How do I uninstall XP??

[Guest]

We've had some BAD experiences. It may be that Dell just sent us a lemon of
a computer, but we've had nothing but trouble since we got this "new toy" for
Christmas. Even *after* they replaced the hard drive.

We want out. We don't want to "fix" it. Please just tell me how in heck to
get XP off the computer and start over with a *stable* system like Win2K.
Don't tell me how good XP is or how bad 2K is. Just tell me how to get rid
of XP.

I want to know the most efficient, effective way of reformatting a hard
drive with the XP OS factory installed on it.

Everything is backed up and ready to go. I have the information I need to
get the hardware drivers for 2K. All I need at this point are instructions
for wiping the slate clean to start over with a different OS.

Can any of you please help me out here?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

We've had some BAD experiences. It may be that Dell just sent us a lemon of
a computer, but we've had nothing but trouble since we got this "new toy" for
Christmas. Even *after* they replaced the hard drive.

We want out. We don't want to "fix" it. Please just tell me how in heck to
get XP off the computer and start over with a *stable* system like Win2K.
Don't tell me how good XP is or how bad 2K is. Just tell me how to get rid
of XP.

I want to know the most efficient, effective way of reformatting a hard
drive with the XP OS factory installed on it.

Everything is backed up and ready to go. I have the information I need to
get the hardware drivers for 2K. All I need at this point are instructions
for wiping the slate clean to start over with a different OS.

Can any of you please help me out here?

The normal way to "uninstall" any operating system is to format
the hard drive and install a new OS of your choice. Simply boot from
the Win2K installation CD. You'll be offered the opportunity to delete,
create, and format partitions as part of the installation process. (You
may need to re-arrange the order of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to
boot from the CD.)

You should also be aware that this course of action will do nothing
correct the defective hardware issue that you have.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Bruce!

The only CD we have is the Manufacturer's CD that came with the computer.
We'll try that and see if it works.

lil

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

The CD supplied with the system will re-install XP.. if you want W2K, you
will have to use a W2K CD..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept
it all to themselves." - Lane Kirkland

 

[Guest]

Uh-oh, then that may not work. I tried that once before and got the "error
message" that we were trying to install an older operating system on top of
XP, it kicked us out without ever giving me the opportunity to delete,
create, or partition.

I'll try it again, but I'm really afraid the results will be the same. Is
there another way?

lil

 

[Guest]

Okay, I tried that. This time I get the message that "Setup did not find any
hard disk drives installed on your computer."

The hard drive is there. It's a SATA drive as opposed to a PATA drive. But
when I try to boot from the CD, 2K's setup can't find it. When I run 2K's CD
after booting normally I get the message that it's an older OS and setup
files will be disabled.

What now??

lil

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

You have to boot from the CD containing the OS.. go to BIOS and change the
boot order, ensuring that the CD drive appears before the hard drive.. place
your W2K CD in the drive and reboot.. follow onscreen instructions to clean
install W2K..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept
it all to themselves." - Lane Kirkland

 

[Bob Davis]

Okay, I tried that. This time I get the message that "Setup did not find
any
hard disk drives installed on your computer."

The hard drive is there. It's a SATA drive as opposed to a PATA drive.
But
when I try to boot from the CD, 2K's setup can't find it. When I run 2K's
CD
after booting normally I get the message that it's an older OS and setup
files will be disabled.

What now??

This may not be what you want to hear, but it is likely XP is not the source
of your ills. XP is the most stable GUI OS M$ has yet developed and is
rock-solid on a system with stable hardware. On this system, XP Pro has
crashed twice in over two years--once when a firewire card went bad and a
second time when I installed a very old (pre-XP era) version of MusicMatch
and a driver caused problems with my CD burner. Other than that, day in and
day out, no problems on this homebuilt system.

I would try installing XP again, and if it doesn't stabilize call Dell and
start a diagnostic procedure to find the problem(s). I believe that
changing the OS is the wrong approach.

 

[fatman]

Hey bob, what have you been smokin Xp sucks big time, stable for an
idiot who can't cofigure his or her machine,hackers are having a ball
with this one.It doesn't load any fast than win98 they just moved the
desk top so you can see it but try to start a program form the task
bar.And believe me there is no uninstall in the control panel.Here is
the solution to your problem,what i"ve found make dos boot disk from
from winxp,use it to reboot your machine to and then put in the OS of
your choice.I'm back with win98se and hummin.............I'll wait
untill they get all the bugs out.

 

[Guest]

You're right, Bob, I didn't want to hear that, which is why I specifically
asked not to be subjected to such foolishness. But as to your suggestion; I
have already contacted Dell for diagnostics when I experienced the first
problems. They told me I had a virus, then referred me to their "pay per
opinion" software division. Knowing that I DID NOT have a virus, I convinced
them to send me another hard drive. That worked for almost 3 weeks before
different problems began occurring.

