Destroying all programs and memory from a hard drive

I was woundering if there was a program that would permenantly erase any and all data (besides the registry data) on my computer. I had recently incountered spyware on my computer and it wouldn't let me get to the desktop it goes to the Windows XP loading screen and then it restarts again and i was thinking that if i destroyed all data on that computer that it might fix it. I'll take any advice or tips on how to go about this so please don't hesitate. For the programs i need FREEWARE

greg

 

Sounds like a virus more then spyware.

 

If i were you, I would pop in that xp cd and reformat your partition. Like I always say: Nothing like a clean install

 

Thats the problem i can get on the computer to do that. what if i hooked up that hard drive to another computer that already has a hard drive in it could i reformat it then from the working hard drive??

greg

 

when i encountered the problem it said on the Background SPYWARE DETECTED

 

Thats another thing im trying to do is get a xp disc off the internet or a software downloader without buying it like a Ghost

 

I was just telling him what it ment