The reformatting is a strange thing to do as well.
Have you tried deleting, then creating the partition that XP is being installed on?
Example with pictures at http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/InstallXPPro/installxppro1.htm and note that SETUP formats the partition.
Bob
i formatted my harddrive becuase a friend of mine put some games and programs on it and it started acting funny... couldn't get it back right, now after installing windows it and it starts for the first time... it asks for the service pack 1 cd... at the point where you have to set up the time... and since i don't have that, it resets... i have reformatted, and still the same thing... this is rather frustrating... anyone seen that problem before..?

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