# Reinstalling Windows XP - must I reinstall Win98 first? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 25, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970 "2004-01-25T08:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/1 "2004-01-25T08:10:30Z")
It’s time to reinstall XP and I have a few questions that I just can’t find anywhere online - I have Windows XP Pro - the upgrade one I think. Will I need to reinstall Windows 98 if I do a full format, or are there ways around this? Should I reinstall using the Windows XP CD (just put it in and do a reinstall)? Or should I go the old fdisk route? I read that the Windows XP reinstall doesn’t do a full clean sweep, but how big a difference would threre really be? I’m currently using FAT32 (on my main drive but not slave) and would like to change to NTFS. Should I do this through Windows XP reinstallation or do a full format outside of Windows and then load up the Setup CD? Can I do NTFS through fdisk? Does changing format types delete the files on the drive? I have 2 hard drives (both around 15 gigs), a 5 year old Western Digital (main) and a 3 year old Quantum Fireball. Should I swap the Quantum to my main drive? Thanks for any help! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/2 "2004-01-25T08:51:36Z")
If you still have the Win 98 install CD I’m pretty sure you won’t need to reinstall it first. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/3 "2004-01-25T09:26:36Z")
Boot off the WinXP CD and do a fresh install. You can delete any existing partitions and format with NTFS through the installer. It will prompt you to insert the Win98 CD if it’s an upgrade version. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/4 "2004-01-25T11:06:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Does changing format types delete the files on the drive? The installation disc should give you the option to convert your existing files to NTFS without deleting any partitions. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/5 "2004-01-25T14:27:44Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > The installation disc should give you the option to convert your existing files to NTFS without deleting any partitions. True, but that can go wrong. The change in file system can screw up programs–at least, that’s what Microsoft says. Personally, what I would do would be to make a backup of everything needing backup, then do a format and change the file system. Of course, if you don’t want or need the security of the NTFS format, there is no absolute need to change. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reinstalling-windows-xp-must-i-reinstall-win98-first/225970/6 "2004-01-25T21:21:17Z")
Remember that once you go NTFS the drive is stuck that way. Unless you need it for security, don’t bother, because neither of your drives is over the 32 gig FAT32 limit.