Getting ready for Vista

[Guest]

I am curious to know if I can use Windows ME to upgrade to Vista Home
Premium? The original PC it was installed on has been dead for some years
now, but I still have a Dell and I still have the installation disk! This
would save me a lot of money (disabled) and still allow me to preserve my XP
installation.
Also I have a complete backup copy of XP stored on my external hard drive,
created using XP. Can I re-install XP from this copy? My thinking is to
flatten everything on C/E (XP and Vista) which is a partitioned drive. Then
put Windows ME on this largest drive of my PC and upgrade to Vista from
there. On my smaller 2nd drive (D storage before the external drive) I would
just re-install XP. I am hoping then I could dual boot or use a boot manager
and have the best of both worlds until Vista has all of it’s kinks worked
out! Is there a “best†way to do this. I do recall reading here that the
oldest OS should be installed first. Or would I be better hiding the drives
from each other. What’s the best way to hide a drive? Any ideas or
suggestions are always appreciated since I am always willing to learn or try
something new.

 

[Guest]

sorry if this was already asked I did find some references after reading
many...many threads...but it still is not clear to me if Windows ME is the
same as Windows 2000. I am a late bloomer!

 

[Jane C]

Windows ME does not qualify for upgrade pricing. Windows 2000 and XP only.

 

[Guest]

Nuts...back to plan A then! Thanks!

 

[Chad Harris]

iplant--

It's a No for using Win ME to upgrade. Checkout the Upgrade Matrix:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060730-7384.html

Sorry. There could be a number of reasons, but I suspect that the Vista
kernel and code wouldn't allow an upgrade from ME (Win 9X--a true Perfect
Storm from Redmond when they were out of the minds trying to hybridize 16
bit and 32 bit code and no offense, but even the MSFTies were making fun of
ME in slides at presentations the last couple years.

You need to follow one of the supported upgrade paths and retire that ME or
else put Vista on another partion from it.

CH

 

[Chad Harris]

Windows 2K is not part of Windows 9x and is very very close to Windows XP
with a some distinctions.

There is a good comparison of Windows XP and ME here:

Windows XP Kernel Enhancements
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,10430,00.asp

Here's the upgrade page from MSFT.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060730-7384.html

If anyone knows who ran Win ME as part of history trivia, I'd like to put
the name on my dart board. I know Mike Nash played a big part in sheperding
Win 2K, but ME I'm not sure.

I believe it was the illustrious Nicolas Coudière, Chief Product Manager:
Microsoft Windows Millennium. I wonder what ole Nick is doing now.

www.activewin.com/interviews/microsoft/7.shtml

CH

Nuts...back to plan A then! Thanks!

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

No. Win ME is the last in the DOS branch of Windows (Win 9x/ME). Only the
NT branch starting with Win2k is eligible for upgrade pricing to Vista.

 

[Scott]

Iplant spake thusly on 1/21/2007 10:14 PM:

I am curious to know if I can use Windows ME to upgrade to Vista Home
Premium?

Surely you jest?

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

CNET News, January 23, 2007, 11:31 AM PST

Microsoft announced today that Windows WE has been scheduled for release
later this year. Nicknamed "WeeWee" by its detractors, it is designed to
permit users of Microsoft ME to participate in a subset of the Windows Vista
Experience. A new graphical interface will offers features like Flip 1.5D
and opaque window borders.