Hard drive size

[Guest]

It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer that
is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade to
XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I have
cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it won't
install. Is there a secret?

Dawn

 

[Guest]

Sound like you have 2GB of total space on the entire drive.
In order to do the installation you need 1.5GB of free space. This only
works if your Windows 98 installation is smaller than .5GB. I haven't used 98
in so long that I'm not sure what kind of space a clean installation takes.
Either way, if it says you need more, you need more.

Open My Computer and right-click on your system drive (most likely the C:\
drive) and choose Properties. Here you'll see the used and free space.

 

[Justme]

It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer
that
is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade
to
XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I
have
cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it
won't
install. Is there a secret?

Dawn

Just buy a bigger disk, they are dirt cheap. What could you possibly hope
to use a computer for with only a 2gb disk.

 

[Rich Barry]

Dawn, when in Win98 open MyComputer and rt click on hard drive icon.
Select properties and see how much hard drive
space you have left. New computers usually come with WinXP. Do you mean
that it is new to you? Post back here your
findings.

 

[Guest]

It says I have 1.77 GB of free space available. It still will not install.
Any other ideas?

Dawn

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new
computer that is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When
I try to upgrade to XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive
space. What do I do??? I have cleared absolutely everything off the
computer so I don't know why it won't install. Is there a secret?

Despite the official minimum reuqirement, 1.5GB is *way* too little for
Windows XP. At best, even if you fit Windows XP on it by first removing
Windows 98, you would have practically no room for any applications, data
files, etc.

I wouldn't recommend trying to install XP on anything less than a 10GB
machine, and even that is very little. 20GB or more is much better.

Over and above the hard drive situation, this machine is probably
inadequate in several other ways. Don't even consider installing Windows XP
unless you have at least a 400MHz or so procesoor, at *least* 256MB of RAM,
and at least a 10GB hard drive.

Do not be misled by the official minimum requirements. They are what you
need to get it running at all, not to get it running with acceptable
performance.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'Dawn' wrote:
| It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
| upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer
that
| is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade
to
| XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I
have
| cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it
won't
| install. Is there a secret?

I think you should provide more information. It is HIGHLY unlikely any
'completely new computer' that has 'Windows 98 on it and nothing else' would
leave only 2 GBytes of free space on the hard drive.

Finding a solution for your problem require knowing more about your system.
Some suggestions for additional information:
* Brand and model of the computer
* CPU installed (and speed)
* Installed Random Access Memory
* Total hard drive capacity
* Unused space on the hard drive
* Used space on the hard drive.

Any new computer produced in the last year or so should have come with a
hard drive of at least 40 GBytes capacity. Hard drives of 160 GBytes or
more capacity are very common.

A 'Windows 98' installation and nothing else should take up far less than 1
GByte.

Think of a computer and operating system (like Windows 98 or Windows XP) as
the most persnickety grammar teacher you have ever had. You must do
EXACTLY and PRECISELY what is required to get a successful install. If you
have problems, you must describe what you did and what messages you got
EXACTLY and PRECISELY. Your current post leaves us guessing as to what is
going on.

I could guess, but that wouldn't be very helpful.

I could guess that you have confused RAM and hard drive storage.

I could guess that there are VERY large 'hidden files' on your hard drive
that must be removed by using 'Windows Explorer' to 'unhide' them.

I could guess that for some reason your new computer has such a small hard
drive that you really don't have 2 GBytes of available space above the 0.5
GBytes that Windows 98 might require; but hard drives that small haven't
even been sold for personal computers in maybe 10 years.

I am sure that there is a simple solution to your problem, but as you see,
guesses aren't much help.
Please try posted the information suggested in the list above.

Phil Weldon



| It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
| upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer
that
| is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade
to
| XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I
have
| cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it
won't
| install. Is there a secret?
|
| Dawn

 

[Admiral Q]

It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer
that
is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade
to
XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I
have
cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it
won't
install. Is there a secret?

Dawn

As others have said, get a larger drive, a 20 or 40GB can be bought dirt
cheap - that would be the minimum sized drive I would attempt to run WinXP
on. FWIW - I have a barebones, WinXP SP2 image with all fixes, no games, no
Office software, no works, no multimedia, no page file, no hibernate file,
just a plain jane OS - it uses 3.15 GB of space all by itself. When you
start adding things such as Games, Real, Quicktime, Microsoft Works or
Office, printer software, imaging software, etc, it climbs very quickly to
10GB or so, then depending on memory, adding in the pagefile and hiberfil,
you'll easily climb to 12-14GB or so. Then you'll want to have space for
you personal documents, pictures, etc.

 

[Jim Macklin]

I doubt that the rest of the hardware is compatible with XP.
Since you have the XP CD, and you have Windows 98 installed,
browse the CD and run the upgrade advisor program. You'll
probably need to spend about $300 and buy a new Dell, I have
not seen a computer with less than a 40 GB hard drive that
would run XP, they just don't make such small drives as 2 GB
anymore. A $300 Dell is a P5 or Celeron, with 256 or more
RAM and 80 GB hard drive and a CD-RW drive and comes with XP
installed. There are other brands too.


| It says I have 1.77 GB of free space available. It still
will not install.
| Any other ideas?
|
| Dawn
|
| "DhamAngry" wrote:
|
| > Sound like you have 2GB of total space on the entire
drive.
| > In order to do the installation you need 1.5GB of free
space. This only
| > works if your Windows 98 installation is smaller than
..5GB. I haven't used 98
| > in so long that I'm not sure what kind of space a clean
installation takes.
| > Either way, if it says you need more, you need more.
| >
| > Open My Computer and right-click on your system drive
(most likely the C:\
| > drive) and choose Properties. Here you'll see the used
and free space.
| > --
| > Please rate my responses - Thanks.
| > http://www.geocities.com/dhamangry
| >
| >
| > "Dawn" wrote:
| >
| > > It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of
hard drive space to
| > > upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a
completely new computer that
| > > is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else.
When I try to upgrade to
| > > XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space.
What do I do??? I have
| > > cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I
don't know why it won't
| > > install. Is there a secret?
| > >
| > > Dawn

 

[Bob B]

It says on the systems specs that I need 1.5 GB of hard drive space to
upgrade from Windows 98 to Windows XP. I have a completely new computer
that
is 2 GB and has Windows 98 on it and nothing else. When I try to upgrade
to
XP it keeps telling me I need more hard drive space. What do I do??? I
have
cleared absolutely everything off the computer so I don't know why it
won't
install. Is there a secret?

Dawn

I saw some pigs flying the other night ..when one lands I am sure they will
be able to help with the secret!!

Bob

(if you do crack the secret then you will let us know how your going to
instal a few videos, photos and music!!)