In
Griff said:
And I've supplied a long multi-part answer.
(I'm on Windows ME with Microsoft Works Suite 2001.)
Due to a problem, my computer tech support recommends that
I reinstall my Windows ME operating system using the
original discs.
I wouldn't be quick to believe him. You might want to get a
second opinion. Tech support people often recommend that you
reformat and reinstall. That's the perfect solution for them. It
gets you off the phone quickly, it almost always works, and it
doesn't require them to do any real troubleshooting (a skill that
most of them obviously don't possess in any great degree).
But it leaves you with all the work and all the problems. You
have to restore all your data backups, you have to reinstall all
your programs, you have to reinstall all the Windows and
application updates,you have to locate and install all the needed
drivers for your system, you have to recustomize Windows and all
your apps to work the way you're comfortable with. Besides all
those things being time-consuming and troublesome, you may have
trouble with some of them: can you find all your application CDs?
Can you find all the needed installation codes? Do you have data
backups to restore? Do you even remember all the customizations
and tweaks you may have installed to make everything work the way
you like?
Occasionally there are problems that are so difficult to solve
that Windows should be reinstalled cleanly. But they are few and
far between; reinstallation should not a substitute for
troubleshooting; it should be a last resort, to be done only
after all other attempts at troubleshooting by a qualified person
have failed.
Under the circumstances, I'm considering
buying Windows XP instead -- either the upgrade or full
replacment product.
1) Is it more fool proof to simply invest in the full
package Windows XP, rather than reinstalling ME and then
upgrading to XP?
You're making a false assumption. Contrary to what many people
think, you can do a clean installation with an upgrade version.
You don't have to reinstall Me first.
The requirement to use an upgrade version is to *own* a previous
qualifying version's installation CD (not an OEM restore CD), not
to have it installed. When setup doesn't find a previous
qualifying version installed, it will prompt you to insert its CD
as proof of ownership. Just insert the previous version's CD, and
follow the prompts. Everything proceeds quite normally and quite
legitimately.
So since you qualify for the upgrade, that's what you should buy,
since it's cheaper. The two contain exactly the same software.
Your question really should be, should you do a clean
installation or an upgrade. Although many people will tell you
that formatting and installing cleanly is the best way to go, I
disagree. Unlike with previous versions of Windows, an upgrade to
XP replaces almost everything, and usually works very well.
My recommendation is to at least try the upgrade, since it's much
easier than a clean installation. You can always change your mind
and reinstall cleanly if problems develop.
However, don't assume that doing an upgrade relieves you of the
need to backup your data, etc. before beginning. Before starting
to upgrade, it's always prudent to recognize that things like a
sudden power loss can occur in eth middle of it and cause the
loss of everything. For that reason you should make sure you have
backups and anything else you need to reinstall if the worst
happens.
2) Will the new XP system recognize the previously
installed MS Works Suite 2001 software?
If you do an upgrade, yes. If you do a clean installation, no.
If I need to
reinstall Works Suite 2001, will it be compatible with the
XP operating system?
Yes.
Is it essential that I upgrade that
too -- to either Work Suite 2003 or Office?
No.
