Reformating harddrive

I read about the fact that windows 7 doesn't reformat the harddrives and leaves all your old clutter on and just creates a new section of clutter.
I read I could pick to repartion if if restarted booting up from Windows 7 on the CD.. Which I did, but never saw any offer to repartion (which I would love to do because my drive on XP had to be spliced into 2 partiions because XP could not handle the size.. I would love to go to one partion.) But I know repartioning also reformats..

Anyway I guess I did a clean install (although I saw nothing that offered the clean install, but I know moving for XP to 7 needed that.)

It just forced me to put everythine into a windows.old folder (which I can't find).. And looking at my drive the either windows 7 is a REAL pig, or yup... my old data is eatting up my space with it's clutter.

Although 7 is up, I want a redo.. Can anyone tell me how to do it right with a repartion and format?

You should come to a point where you are asked about partitions and where you want to install Windows 7.

At that point, you have to select "advanced options" or "custom install" or something like that and it will drop you into a new screen where you can delete all existing partitions and continue.

If you don't choose any further options such as creating several partitions, you will end up with one big partition.

How do I get info on my specs in windows 7? It is a homemade computer from a friend..

Hmmm... I will need to look again. I spent ALOT of time in that window, as the system could not find my harddrives, and I had to kill the install to search the internet for them. Nice if the program they gave you warning of issues had told me then it would be a problem.

Actually due to the issues I printed the screen out. I see only Where do you want to install Windows?
a table with Name of Disk, Total size, free space, type
Under the table is a refresh
then load drivers
and (in my picture, the Warning Windows cannot be installed to Disk 0 Partion 1. (show details).. then the Next button..

Where on that screen would be something about partions?

For system information:

Control panel/Performance information and tools/Advanced tools/View advanced system details in system information.

That will get you to most of it.

On the install screens, look for "drive options/advanced". You have to choose "custom install" earlier in the process.

I got to the control panel.. then I have
system Security
Network & internet
Hardware & sound
Programs
userAccts & family safty
Apperance & personalization
clock, Language & Region
Ease of Access..

No "Performance information & tools".. I have Windows 7 professional if that makes a difference.

in control panels in the upper right, choose "small icons", not category.