Need a guide on reformatting my Hard Drive and starting new!

Hi, well, I have got a version of Windows Vista on a CD (a Burned Image) and I want to install it onto a Hard Drive without just saving my old system into a folder called “Windows.old”
I want to completely reformat my hard drive!
E.g. how to format through BIOS or whatever and how to install the CD that I’ve burnt.
I just want to reformat my computer and put a new OS on it but I havn’t got an idea how.
Thanks in advance!
Regards
Answer #1
Just boot from the CD…Select the partition you want to install windows in and go on drive options…Then format…
Are you sure it’s vista on a CD…Should be a DVD…Or ripped vista?
Answer #2
I did this a few days ago with re-installing Xp Home. I booted with the DVD and did the usual installation process. You can pick where it installs the OS. You can delete partitions within the Hard Drive, used for another OS, so deleting the partition which the other OS is using will completly get rid of it. Then install it from there. I deleted XP Home and installed Windows 7 instead.
Answer #3
I did this a few days ago with re-installing Xp Home. I booted with the DVD and did the usual installation process. You can pick where it installs the OS. You can delete partitions within the Hard Drive, used for another OS, so deleting the partition which the other OS is using will completly get rid of it. Then install it from there. I deleted XP Home and installed Windows 7 instead.
Well, I believe there’s only 1 partition?
Just boot from the CD...Select the partition you want to install windows in and go on drive options...Then format...
Are you sure it's vista on a CD...Should be a DVD...Or ripped vista?
I do boot from the CD but it installs it onto the system without deleting everything and saves everything into a folder called “windows.old”
If I format after installing I lose everything
and yes, it’s a DVD-R
Answer #4
Yes..If you format you loose everything..You start clean…
Answer #5
Yes..If you format you loose everything..You start clean...
So, if I format like this:

then stick the DVD in and it will install?
Answer #6
buddy just put in the vista dvd.
there at the screen whr u have to slelct the drive click on the format button and it will format yur c partitoon.
NOTE-U HACE ONLY 1 PARTITIONSO ALL YUR DATA WILL BE GONE.I WOULD RECCCOMND MAKING NEW PARTITONS AND SAVE THE DATA DERE AND DEN FORMAT C.
Answer #7
buddy just put in the vista dvd.
there at the screen whr u have to slelct the drive click on the format button and it will format yur c partitoon.
NOTE-U HACE ONLY 1 PARTITIONSO ALL YUR DATA WILL BE GONE.I WOULD RECCCOMND MAKING NEW PARTITONS AND SAVE THE DATA DERE AND DEN FORMAT C.
I tried already and there isn’t a option to format the Drive :S
I backed it all up on a external hard drive already