HDD formatting help please windows xp sp2

Waitng for pcrampage to look back in.
As I understand it---
Self built pc-had difficulty formating hard drive- as post suggested.
Owing to the way some (including sometimes , ourselves) word a post, The point was missed that all pcrampage wanted to do was upgrade to Windows 7- when the penny dropped,:confused this was realised and then pcrampage was told that in fact that you do not need to format the hard drive, just instal from the dvd, whilst in your present XP, or, XP Pro, or, Vista, and the disc will - in the case of XP, and XP Pro, only instal as a new system, keeping Windows old, as with Vista, and the need to format is made irrelevent ( not recommended, if you have virus problems, before installing) With Vista you can do either update , or , install as new (windows old , again saved as in Vista upgrade)Formatting , again should be straight forward, but unless the boot process is slow enough , and the user, quick enough, many keep missing the prompt, and cannot get to the choice.
This was because sometimes like pcrampage , found it goes into windows too quickly, and the press any button prompt, is missed- and pcrampage missed it sooooo many times.
The other problem , as I understand it , now, is with his second pc, that he tried to use the hard drive, while he was trying to format one for his main, home built jobby. It seems that he had the NTLDR problem , on both hard drives, and I believe the main home built pc, now has Windows 7, up and running, but the second pcA HP , will not boot.
Not unlike your question for 'cliff notes ,-- I interpreted that as explain current situation- Pcrampage does appear to only now need to sort out his HP PC- his last post appeared to say that.....

 

On the second issue, which is the current issue...oy vey! Can he not boot to windows on the CD?

 

I have heard no more from pcrampage, as at this time, so until pcrampage comes back, I don't know.
I am going off-line , now, so if pcpampage does come back, please feel welcome to assist him.
I believe I have it correct and that it is onlythe HP PC that he now has problems with.