fatal error installing WindowsXP

[Bob Jameson]

I am intalling Windows XP as an update to Windows ME and
get a fatal error(566ff58h)message. It says to contact
Microsoft technical support. When I try that it asks for a
product Id that seemst to be available only once Windows
XP is installed. Can anyone help me work around the fatal
error or tell me how to find the product ID without having
installed the system? Please! Thank you.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

Have you made sure that your PC's hardware components are capable
of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.

You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are WinXP device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98/Me. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, sold and run fine
with Win9x/Me very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent
hardware quality requirements. This is particularly true of many
models in Compaq's consumer-class Presario product line or HP's
consumer-class Pavilion product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K
before it, is quite sensitive to borderline defective or substandard
hardware (particularly motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will
still support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639

Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

HOW TO Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You
Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q310064


Bruce Chambers

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[Alex Nichol]

I am intalling Windows XP as an update to Windows ME and
get a fatal error(566ff58h)message. It says to contact
Microsoft technical support. When I try that it asks for a
product Id that seemst to be available only once Windows
XP is installed. Can anyone help me work around the fatal
error or tell me how to find the product ID without having
installed the system?

I would take the line that you are a Win ME customer, trying to get
support for the upgrade, and offer them the Win ME PID: which you will
find in its Control Panel - System under your name, or can find from a
DOS boot floppy boot by editing C:\Windows\System,dat and searching for
ProductID

That code you quote is the address of the failure, which is not much
help. The error code - 0x000000?? is more to the point, and you might
find an explanation at http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm and click the
code in the left column