Major problem - Stuck on white screen after chime

[exhausted!]

I think I need some major help guys...

Alright, long story short, I tried to install bootcamp, I got the partition and everything and it rebooted to the win XP blue screen install thingy.. I formatted the drive (thinking it was the drive bootcamp created) and I think I probably formatted OS X's drive, so I quit installing XP. So now when I start my iMac, I just hear the chime and I am stuck at the white screen, probably because I have no OS.

I want to reinstall OS X (I just got my mac, nothing to lose) but I cannot seem to be able to boot from the install CD no matter what I do...

Anyone know what I should do? I tried holding C, option-C, apple-option-C, everything while restarting with the OS X cd in.


I will have a OSX-less christmas at this rate

 

[mad jew]

What sort of keyboard do you have? Have you tried simply holding OPTION?

 

[exhausted!]

I have the apple keyboard and I tried every "normal" possible combination, I tried option but that one made a mouse cursor appear but then it freezes after a short period of time.

I was reading on apple support forums and it seems I might have to bring the machine in

 

[mad jew]

Yeah, take it in. If possible, you might be able to use another computer to get your files back with Target Disk Mode. It could be worth a try.