If you have ANY system on your laptop, go to My Computer, then to the "C" drive , right click and you will see 'Format' with it's options. Otherwise, if no OS, you will need a program like "Partition Manager" Then you will be blank and need to re-install. Be sure to keep valuable files somehow. Sometimes when you install with the install disk, it will ask if you want a "clean,new" install. It will then format for you and again, leave you blank. That might be the best option if your install disk allows it cause then it's all done in one operation - the format and the install....