Help!! How do I Format NOT REformat

I was just installing a completely new HDD and though there would appear a "press this button" or combination to format my new HDD. I'm not reformating an old drive.
With my old desktop I was able type Fdisk to format a new drive.

So what do I need to do - press F#/a combination/boot with OS - what??
If I just install winXP just like that, the HDD will probably show 5GBs or something.
Please an easy 1,2,3 would be appreciated - cause I don't want to up all night.

 

When you install WinXP, it gives you the option during install to format your hard drive.

 

I normally hook up a drive externally and format like that from within windows.

 

I'm not quite sure I understand the problem. Are you trying to install XP on your new HDD?

 

I don't get it either. Sounds like you bought a new hard drive and are trying to format it to see it and use it within windows.

Do you see it in windows explorer? If not, then it's not formated and you'll need to do that first.
From the Control panel, you can access the Administrative Tools.
Then you go in Computer Management.
From there you chose Storage - Disk Management.

You should then see your new drive and format it from there.

If you're trying to install Windows XP on the new hard drive, then you should be able to just put he new drive in, put your XP cd in and format from the setup options.

Hopefully this helps.

 

1. from the command prompt... format [drive letter]:
2. right click on the drive in explorer and choose format
3. format in disk administrator

you can consider fdisk deprecated