Stability of an Upgrade to Windows XP?

[Bill]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states "Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used Windows XP system?

Thanks!!!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states "Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used Windows XP system?

If I bought a used computer, the very first thing I would do with it
would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea
how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed
incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be,
etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and
problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend
that anyone else do either.


Don't even consider worrying about the stability of the used system.
Start over.

 

[Claymore]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states "Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used Windows XP system?

Thanks!!!

Hello Bill,

I've done the upgrade from Millennium thing, leaving Millennium intact
and simply upgrading the existing Millennium installation to XP. My
advice is that this is a bad idea as it carries all the Millennium
junk with it. If there's nothing on the current XP installation that
you need (you can always save data etc. to removable media or a
separate partition), and if you have the XP Upgrade CD and you also
have a Millennium CD (or a Windows 98 CD), then my advice is to wipe
the drive (format it) and use the upgrade XP CD to install XP from
scratch. During the install, when you are asked for a qualifying
installation to upgrade from, simply insert the Millennium (or Windows
98) CD, let it be recognized, remove it, re-insert the XP CD, and
carry on with the install.

 

[John Waller]

You've had some sound advice.

Wipe the drive and re-install XP from scratch.

 

[Harry Ohrn]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade
from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states
"Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up
to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for
viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used
Windows XP system?

Thanks!!!

Yes. Remove the Norton products. As a whole they are notorious for causing
problems. Hook up to the internet and visit the Windows update site to check
to see if the system passes the authenticity check. If it doesn't you likely
have an illegal version of XP. If it passes the test do an update of all
critical patches.

 

[RalfG]

But don't forget to download and install the chipset drivers for the
motherboard as well as any drivers you might need for the installed
hardware.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states "Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used Windows XP system?

Thanks!!!

With second-hand computers, especially if acquired from strangers
but perhaps even if acquired from a family member or friend, your wisest
course of action would definitely be to format the hard drives and start
fresh. You don't want to get in trouble because the original owner may
have filled the hard drive with kiddie porn, or have problems because
the original owner downloaded/installed viruses or other malware.


--

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 Chambers]

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor.

Also, if you're concerned about stability, remove these two pieces of
crapware; they'll do more harm than good.


--

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

 

[Bill]

system?



If I bought a used computer, the very first thing I would do with it
would be to reinstall the operating system cleanly. You have no idea
how the computer has been maintained, what has been installed
incorrectly, what is missing, what viruses and spyware there may be,
etc. I wouldn't want to live with somebody else's mistakes and
problems, possibility of kiddie porn, etc., and I wouldn't recommend
that anyone else do either.

Thanks to everyone that responded.

As I had already written, from my original post, please understand that I have already
scanned the system for viruses and spyware.

Also, as a result of your posts I've since wiped the free space and searched for, ah,
"inappropriate" images.

I understand that Best Practices demand that I wipe the HD and re-install Windows XP.

But I must tell you now that the sole reason why I bought this used desktop is because
it has installed on it a licensed copy of a program that is no longer available, and
uses a DRM license (enabled over the internet) from a company that no longer exists.

So, wiping the HD is definitely not an option. I NEED this program.

Again, I'm wondering if there is a way to check/test the stability of the OS.

(BTW, Windows Update hasn't been run on this computer in 1½ years - I know that in these
cases this can often fix minor OS issues.)

Thanks!

 

[Ron Martell]

I've bought a used 2GHz Windows XP computer that I think is an upgrade from Windows ME
(under user accounts there is a description for 'newuser' that states "Account upgraded
from Windows Millennium Edition"). I have not yet hooked the computer up to the
internet.

I've run Norton DiskDoctor and Norton Windoctor. I've already scanned for viruses and
spyware.

Is there anything I can do to check/test the stability of this used Windows XP system?

Thanks!!!

As for an upgrade from Windows Me that, in itself, should not be any
problem. The upgrade procedure for Windows XP starts by renaming the
existing Windows directory, creating a new one and doing a clean
install of Windows XP into the new directory. Then it imports
whatever is needed, and only what is needed, from the old Windows
directory for the upgrade.

My own system is an upgrade from Windows Me, which in turn was
upgraded from Windows 98SE, and that was upgraded from Windows 98
original, and so back to Windows for Workgroups 3.11 which was the
last time I did a clean install for my own personal system.

But I do agree with the others with respect to both the purchase of a
used computer, where a reformat and reinstall is the only prudent
option, and also with regard to getting rid of Norton Disk Destroyer
and Norton Witch Doctor and any other Norton/Symantec crapware.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

How many generations of hardware does that encompass, Ron?

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

...

Thanks to everyone that responded.

As I had already written, from my original post, please understand that I have already
scanned the system for viruses and spyware.

