Safe Mode for Upgrade?

[Alan]

When I eventually get round to doing this upgrade from my multi-user/profile
Win 98SE machine to XP, where is the best place to run the CD from? Is it
Safe Mode, logged in as one of the users or from the cancelled login screen,
or doesn't it matter? I just want to ensure that during the upgrade all the
relevant data is saved and moved across.
Alan

 

[Gordon]

When I eventually get round to doing this upgrade from my
multi-user/profile Win 98SE machine to XP, where is the best place to run
the CD from? Is it Safe Mode, logged in as one of the users or from the
cancelled login screen, or doesn't it matter? I just want to ensure that
during the upgrade all the relevant data is saved and moved across.
Alan

Firstly, BACKUP your data first. Including favorites, mail settings, etc
etc.
secondly, have you run the XP Upgrade Advisor? if your machine came with
Windows 98 it is very possible that it is either incapable, or right at the
very low-end of the specs for running XP.

 

[DL]

And do you know where to source drivers for your hw, assuming winxp drivers
are available?
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html for further reading

 

[AJR]

CD drivers are not available in Safe Mode - to upgrade and retain
data/programs you must install from within Win 98 (providing your XP CD is
upgrade version - XP full version may not provide upgrade option).
As to user account - it should be an Admin account - not being familiar with
98 profiles cannot suggest anything.

 

[Alan]

CD drivers are not available in Safe Mode - to upgrade and retain
data/programs you must install from within Win 98 (providing your XP CD is
upgrade version - XP full version may not provide upgrade option).
As to user account - it should be an Admin account - not being familiar with
98 profiles cannot suggest anything.

Thanks for the responses. In terms of the hardware, the only two items from
the original supplied PC are the case and the DVD player. All the rest has
been changed/upgraded and is well within the requirements for XP. Yes, I
have run the Upgrade Advisor and compiling a "tots and tinys" process/list
based on its findings. I am also in the process of sourcing and storing all
the relevant XP drivers identified in the Upgrade Advisor. One thing does
worry me though. The Advisor recommends uninstalling the graphics card
drivers before upgrading. If I do this surely the display on my screen won't
work or have I missed something here?
Alan

 

[Dave B.]

You missed something, it will revert to a standard VGA driver.

The Advisor recommends uninstalling the graphics card

 

[Bruce Chambers]

When I eventually get round to doing this upgrade from my multi-user/profile
Win 98SE machine to XP, where is the best place to run the CD from? Is it
Safe Mode, logged in as one of the users or from the cancelled login screen,
or doesn't it matter?

There'd certainly be no need to use Safe Mode, and doing so migh
actually cause problems. Otherwise, it makes no difference.

I just want to ensure that during the upgrade all the
relevant data is saved and moved across.
Alan

WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things can
go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all important
to you, back it up before proceeding.

Have you verified that all of your PC's hardware components are
capable of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx)

You should also take a few minutes to ensure that there are
WinXP-specific device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98/Me. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, sold and run fine
with Win9x/Me very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent
hardware quality requirements. This is particularly true of many early
models in Compaq's consumer-class Presario product line or HP's
consumer-class Pavilion product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K
before it, is quite sensitive to borderline defective or substandard
hardware (particularly motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will
still support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639

Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Alan]

There'd certainly be no need to use Safe Mode, and doing so migh
actually cause problems. Otherwise, it makes no difference.


WinXP is designed to install and upgrade the existing operating
system while simultaneously preserving your applications and data, and
translating as many personalized settings as possible. The process is
designed to be, and normally is, quite painless. That said, things can
go wrong, in a small number of cases. If your data is at all important
to you, back it up before proceeding.

Have you verified that all of your PC's hardware components are
capable of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx)

You should also take a few minutes to ensure that there are
WinXP-specific device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98/Me. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, sold and run fine
with Win9x/Me very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent
hardware quality requirements. This is particularly true of many early
models in Compaq's consumer-class Presario product line or HP's
consumer-class Pavilion product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K
before it, is quite sensitive to borderline defective or substandard
hardware (particularly motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will
still support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639

Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand

Russell

Bruce,
Thanks for your response. I think I have covered off most of the items you
mention - see my earlier post.
Alan

 

[Pop`]

When I eventually get round to doing this upgrade from my
multi-user/profile Win 98SE machine to XP, where is the best place to
run the CD from? Is it Safe Mode, logged in as one of the users or
from the cancelled login screen, or doesn't it matter? I just want to
ensure that during the upgrade all the relevant data is saved and
moved across.
Alan

If you mean you're changing fomr 98se to XP, none of the above. Put the CD
in the drive and BOOT from it. Delete the boot partition, recreate the
partition, format, and off you go. Just follow the screen instructions.

Be certain your data is backed up; you WILL lose it! No way around it.

Pop`

 

[Bruce Chambers]

If you mean you're changing fomr 98se to XP, none of the above. Put the CD
in the drive and BOOT from it. Delete the boot partition, recreate the
partition, format, and off you go. Just follow the screen instructions.

Be certain your data is backed up; you WILL lose it! No way around it.

Pop`

What utter nonsense. While backing up the data is certainly a good
idea on the off chance that something might go wrong, there's absolutely
no need to format the hard drive as part of the upgrade process.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Alan]

What utter nonsense. While backing up the data is certainly a good
idea on the off chance that something might go wrong, there's absolutely
no need to format the hard drive as part of the upgrade process.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand

Russell

Bruce, Pop got me worried there. I thought I had a fair understanding of
what was going to happen and his comment threw me. Glad you stepped in.
Thanks.
Alan

 

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE/WM]

Russell

Bruce, Pop got me worried there. I thought I had a fair understanding of
what was going to happen and his comment threw me. Glad you stepped in.
Thanks.
Alan

Backup the data and then do an upgrade. This will sometimes recognize and
keep drivers for old hardware that WinXP does not recognize.

You can always do a clean install if the upgrade fails.

The disadvantage of an upgrade is that it won't remove any junk or malware
that you may have inadvertently installed.