Ping John Corliss Re: Windows ME ( Dell computer)

[ms]

Hello John:
If you recall, this is Mike in the same state.....

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

I just acquired a used Dell computer loaded with ME.

Two questions:
1. If I use a DOS 6.22 floppy to start a reformat, will ME likely give me a
"wrong version DOS" error message? I do get that with a W9X OS.

2. This is a Dell computer, I plan to reformat and then install W98SE.
Anybody with a recent Dell, the way Dell sets up the hard drive, can I do
this?

TIA

Mike Sa

 

[null]

Hello John:
If you recall, this is Mike in the same state.....

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

Well, now you know of two My old Hp Pavilion with a 900 mhz
PIII and DSL service is a dream machine! No problems at all
with it.

I just acquired a used Dell computer loaded with ME.

Two questions:
1. If I use a DOS 6.22 floppy to start a reformat, will ME likely give me a
"wrong version DOS" error message? I do get that with a W9X OS.

DOS 6.X and under won't even see the drive if it's FAT32.

2. This is a Dell computer, I plan to reformat and then install W98SE.

You might want to reconsider downgrading to Win 98SE. WIN ME is
better (smarter) in several respects.

Anybody with a recent Dell, the way Dell sets up the hard drive, can I do
this?

I don't have a Dell but I would think you could use the Win ME system
boot disk to do the reformat if you decide that's what you really want
to do.

Art

http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg

 

[JoeA]

Hello John:
If you recall, this is Mike in the same state.....

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

I just acquired a used Dell computer loaded with ME.

Second on ME is not that bad. I personaly turn off system restore, I've
never needed it and it slows
the system down on older computers.
If you go to 98SE you should be, I think, able to install from the CD.
Set bios to boot from CD first, format, install.

 

[ms]

Well, now you know of two My old Hp Pavilion with a 900 mhz
PIII and DSL service is a dream machine! No problems at all
with it.




DOS 6.X and under won't even see the drive if it's FAT32.




You might want to reconsider downgrading to Win 98SE. WIN ME is
better (smarter) in several respects.




I don't have a Dell but I would think you could use the Win ME system
boot disk to do the reformat if you decide that's what you really want
to do.

Art

http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg

Art, what advantages to ME over W98SE? Everything I always read was you
feed ME dog food, not RAM.

Mike Sa

 

[null]

Art, what advantages to ME over W98SE? Everything I always read was you
feed ME dog food, not RAM.

Its System File Protect (SFP) is far superior to the old SFC It's
automatic as well. It has more up to date hardware driver options ....
it's often much easier to change monitors, modems, etc. It requires
fewer OS security patches since it has the advantage of "second
guessing" by Redmond. It will be supported longer by MS (I guess,
havent' t looked at the dates lately).

I've found it requires little maintenance. I did away with System
Restore because a cloned backup h.d. on a removeable tray is a far
better approach.

Art

http://home.epix.net/~artnpeg

 

[Duddits]

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

I had a Dell WinME machine and loved it (Dell 4300 - Pentium 1.4 384mb RAM)
- better than W95 or W98SE. I've since built a new Athlon 64 machine with
XP but I wouldn't hesitate to do anything on my old WinME machine.

regards

Dud

 

[elaich]

2. This is a Dell computer, I plan to reformat and then install W98SE.

Tweak ME and you'll have a far better OS than Win98:

www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html

Go to beta10.com and download OPPCOM, which will allow you to uninstall a
lot of garbage within ME from the Windows Setup box in Control Panel. I get
rid of everything in there except WMP 6.4. You can get rid of System
Restore, not just turn it off. You can get rid of OOBE and a ton of other
unneeded garbage.

Make sure that IE 5.5 SP1 has been upgraded to IE 6.

I can run ME continually for weeks without rebooting it after doing the
above.

 

[Vic Dura]

Art, what advantages to ME over W98SE? Everything I always read was you
feed ME dog food, not RAM.

With ME, If you plug in a USB thumb drive or media card reader, ME
will probably recognize it. Win98se won't without loading the drivers.

If it were me, I would format the hard-drive and do a clean install of
ME. That way you know what you are starting with.

 

[David]

Hello John:
If you recall, this is Mike in the same state.....

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

I just acquired a used Dell computer loaded with ME.

Two questions:
1. If I use a DOS 6.22 floppy to start a reformat, will ME likely give me a
"wrong version DOS" error message? I do get that with a W9X OS.

If it is a FAT32 partition DOS 6.x will be unable to see it let alone
format it.