Thank you for your assistance, but I'm sure you won't mind if I continue to
seek a more viable solution which, in this case, is ridding myself of XP and
installing an OS I personally have found to be more stable.

lil

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Mike. I tried that, but 2K setup could not find the hard drive.
Went back to BIOS and forced the system to recognize the HD, but when I
changed it back to boot from CD again, it still couldn't locate it. It
appears that, once XP has a hold on your computer, it doesn't want to let you
change it out.

Is there a way I can just reformat the hard drive??

lil

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Okay, I tried that. This time I get the message that "Setup did not find any
hard disk drives installed on your computer."

The hard drive is there. It's a SATA drive as opposed to a PATA drive. But
when I try to boot from the CD, 2K's setup can't find it. When I run 2K's CD
after booting normally I get the message that it's an older OS and setup
files will be disabled.

It seems clear that the Win2K installation CD doesn't include the
drivers for your PC's specific model of SATA controller. You may need
to get them from the controller's/motherboard's manufacturer. Very early
in the boot process, just after having booted from the Win2K CD, the
screen will display the words to the effect: "Setup is examining your
system." Press <F6> when this happens, and have the Win2K-specific
drivers for your SATA/SCSI/IDE controller available on a floppy disk.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

During set up, you are asked to press F6 for additional drivers, press it
and be ready to insert a diskette that includes the relevant Sata drivers
for your system..

And when you are up and running, don't forget to load and run a decent
firewall (before you connect to the net) and anti-virus program otherwise
you will have the same problems as you had with XP..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept
it all to themselves." - Lane Kirkland

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Mike... both you and Bruce seem to know what's going on. I'll look
for drivers for the SATA HD, but the computer doesn't have a floppy drive.
::sighs:: Sounds like this is going to be complicated. After I hit F6, will
I be able to pop the Win2K disc, insert the CD with the SATA driver on it,
then pop 2K back in?

Sounds like we're getting closer!

lil

 

[Nog]

We've had some BAD experiences. It may be that Dell just sent us a lemon
of
a computer, but we've had nothing but trouble since we got this "new toy"
for
Christmas. Even *after* they replaced the hard drive.

We want out. We don't want to "fix" it. Please just tell me how in heck
to
get XP off the computer and start over with a *stable* system like Win2K.
Don't tell me how good XP is or how bad 2K is. Just tell me how to get
rid
of XP.

I want to know the most efficient, effective way of reformatting a hard
drive with the XP OS factory installed on it.

Everything is backed up and ready to go. I have the information I need to
get the hardware drivers for 2K. All I need at this point are
instructions
for wiping the slate clean to start over with a different OS.

Can any of you please help me out here?

What motherboard does Dell use? It's probably crap if you can't run XP. I've
been running my MSI KT3 Ultra2 with the VIA KT333 Chipset and an Athlon XP
processor and 512 megs of ram for 2 years without a crash, hiccup or blue
screen. They probably mass buy from low bidders and get junk motherboards.

 

[Bob Davis]

Hey bob, what have you been smokin Xp sucks big time, stable for an
idiot who can't cofigure his or her machine,hackers are having a ball
with this one.

I don't smoke and won't argue my level of idiocy, but I've never had a virus
or incident of spyware since installing XP over two years ago. Using simple
programs (NSW, Adaware, etc.) and a hardware firewall reduce the chance of
acquiring malware. I also had no trouble with 98SE in this respect.

I used Win98SE for several years before upgrading hardware and the OS, and
had very good luck with it, but resource (user, system, etc.) limitations
pushed me to move on. XP works much better and is more stable that 98SE
ever was on this homebuilt system and about a dozen more I'm acquainted
with, some of which I built.

If you like 98 that's fine, but my experience is that XP is better for the
tasks I do, which is photo editing, etc.

It doesn't load any fast than win98 they just moved the
desk top so you can see it but try to start a program form the task
bar.

XP doesn't load much faster here either, but that's not an issue with me. I
start this computer once per day and make coffee while it is booting, a
one-minute process. Not sure what you mean about starting a program from
the taskbar, but I'm not sure I've seen a difference between the way the two
OS's work as regards the taskbar.

And believe me there is no uninstall in the control panel.Here is
the solution to your problem....

But I don't have a problem.

All this said, the experience I've had with Dell's loaded with XP is that
they do run fine. My opinion is that if the OP is having trouble with XP on
a new Dell I doubt if retrofitting 9x/ME or W2K will solve his problem.

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Your response places you in the 'troll' category.. well done..

--
Mike Hall
MVP - Windows Shell/User

"If hard work were such a wonderful thing, surely the rich would have kept
it all to themselves." - Lane Kirkland

 

[Alan Smith]

You have the choice to do whatever you like. But you may be better off with
a Mac, the only thing is Mac owners tend to be able to spell, use capital
letters and punctuation. Why not go back to GEM and miss out Windows
altogether?