Help w/ XP Home

[Gary W. Plourde Sr.]

I've two computers: Upstairs (new) hp pavilion a650y using Win XP Home
Edition, and Downstairs (old) Gateway, using Win ME. I use a Wireless
Linksys router w/ an adapter for downstairs to connect the two. I also
purchased Win XP Home upgrade, which is supposed to change the downstairs'
Win ME into Win XP Home. I had many problems and it was suggested that I do
a clean install of Win XP. So, by using the Upgrade XP CD, I tried to get
rid of Win ME on the downstairs, and install only XP. The end result was,
for reasons I'm still not sure: First, I had to reinstall my router adapter
downstairs, because XP wouldn't detect it, then, after installation, my
wireless router kept kicking off line about every minute I'd lose the
connection. After frustration, I then re-installed Win Me by the
Restoration disks (specifically disk #2) of the three disks. Now, I have no
sound or I detect slight sound in the background that's a carry over from
XP. Why would that be happening when ME does, I thought, a completer format
of the hard drive? Anyway, can someone help me either get rid of Win Me,
and format the C drive, then install XP by the upgrade disk, or, now that
I've re-installed ME, find out why I haven't sound, correct it, find out why
I was always kicked off line on my wireless router, correct it, and either
before all this or after all this, re-install XP's upgrade, and in the end,
have my downstairs computer (Gateway), connected wirelessly to my upstairs
computer, both using Windows XP Home Edition, SP-2, and my wireless
router/adapter combination working well? Please help.



Also: Bottom line: At this point, after so many re-installations of Win ME
and Win XP Home Upgrade, I want to completely reformat my hard drive,
completely clean is off nada there, and then re-install either Win Me then
XP's Upgrade, or, if there's a way, use XP's Upgrade for a clean install.
Can anyone Advise?



P.S. Is there away in DOS to do a complete format of C: drive?

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

The ME machine that now has XP on it can be brought back to Fat32, and ready
for ME setup with Fdisk, and Format. Utilities you have on any ME emergency
boot disk. (remove the 'non-dos partition' and create a fat32 partion, and
format, then install ME)

How to Use the Fdisk Tool and the Format Tool to Partition or Repartition a
Hard Disk: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255867

 

[Mike Hall]

If you are the same 'Upstairs/Downstairs' guy that posted a while back, you
have already been told how to sort your problems..

First of all, we do not need to know locations of computers in your house..
it doesn't matter where they are..

Using a Win 98 or ME boot diskette, start the ME machine and FDISK then
format it.. set the boot sequence such that it boots off of the CD Drive..
place the XP upgrade into the CD drive and reboot the computer.. go through
the procedure to clean install XP..

Make sure that both computers are working perfectly BEFORE connecting any
network equipment.. you must sort out any problems on each machine before
connecting them.. it is next to impossible if one or other of the machines
is not working the way it should..