Windows ME problems

I recently picked up an old computer with Windows ME installed, when I try to boot it up it gets to a black screen with PCI device listing.. and a list of numbers, at the bottom of the screen it says please wait while set up updates your configuration files, and just stays there. I've tried to start it in safe mode but it gets to the Windows logo screen then freezes.. Does anyone know of a way to fix this? I don't have a recovery disc and the pc with ME installed on it isn't on line. I've got a copy of XP that I would like to install over the ME is there any way to install this with the pc running the way it is?
Thanks,
Fangy.

 

personally, the problem is ME ****************, install XP after formatting the dirve to wipe out ME

 

How do I format the drive? I think it's a Maxtor 91080D5.
Thanks,
Fangy.

 

insert your XP disk, after it loads files for setup, it will ask you where to install it, your going to want to hit D to delete the partition, then enter to confirm, then L to reconfirm. then follow the onscreen instructions

 

sorry, double posted...

 

Tried that,it doesn't load the disc. When I start the PC in normal mode it gets as far as the black screen that says "PCI device listings.... " and when I try to start it in safe mode it just hangs on the Windows logo screen, I've went into the Bios and set the Boot sequence to boot from CD and tried to start it with the XP disc in the drive but it says "boot from cd failure" then just freezes. How do I get the disc to run? I can get into the bios, is there anyway to format the drive or start the XP disc loading from there? I know the pc runs and the drives work ok, yesterday I got it running, I found it was full of ad ware and spy ware, I installed ad aware se, spybot etc. and started cleaning it up but after I rebooted it, It refuses to start again. I've got another PC running XP, is there anyway to connect the two together and repair the ME one.
Thanks for the help,
Fangy.