 

[ms]

Tweak ME and you'll have a far better OS than Win98:

www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html

Go to beta10.com and download OPPCOM, which will allow you to uninstall a
lot of garbage within ME from the Windows Setup box in Control Panel. I get
rid of everything in there except WMP 6.4. You can get rid of System
Restore, not just turn it off. You can get rid of OOBE and a ton of other
unneeded garbage.

Make sure that IE 5.5 SP1 has been upgraded to IE 6.

I can run ME continually for weeks without rebooting it after doing the
above.

Thanks, I will d/l OPPCOM.

Is there any ng you are aware of that focuses on Win ME? I'm used to W98.

Mike Sa

 

[Gordon Darling]

[quoted text muted]

Thanks, I will d/l OPPCOM.

Is there any ng you are aware of that focuses on Win ME? I'm used to W98.

Mike Sa

Mike,
microsoft.public.windowsme.*
is the root for around a dozen WinME support groups.

Regards
Gordon

 

[ms]

[quoted text muted]

Thanks, I will d/l OPPCOM.

Is there any ng you are aware of that focuses on Win ME? I'm used to W98.

Mike Sa

Mike,
microsoft.public.windowsme.*
is the root for around a dozen WinME support groups.

Regards
Gordon

Thanks, Gordon, looks like there are quite a few users out there for ME.

I have lots of favorite utils for W98SE. I know some don't work in XP, is
the ME file system same as 9X or the XP format?

Mike Sa

 

[ms]

Hello John:
If you recall, this is Mike in the same state.....

You are the only one I'm aware of that uses ME, and likes it.

I just acquired a used Dell computer loaded with ME.

Two questions:
1. If I use a DOS 6.22 floppy to start a reformat, will ME likely give
me a "wrong version DOS" error message? I do get that with a W9X OS.

2. This is a Dell computer, I plan to reformat and then install W98SE.
Anybody with a recent Dell, the way Dell sets up the hard drive, can I
do this?

TIA

Mike Sa

Thanks to all for good data.

It is not the clearcut decision it appeared to be. I will still need to
look up differences between W98SE and ME.

Mike Sa

 

[Gordon Darling]

[quoted text muted]

Thanks, Gordon, looks like there are quite a few users out there for ME.

I have lots of favorite utils for W98SE. I know some don't work in XP, is
the ME file system same as 9X or the XP format?

Mike Sa

FAT32, Mike

Regards
Gordon

 

[elaich]

It is not the clearcut decision it appeared to be. I will still need to
look up differences between W98SE and ME.

Anything that will run on 98 will run on ME.

 

[(ProteanThread)]

With ME, If you plug in a USB thumb drive or media card reader, ME
will probably recognize it. Win98se won't without loading the
drivers.

If it were me, I would format the hard-drive and do a clean
install of ME. That way you know what you are starting with.

as much as i don't like ME (have problems with it on a dell laptop)
thats probably your best solution (esp. if the machine was used).

 

[Bjorn Simonsen]

Tweak ME and you'll have a far better OS than Win98:

www.burzurq.com/forum/trevtweak.html

Just ran across: Tweak-Me GOLD for Windows Me
<http://www.totalidea.com/freestuff3.htm>

Not tried/tested, do not have ME my self.

All the best,
Bjorn Simonsen

 

[John Corliss]

With ME, If you plug in a USB thumb drive or media card reader, ME
will probably recognize it. Win98se won't without loading the drivers.

If it were me, I would format the hard-drive and do a clean install of
ME. That way you know what you are starting with.

I agree. And as for "System Restore", to the best of my knowledge, it
will only work in ME if you install the patch from MS:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;290700

Kinda ironic that "Millennium Edition" had a millennium function issue.

Other than that, the fact that Millennium Edition doesn't support "Real
Mode" is kind of a pain, but it also means that the system boots faster
than W98 or W98SE. Not only that, but use of DOSBox:

http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/news.php?show_news=1

and DFend:

http://members.home.nl/mabus/dfend.htm

got me around that problem.

 

[elaich]

Other than that, the fact that Millennium Edition doesn't support "Real
Mode" is kind of a pain

Actually, it does. MS just hid the interface. You can get real DOS mode
back in ME by using the patch here:

http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/

It takes a little manipulation and copying of files, but anyone who knows
how to use Windows Explorer should be able to handle it.

 

[John Corliss]

Actually, it does. MS just hid the interface.

You're right of course. I was just simplifying things too much.

You can get real DOS mode
back in ME by using the patch here:

http://www.geocities.com/mfd4life_2000/

It takes a little manipulation and copying of files, but anyone who knows
how to use Windows Explorer should be able to handle it.

Also this one:

http://www.geocities.com/dos8me/

However, I leave well enough alone in this case.