Freeware for Removing All Data and Partitions

Fortunately I have never needed to do this.

I cannot remember if there is a format function available thru the motherboards BIOS, but I would not have thought that the CD drive (or USB ports) would work if the OS failed as the CD drivers are part of the OS.

If you have a working computer available I would suggest connecting the ACER's hard drive to it, booting up the working computer and then performing a simple 'format hard drive' using the utilities built into windows (or what ever OS the computer has). Just make sure you format the right drive!

You might try the Suse LiveCD- reformat the disc into a single FAT32 partition, using the Suse install partitioner, then abort the installation (Windows has to be installed first). Then try installing the Windows XP fresh on the hard drive. AFTER installing Windows, return to the Suse LiveCD to install Suse. I¡m not absolutely certain about this procedure with Suse, but it works with Ubuntu (a scheme I use for cleaning up virus infections and such).

I run Ubuntu Linux now on all newer hardware. You can create a "live" bootable CD from an iso image downloaded from their website. The partition editor or "gparted" will be available from a CD boot and can nuke all the old partitions. I also use the tiny "Puppy" Linux for older (slower) hardware. You can create a bootable CD from their site as well and then run their version of "gparted" to clear the old partitions.

You should be able to do the same thing with SUSE Linux, but I'm not familiar with that distribution.

There is also a free version of killdisk available which can clear a drive. The free version won't get you DOD level data erasure, but it should do what you want.

XP is usually pretty easy to install (IMHO Linux is easier!). Your troubles may be due to some abnormal bios setting or a hardware conflict. Either way, best wishes.

Edit: Let XP create the windows partitions (NTFS) only. Leave the Linux drive space blank. After XP is installed, THEN use the Linux CD to create and format the Linux partitions and the install the grub (or equivalent) dual boot loader. Installing Linux onto the new partitions this way usually gives the best results. Good Luck!

format/s

Format with system gives you the fat of the system used to format it.

Joe in Texas

Kill Disk is disk eraser software for secure formatting of hard drives without any possibility of following data recovery.

use the free version...

http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm

You are going the wrong way. Get rid of the LINUX garbage.