Please Help

I am running Vista Home Premium and picked up a Trojan called Dropper-gen[DRP]. I got rid of it with AVAST but nothing worked right ever since. So I decided to replace Vista with Windows 8.1. Went and bought the program for 138 bucks, opened it up and found in big letters inside that it can not be installed over Vista or XP. So I figured I will completely wipe my Hard-disk and make a clean install.
My question is, how do I get everything of the C: drive for a clean install, and how do I get the 8.1 disk going, seeing there is no OS on C: anymore.
Your suggestions and advise would be greatly appreciated.

Operating System
Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit SP2
CPU
Intel Pentium E5200 @ 2.50GHz 39 °C
Wolfdale 45nm Technology
RAM
4.00GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 398MHz (6-6-6-18)
Motherboard
Dell Inc. 0U880P (CPU 1) 30 °C
Graphics
DELL S2009W (1600x900@60Hz)
Intel G41 Express Chipset (Dell)
Storage
298GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-75L9A0 ATA Device (SATA) 40 °C
Optical Drives
TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-H653G ATA Device
Audio
Realtek High Definition Audio

 

I don't think you can install windows 8.1 as it's a upgrade from windows 8. You need to purchase a windows 8 disc and boot from the disc and it will format your hard drive for you and install. once installed you need to do windows updates and then once all updates are installed then upgrade to windows 8.1 through the store.

 

Thanks for the reply Sexyandy81, I purchased the 8.1 Full Version which replaced Version 8 and the 8.1 Update.

 

Put the Windows 8.1 DVD in the drive and press "F12" during the BIOS startup. This should give you the option to start the PC (and install process) from the DVD drive.

Be sure all your files are backed up first. The 8.1 install will erase everything on the hard drive.

During the install setup process, it's also a good idea to delete the existing hard drive partitions and have Windows 8.1 reformat the drive.

 

Sorry I didn't know that windows 8.1 has been brought out on disc I just checked my local computer store here and it has windows 8.1 on disc. Follow Gman instructions and it should do it all for you.

 

If F12 doesn't give you the option then try F8. There is no standard key for this. EDIT - seems it might also be F1 or F2

 

But if none of them work you can change the boot order in your bios setup you press del key to enter the bios setup screen.

usual order is 1. hard drive 2. Cd/dvd drive 3. USB Drive 4. Network Boot or something on those lines change the cd/dvd drive to first and then hard drive in second.

 

Thank you everyone for your much appreciated help. I will give it a go over the weekend and let you all know how it worked out.

Actually I am a bit embarrassed to have to ask for help, believe it or not but until about 20 years ago I wrote engineering programs for a large shipyard in Fortran and programs for steel cutting machines in binary and assembly language. Now where I'm 83 I could hide my easter-eggs and never find them again. Sure no fun getting old in one way, but then, the alternative would be worse. So, thanks again

 

On a Dell computer, to enter setup in BIOS, press F2 when the option comes up in the upper right of the POST screen. Then use the arrow keys to go to Boot Sequence and press Enter to modify the field. Use the arrow keys to select the CD/DVD drive and press the "U" key to move the CD/DVD drive ahead of the HDD. Exit this field according to the instructions on screen, save the changes and exit setup.