showin the large GB portion.
>
> any ideas why this might be or what I need to do? I do not mind loosing
> everything as I have backed up important photos or documents already. I
> just
> want to get xp back and running. I did call dell and they sent me the
> reinstall CD that I just received at work and will try later tonight if I
> have time but not sure that that will be any different from my new xp pro
> cd
> that I have.
>
> Please help if anyone has any idea..
>
Microsoft Windows Vista