problems installing XP on a Vista HP dv2000

hi all,
is there any way I can re-claim Vista's recovery partition.
When I try to install XP, I can only see the one ~ 130 GB partition - which I cannot delete (?!?!) and then I guess I am missing the ~ 90 GB recovery partition.
What do I need to do so that I wipe everything out and do my partitions as I like and install XP ?

my system is a dv2000, AMD; if you need any other info, I'll try to get them, however, the system is not booting now (that's why I want to re-install the OS)

thanks,
kowalsky

 

You need a Partition Tool loaded via your CD/DVD drive. Boot to the disk (selected via the BIOS BOOT options), delete all partitions and wipe the drive. There are a number of partition tools available (free & paid) that will do what you’d like it to do but you will need another computer to make a bootable disk if your computer isn’t functioning.

I use BOOTit NG for such basic tasks.

 

Thanks a bunch OldMajorDave,
I am looking at PartedMagic - it seems it recognizes all (the 2) partitions that there are - haven't try to delete/format any of them but I just got unconfortable when the XP Install disk told me I can't delete the partition it recognized not to say anything about the recovery partition that didn't get detected ...

In short - everything may be solved by an external tool - I hope I am in the clear with drivers and what not since I didn't get any errors about not seeing whole drives and the like ...

Thanks again,
kowalsky

 

Not sure if you got everything working or not .. but you may have to slipstream sp3 in your XP install cd so you dont have issues with the SATA drivers.. not sure if that is causing you not to be able to partition or not.. also you may have a problem with the sound drivers too.. you might not???