reformat and now reinstall problem

[Guest]

We installed XP Home upgrade on a machine that had run on Windows ME. Now,
some time later, I reformatted the C:\ drive (it had slowed to a crawl and
less). Now, going through the Windows setup process with the XP disc in the
CD-drive, I get to the install screen, hit Enter and get the message: "Setup
cannot find a previous version of Windows installed on your computer. To
continue, Setup needs to verify that you qualify to use their upgrade
product."

Well, I do qualify. The XP upgrade was installed over ME.

What could be going on here and how can I proceed to reinstall XP Home on
the machine?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

We installed XP Home upgrade on a machine that had run on Windows ME. Now,
some time later, I reformatted the C:\ drive (it had slowed to a crawl and
less). Now, going through the Windows setup process with the XP disc in the
CD-drive, I get to the install screen, hit Enter and get the message: "Setup
cannot find a previous version of Windows installed on your computer. To
continue, Setup needs to verify that you qualify to use their upgrade
product."

Well, I do qualify. The XP upgrade was installed over ME.

What could be going on here and how can I proceed to reinstall XP Home on
the machine?

If you read on then you will probably see words along these
lines: "Please insert the installation CD for the qualifying product".
In other words, you now have to insert your Windows ME CD.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your reply.

A couple of things. Now when I boot up the computer, instead of recognizing
the CD to lead to the Windows Setup, I keep getting "NTLDR is missing. Press
CNTL-ALT-DEL to restart." That keeps looping back to the same message. How
can I get beyond that point?

Assuming I can get beyond that point, the PC, a Compaq Presario (pre-merger
with H-P), did not come with the ME discs. I do have a Compaq Recovery disc.
Will that suffice to reinstall XP?

Thanks.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You must set your BIOS to boot off the CD instead off the
hard disk. On many PCs you need to press the Delete key
to get into the BIOS setup.

Your recovery CD won't do as a qualifying disk. If this is
all you have then you have to restore WinME on your PC
first, then upgrade it to WinXP.