Also, as a result of your posts I've since wiped the free space and searched for, ah,
"inappropriate" images.

I understand that Best Practices demand that I wipe the HD and re-install Windows XP.

But I must tell you now that the sole reason why I bought this used desktop is because
it has installed on it a licensed copy of a program that is no longer available, and
uses a DRM license (enabled over the internet) from a company that no longer exists.

So, wiping the HD is definitely not an option. I NEED this program.

If you NEED (your emphasis) a program that is installed on an existing
computer, and you have no way of reinstalling it if necessary, you are
in a very precarious position indeed. It is always possible that a
hard drive crash, user error, nearby lightning strike, virus attack,
even theft of the computer, can cause the loss of everything on your
drive. As has often been said, it's not a matter of whether you will
have such a problem, but when.

You don't say what the program is, or why you NEED it, but if I were
in your shoes, I would work very hard, and as quickly as possible, to
get myself out of that NEED situation.

 

[Bill]

If you NEED (your emphasis) a program that is installed on an existing
computer, and you have no way of reinstalling it if necessary, you are
in a very precarious position indeed. It is always possible that a
hard drive crash, user error, nearby lightning strike, virus attack,
even theft of the computer, can cause the loss of everything on your
drive. As has often been said, it's not a matter of whether you will
have such a problem, but when.

Well, since I am being drawn out more and more here away from my original question, at
present the program is installed on another computer I've owned for year,.a Windows 98SE
laptop.

You don't say what the program is, or why you NEED it, but if I were
in your shoes, I would work very hard, and as quickly as possible, to
get myself out of that NEED situation.

Until that time, I NEED this program.

The final issue here is that no one here seems interested in even coming close to
answering my original question on how to test/check/whatever the stability of a Windows
XP operating system.

Everyone seems more interested in shying me away from that issue, as if I don't have
enough technical common sense to know what I'm doing. Instead of turning this into an
issue of who has more experience, I'm going to attempt to ask one last time:

Is there a way to test/check/whatever the stability of a Windows XP operating system and
what is it?

(I'm beginning to get the feeling that there is no way to do this, is there?)

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

There is no magic bullet. If the system runs decently, it's fine. I suppose
you could use this or that bench-marking tool, but the results are going to
be pretty meaningless.

Make sure the system is up to date, run several formal malware scans
(www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm is one place to refer to), then run several
more (online AV scans, for instance), clean up TEMP and TIF files and
defrag, etc., wait and see if any errors or apparent performance problems
surface, then deal with them as they arise.

 

[Bill]

There is no magic bullet. If the system runs decently, it's fine. I suppose
you could use this or that bench-marking tool, but the results are going to
be pretty meaningless.

Make sure the system is up to date, run several formal malware scans
(www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm is one place to refer to), then run several
more (online AV scans, for instance), clean up TEMP and TIF files and
defrag, etc., wait and see if any errors or apparent performance problems
surface, then deal with them as they arise.

Gary, THANKS so much, you're clearly the only person who has enough experience to answer
my question properly!

(everybody else who [did not] answer my question really needs to stop pretending and get
a clue...!)

BTW, nice website you have: www.grystmill.com

Thanks again,

Bill.

 

[John Waller]

(everybody else who [did not] answer my question really needs to stop

pretending and get
a clue...!)

That's a disappointing comment to leave this thread with, Bill.

Was it really necessary?

Everybody else has done their best to be professional, helpful and give you
long term advice on best practice for the future. Sorry it didn't interest
you.

 

[Gary S. Terhune]

I was thinking the same thing as the others. Until you clarified the
situation.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
www.grystmill.com

There is no magic bullet. If the system runs decently, it's fine. I
suppose
you could use this or that bench-marking tool, but the results are going
to
be pretty meaningless.

Make sure the system is up to date, run several formal malware scans
(www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm is one place to refer to), then run several
more (online AV scans, for instance), clean up TEMP and TIF files and
defrag, etc., wait and see if any errors or apparent performance problems
surface, then deal with them as they arise.

Gary, THANKS so much, you're clearly the only person who has enough
experience to answer
my question properly!

(everybody else who [did not] answer my question really needs to stop
pretending and get
a clue...!)

BTW, nice website you have: www.grystmill.com

Thanks again,

Bill.

 

[Ron Martell]

How many generations of hardware does that encompass, Ron?

More than a few, except possibly for the power cord. But I couldn't
say exactly how many.

I am an inveterate tinkerer when it comes to computer hardware and
whenever the budget will allow I will upgrade various components of
the system. Next on the list is a move from an IDE to a SATA hard
drive, as my current motherboard (replaced it last fall) has SATA
support whereas the old one (now running a beta product in my
workshop) did not.

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2008)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
Syberfix Remote Computer Repair

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."