Install xp windows media center

[Peter]

I have been given a computer which has got 75gb harddrive and 960 mb
installed memory. The hard disk is partitioned and one part has got
Windows xp home edition and I do not know what the other software is.
What I would like to know is If I bought a Windows XP Media Center
software would I have problems installing it on my computer or could I
upgrade to Media Center.
Thanks in advance
Peter
Peter

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have been given a computer which has got 75gb harddrive and 960 mb
installed memory. The hard disk is partitioned

First, a word on the terminolgy. *All* hard drives are partitioned, if they
are in use. To "partition" a drive is to create one or more partitions on
it. You have to have at least one partition (normally C before it can be
used. What you mean, I assume, is that your drive has *two* partitions.

and one part has got
Windows xp home edition and I do not know what the other software is.

You are mistakenly assuming that the second partition has to have an
operating system installed on it. Although that's possible, it is relatively
rare. Most people who have a drive with two partitions have Windows
installed on the first partition and no operating system on the second one;
instead they keep their data on the second partition.

What I would like to know is If I bought a Windows XP Media Center
software

Note that Media Center is normally sold only as an OEM product, preinstalled
on a new computer. You will probably have trouble buying it on its own.

would I have problems installing it on my computer or
could I upgrade to Media Center.

Media Center Edition can only do clean installations and not upgrades.

 

[Peter]

On looking at some of the files on the larger partition it looks as if it
a operating system and files on it like ms word but I cannot open any of
the files on it. Is there any way of deleting whatever it is or can I
reformat the partition or the whole hard disk.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On looking at some of the files on the larger partition it looks as
if it a operating system and files on it like ms word but I cannot
open any of the files on it.

Take ownership:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308421

Is there any way of deleting whatever it
is

Yes, after taking ownership.

or can I reformat the partition

Sure.


or the whole hard disk.

You can do that too. In fact, whener you get a used computer, that's what a
recommend that you do. If I acquired a used computer, the first thing I
would do with it would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You
have no idea how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed
incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be, etc. I
wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and problems,
possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend that anyone else
do either.

Just boot from the Windows XP CD (change the BIOS boot order if necessary to
accomplish this) and follow the prompts for a clean installation (delete the
existing partition by pressing "D" when prompted, then create a new one).

You can find detailed instructions here:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

or here http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how_do_i_install_windows_xp.htm

or here http://windowsxp.mvps.org/XPClean.htm

or here http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/clean_install.htm