full format on xp...does it wipe EVERYTHING?

I just wiped a buddies computer and reinstalled his xp-home "upgrade".
This upgrade before required his Win98 cd & key.
But this time around, when installing the winxp-home upgrade, it didn't ask for it.
So one of my friends said, that a full format (ntfs) doesn't wipe everything and what happened was, it (the hard drive) already had some of the information still sitting on it (regardless of the format), and that's why, I wasn't asked for the Win98 cd and key, this time around, is that true?

 

a full format wipes the ENTIRE drive. There is magnetic residue left over but it's nothing that would be readable by the installation. I'm afraid your friend is wrong. Though I do not know why it didn't ask for a key. The only thing I can think of is you didn't wipe the drive, rather you did an static install of XP which uses existing hive data.

 

The reason it didn't ask for the 98 key is because of the following.

When you install the XP upgrade, byt booting off of the CD, it looks for qualifying media. First it checks the hard drive, then it checks the CD drive.

In this case, XP was already on the drive. XP setup read this, and it counted as qualifying media.

The first time he upgraded, he needed the 98 CD to provide proof, because XP was not on the drive.

When you format, it removes everything, like Kodo said. The qualifcation check has already been performed, prior to format. A perfect example of what I am talking about is to format with the XP CD, and then reboot.

You will then need qualifying media to install XP.

 

ahh.. didn't think about that. I was thinking he fdisked and then installed i.e not using the XP disc to format and install.. goes to show my age I guess

 

It might be true, Did you use a boot disk or did you boot off the cd?

 

No, its not true, and has already been addressed in the last two responses.

 

Here's what I did.
(xp was already running).
Went into BIOS, made the dvd-rom the 1st boot-up device.
Went through the blue screens (no death), did a full complete format of his entire HD of 200gigs.
Took about 45mins-1hr.
Then, installed XP, it asked for the XP key.
No boot disc.

clean format -> then install.
didn't put the XP CD over the prior XP setup.

That was it.
I was under the impression that formatting wipes the HD clean, which is what he wanted and i thought that would do it.
So, my understanding is, during the install, even though the HD was formatted (not the quick NTFS way either), it got the validation from the prioer install and hence didn't ask for it?

 

yup, then what Adryn said is the scenario that took place.