upgrade ME to XP Home: Keeps hanging

[Guest]

After upgrade, most applications and simple functions may not open at all, or
if they do, they usually hang and may open several minutes later, if at all.
Any advice?

 

[Conor]

After upgrade, most applications and simple functions may not open at all, or
if they do, they usually hang and may open several minutes later, if at all.
Any advice?

Yes. NEVER EVER EVER upgrade from a previous version. Back up the data
and do a fresh install from a cleanly formatted HDD.

 

[Guest]

Ah well, now I know, Conor. So is there any remedy here other than
reformatting my hard drive and installing a complete new XP OS? I'm looking
for any less drastic/ expensive solution before I go there. I mean, Microsoft
does sell upgrades for the purpose I'm trying to use it for. They must work
after a fashion, surely? Seriously.

-dusmith

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Ah well, now I know, Conor. So is there any remedy here other than
reformatting my hard drive and installing a complete new XP OS? I'm
looking
for any less drastic/ expensive solution before I go there. I mean,
Microsoft
does sell upgrades for the purpose I'm trying to use it for. They must
work
after a fashion, surely? Seriously.

-dusmith

The upgrade process can work well, but 3rd party apps are not under MS's
control. Did you run the Upgrade Advisor and deal with all of the things
it found? Some apps, such as anti-virus and firewalls, must be removed
prior to upgrading or the system can be unstable or unusable.

Try getting and running Process Explorer to see what it is that's hanging,
and remove it.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

HTH
-pk

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Yes. NEVER EVER EVER upgrade from a previous version. Back up the data
and do a fresh install from a cleanly formatted HDD.

Poor advice, in my view. Unlike with previous versions of Windows, an
upgrade to XP replaces almost everything, and usually works very well.

My recommendation is to at least try the upgrade, since it's much easier
than a clean installation. You can always change your mind and reinstall
cleanly if problems develop.

However, don't assume that doing an upgrade relieves you of the need to
backup your data, etc. before beginning. Before starting to upgrade, it's
always prudent to recognize that things like a sudden power loss can occur
in the middle of it and cause the loss of everything. For that reason you
should make sure you have backups and anything else you need to reinstall if
the worst happens.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Patrick and Ken.
-dusmith

The upgrade process can work well, but 3rd party apps are not under MS's
control. Did you run the Upgrade Advisor and deal with all of the things
it found? Some apps, such as anti-virus and firewalls, must be removed
prior to upgrading or the system can be unstable or unusable.

Try getting and running Process Explorer to see what it is that's hanging,
and remove it.

http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.html

HTH
-pk

 

[Bruce Chambers]

After upgrade, most applications and simple functions may not open at all, or
if they do, they usually hang and may open several minutes later, if at all.
Any advice?

Had you verified that all of your PC's hardware components were
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 have taken 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
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

HOW TO Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You
Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q310064


--

Bruce Chambers

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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]

Yes. NEVER EVER EVER upgrade from a previous version. Back up the data
and do a fresh install from a cleanly formatted HDD.

That's simply not good advice. Why would you even make such a
claim? Have any documented empirical data to support it?

Granted, many uninformed people do recommend that one always
perform a clean installation, rather than upgrade over an earlier OS.
For the most part, I feel that these people, while usually
well-intended, are living in the past, and are basing their
recommendations on their experiences with older, obsolete operating
systems or hearsay. One would save a lot of time by upgrading a PC to
WinXP, rather than performing a clean installation, if there're no
hardware or software incompatibilities. Microsoft has greatly improved
(over earlier versions of Windows) WinXP's ability to smoothly upgrade
an earlier OS.

Certainly, there are times when an in-place upgrade is
contra-indicated:

1) When the underlying hardware isn't certified as being fully
compatible with the newer OS, and/or updated device drivers are not
available from the device's manufacturer. Of course, this condition also
causes problems with clean installations.

2) When the original OS is corrupt, damaged, and/or virus/malware
infested. I've also seen simple, straight-forward upgrades from WinXP
Home to WinXP Pro fail because the computer owner had let the system
become malware-infested. Upgrading over a problematic OS isn't normally
a wise course to establishing a stable installation.

3) When the new OS isn't designed to properly, correctly, and safely
perform an upgrade.

But to cavalierly dismiss *all* upgrades as unsafe and inadvisable
is patently absurd. A properly prepared and maintained PC can almost
always be successfully upgraded by a knowledgeable and competent
technician. I've lost count of the systems I've seen that have been
upgraded from Win95 to Win98 to Win2K to WinXP (usually with incremental
hardware upgrades over the same time period), without the need for a
clean installation, and that are still operating without any problems
attributable to upgrades.


--

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

 

[Conor]

Ah well, now I know, Conor. So is there any remedy here other than
reformatting my hard drive and installing a complete new XP OS?

Not if it's gone wrong as yours has.

I'm looking
for any less drastic/ expensive solution before I go there.

It's neither drastic or expensive.

I mean, Microsoft
does sell upgrades for the purpose I'm trying to use it for. They must work
after a fashion, surely? Seriously.

They do. The problem isn't with the Microsoft software but third party
software and drivers. For example, antivirus software may hook into the
OS differently for Win9x than XP. I can tell you without a doubt that
if you try to install NOD32 for XP on Vista, it'll lock the machine up
because Vista works completely differently and the XP version of NOD32
hooks into things that the Vista kernel doesn't like.

 

[Conor]

Poor advice, in my view.

ROFLMAO..Ok. I can only go on 16 years of commercial experience.

Unlike with previous versions of Windows, an
upgrade to XP replaces almost everything, and usually works very well.

I note you said "usually". Usually it does. In the OP's case, it
hasn't.

 

[Conor]

That's simply not good advice.

Post in alt.comp.hardware and tell me how many people you find agree
with you.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Bruce--

I think my hardware is compatible w/ XP--it's about 2000, a Dell Dimension
4100--older, but compatible, I think. During install, I was provided w/ a
report of incompatible software and hardware that might need an update. It
was a short list, and it didn't seem to contain anything really crucial.
After upgrade I wasn't able to open or run Norton Internet Security, so I
uninstalled it. Performance is better, but not 100%. I am continuing to work
on it, and will take a look at the links you provided. Thanks so much.

-dusmith

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I>
Post in alt.comp.hardware and tell me how many people you find agree
with you.

Why? I don't need approval of an anonymous crowd to boost my
self-esteem, or to validate the clear observations of decades of
first-hand experience.


--

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]

Thanks, Bruce--

I think my hardware is compatible w/ XP--it's about 2000, a Dell Dimension
4100--older, but compatible, I think. During install, I was provided w/ a
report of incompatible software and hardware that might need an update. It
was a short list, and it didn't seem to contain anything really crucial.
After upgrade I wasn't able to open or run Norton Internet Security, so I
uninstalled it.

Norton products are on of those things that can make an otherwise
simple upgrade a nightmare. I normally recommend their removal before
starting.

Performance is better, but not 100%. I am continuing to work
on it, and will take a look at the links you provided. Thanks so much.

You're welcome.


--

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