Okay, so, I'm about to install a new hard drive on my HP laptop, and I know how to actually get the new hard drive into the computer, but from that POINT things are a bit hazy for me. Basically, will I be able to put the XP installation disk in and just install Windows right after POPPING the hard drive in?

Also, the HP website is all I need to find the right drivers, I can find them all in one place, but with the fresh hard drive and the clean Windows installation... will I be able to just access the Internet immediately, or will the wireless modem in my laptop need drivers to function, also? Once I can get on the Internet, I should be fine, but it's getting there that has me worried.

I'm hoping this will be pretty simple, and I've been trying to find some info about this, but all guides I've found assume you're transferring your data between hard drives, which I am not. I can get the new hard drive in, but after that point I'm not EXACTLY certain what I'm going to need to do.You should download the necessary drivers before you swap hard drives. Save them to an USB drive or something like that. The Wireless NIC will most likely need drivers so by doing it this WAY you won't be stranded without an internet connection.
If the hard drive is a SATA drive you may also need a driver in order to even be able to install XP. So tell me if that's the case and I'll tell you what you need to do.

Else it should simply be a matter of swapping the hard drives and inserting your XP install disc. Just make sure the laptop is configured to boot from the CD/DVD drive.