Installing XP over ME: system crashes when reading cd

[Mike Contris]

I'm trying to install XP Home over a copy of ME. When I
put the cd in the drive it spins up and then it goes to a
blue screen and crashes. After that I have to manually
eject the cd before I can successfully start the
computer. I've checked the cd settings (it's a Toshiba
read-write DVD read drive), but don't see anything odd.
Any thoughts? Should I be trying XP Pro?

 

[Ron Martell]

I'm trying to install XP Home over a copy of ME. When I
put the cd in the drive it spins up and then it goes to a
blue screen and crashes. After that I have to manually
eject the cd before I can successfully start the
computer. I've checked the cd settings (it's a Toshiba
read-write DVD read drive), but don't see anything odd.
Any thoughts? Should I be trying XP Pro?

Do other CDs (and DVDs) all work properly in that drive?

Have you cleaned the data surface of the CD with warm water and a soft
cloth to remove any fingerprints etc.?

I do not think it is anything specific in XP Home that is not also in
XP Pro (there is almost nothing in Home that is not also in Pro - the
differences are pretty much all functions and utilities that are only
in Pro and not in Home). The two versions are both produced from the
same source code base.

Do you have another CD drive that you could put into that computer to
see if it is a defect in the drive?

Can you test the XP Home CD in another computer, at least to the point
of seeing if it can be read without causing the same sort of problems
on that computer?

Good luck






Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

 

[DTM]

This could be related to the video, trying to load the
setup GUI, Try this.. Hold the shift key down when
putting the XP cd in the drive, Hold for a bit to stop
the autorun, Then go to START, click RUN, then Browse to
the XP cd and run the SETUP

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I've yet to see any operating system install over ME. You
will need to wipe the disk and then install your new OS.

Sorry, that's not true. Many people have successed installed XP
over the top of Me. Although he can do as you suggest, he
certainly doesn't *need* to.