Windows XP vs Windows ME

[Guest]

I have had a compaq presario (Windows ME) with CD/RW for a couple of years and have been very pleased with its operation. I use the CD/RW primarily for storage of data files and it has worked beautifully (like a floppy drive) for this specific purpose. I have recently purchased a Compaq Presario with Windows XP which I purchased for this specific purpose but I find that the CD/RW work differently.

My Windows ME computer has factory installed software which is also the case with the new computer which has factory installed Windows XP. Does anyone know or knows of someone who knows if I can install Windows ME on the Windows XP computer?

 

[Michael D. Alligood]

To be blunt, that is like putting ketchup on a Filet Mignon. If you are
talking about dual booting on the same partition, you will have more trouble
than what is worth. It can be done, however I believe afterwords you will
regret it.

I have had a compaq presario (Windows ME) with CD/RW for a couple of years

and have been very pleased with its operation. I use the CD/RW primarily
for storage of data files and it has worked beautifully (like a floppy
drive) for this specific purpose. I have recently purchased a Compaq
Presario with Windows XP which I purchased for this specific purpose but I
find that the CD/RW work differently.

My Windows ME computer has factory installed software which is also the

case with the new computer which has factory installed Windows XP. Does
anyone know or knows of someone who knows if I can install Windows ME on the
Windows XP computer?

 

[Guest]

I will tell you that the operation of the CD/RW with Windows XP is worse than putting ketcup on a filet mignon. It is like putting mustard on coconut cream pie. Hp recommended that I download DLA software from their website to make the CD/RW work like a floppy. When it works it is fine but about every two or three days it stops working and I have to remove and reinstall the DLA software. And, guess what? When I go back to HP they tell me the only two options I have is to (1) remove and reinstall the DLA software or (2) do a system restore; they only warrant the software that came with the computer.
Since I know the Windows ME works like a charm, the most simpliest solution is to put Windows ME on the Windows XP computer if it can be done without harming the computer. I am not talking about dual booting, I am talking about replacing the Windows XP with the Windows ME (taking Windows XP off and putting Windows ME on). If it can be done, I need to know the sequential steps to do it.
Thank you for your reply anyway.

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

I will tell you that the operation of the CD/RW with Windows XP is
worse than putting ketcup on a filet mignon. It is like putting
mustard on coconut cream pie. Hp recommended that I download DLA
software from their website to make the CD/RW work like a floppy.
When it works it is fine but about every two or three days it stops
working and I have to remove and reinstall the DLA software. And,
guess what? When I go back to HP they tell me the only two options I
have is to (1) remove and reinstall the DLA software or (2) do a
system restore; they only warrant the software that came with the
computer. Since I know the Windows ME works like a charm, the most
simpliest solution is to put Windows ME on the Windows XP computer if
it can be done without harming the computer. I am not talking about
dual booting, I am talking about replacing the Windows XP with the
Windows ME (taking Windows XP off and putting Windows ME on). If it
can be done, I need to know the sequential steps to do it.
Thank you for your reply anyway.

Windows Me does not have any native packet-writing software. You bought a
notebook with Me and the vendor chose to include it. You cannot install ME
on your new system for three very good reasons: -

1) It is OEM and therefore tied to the system it was sold with - forever.
It also sounds as though it was a recovery disc.

2) Even if you could, you would invalidate any - and, most likely, all -
warranties conferred on the system at the point-of-sale. What if the hard
drive failed? You'd have to pay for the new one, as well as the fitting if
you're not competent enough to do it yourself.

3) It's a bloody stupid idea. Me was the worst OS MS has ever released.
Why bugger up a new system by replacing something superior with something
inferior?! It's like trading in a Jaguar for a 20 year old Ford Cortina!

I suggest you purchase a 3rd-party burning solution. Ahead Nero and Roxio's
Easy CD Creator are the most popular (I have both). Neither are very
expensive. I picked up Easy CD from eBay for £15 - a 75% saving on the RRP!
When the dollar is weak it's time for us Brits to take advantage! Nero
retails for around £42 and Easy CD Creator is either £30 or £50 depending on
whether you go for the basics or the full Digital Media Suite.

 

[Michael D. Alligood]

All good and valid point (maybe with the exception of the first one). I
still do not understand the problem. Windows XP has built in support for
CD/RW. Just drag and drop a file(s) to the drive. If you have an error doing
so, try looking in the services mmc to see if IMAPI service is disabled. You
can navigate there through the CONTROL PANEL --> ADMINISTRATION TOOLS -->
SERVICES.

IMAPI Service manages CD recording using Image Mastering Applications
Programming Interface (IMAPI). If this service is stopped, this computer
will be unable to record CDs. If this service is disabled, any services that
explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Michael and Miss Perspicacia. You have been a tremendous help. I will try the Roxio Easy Creator.
Have a great evening.

 

[Guest]

LOL LOL LOL. Roxio is not known for good CD writing programs. If you're going to spend your hard earned money then Nero is the way to go. The problem you appear to be having doesn't seem to be the software writing program. In my humble opinion it's due to not getting the latest driver from the manufacturer, of your CD Drive, for XP. There are many things you can do to improve the CD writing in XP and much has to do with making registry changes to the buffers. Do some research on this if you like.

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

All good and valid point (maybe with the exception of the first one).
I still do not understand the problem. Windows XP has built in
support for CD/RW. Just drag and drop a file(s) to the drive. If you
have an error doing so, try looking in the services mmc to see if
IMAPI service is disabled. You can navigate there through the
CONTROL PANEL --> ADMINISTRATION TOOLS --> SERVICES.

IMAPI Service manages CD recording using Image Mastering Applications
Programming Interface (IMAPI). If this service is stopped, this
computer will be unable to record CDs. If this service is disabled,
any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

May I ask *why* you don't agree with the first one? It came with his old
system, which makes it OEM. From the OEM EULA (I store copies of most
variants of EULA for times such as this)

"Software as a Component of the Computer - Transfer. THIS LICENSE MAY NOT
BE SHARED, TRANSFERRED TO OR USED CONCURRENTLY ON DIFFERENT COMPUTERS."

I think that more than validates my first point.

Yes, XP does support writing to a CD-RW, what it *CANNOT* do (and what the
OP wants to do) is packet-write. This is where the disc is left open so that
more data can be added at a later date. If you end a writing session using
the native applet, then XP will close the disc, which means that no more
writing is possible.

 

[Miss Perspicacia Tick]

LOL LOL LOL. Roxio is not known for good CD writing programs. If
you're going to spend your hard earned money then Nero is the way to
go. The problem you appear to be having doesn't seem to be the
software writing program. In my humble opinion it's due to not
getting the latest driver from the manufacturer, of your CD Drive,
for XP. There are many things you can do to improve the CD writing in
XP and much has to do with making registry changes to the buffers. Do
some research on this if you like.

Erm actually Easy CD is fine. This is probably coming from the idiot who
tried to install Easy CD 4 under XP! The OP is wishing to packet-write and
(as I'm heartily sick of pointing out) XP DOES NOT SUPPORT IT!!

Get it? Got it? Good.