Installing/Upgrading to Windows XP

[Teresa]

I currently have Windows ME on my PC and would like to
install XP Home Edition. In the manual, it gives me the
option to upgrade or to do a new install. I'd like to
just do the upgrade because it seems easier.... Is it
better to do the new install to get rid of ME? Or will
upgrading the operating system be okay too? We've had so
many problems with ME..

If I do the new install, do I have to Format c: drive
first then re-install the drivers?

If I just do the upgrade, should I unplug all of the
peripherals before performing the upgrade?

Thank you.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I currently have Windows ME on my PC and would like to
install XP Home Edition. In the manual, it gives me the
option to upgrade or to do a new install. I'd like to
just do the upgrade because it seems easier.... Is it
better to do the new install to get rid of ME? Or will
upgrading the operating system be okay too? We've had so
many problems with ME..

I regard it as better to do an upgrade in the first instance. It may
well go entirely smoothly - both this machine and my laptop were
upgrades from ME a couple of years ago and have needed nothing doing to
them. And the ME used on this machine was only just about holding
together on revised hardware. You can always go back and do the clean
install if you find it does not work out - the converse is not true.

There are a few precautions - things to check on and things to disable.
Read Gary Woodruff's article on upgrading to XP at
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm