Upgrade ME to XP

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Guest

Microsoft customer services have told me,eventualy, that i am able to up
grade my existing ME to XP.
What they can't seem to help me with is if i have to save all my existing
files and information to disc before i upgrade and then reinstall it or will
the XP kick in and automaticaly use my existing ME files and info.
Any advice would be appreciated.
 
If you have all of your program CDs to reinstall, then back up all data,
format the drive, and install a fresh installation of XP. Windows Me is a
HORRIBLE OS and you are better off NOT doing an in-place upgrade.

If you absolutely cannot avoid it, then an in-place upgrade can be done if
you buy the upgrade version of XP.

Gregg Hill
 
cdog said:
Microsoft customer services have told me,eventualy, that i am able to
up grade my existing ME to XP.
What they can't seem to help me with is if i have to save all my
existing files and information to disc before i upgrade and then
reinstall it or will the XP kick in and automaticaly use my existing
ME files and info. Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

First back up all your data. Have on hand any drivers for your hardware
and programs you will want to reinstall on CD's. Make sure your
computer will handle XP - run the Upgrade Advisor first.

Then try an upgrade install. You may be pleasantly surprised. An Upgrade
Install will keep all your data and programs intact. If the upgrade
does not go well, then do a Clean Install. You will need your ME
installation disk as qualifying media.

Upgrade Advisor -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpupgdissues.html - Upgrade Issues
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install

Malke
 
cdog said:
Microsoft customer services have told me,eventualy, that i am able to up
grade my existing ME to XP.
What they can't seem to help me with is if i have to save all my existing
files and information to disc before i upgrade and then reinstall it or
will
the XP kick in and automaticaly use my existing ME files and info.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Well, I disagree with Gregg on Windows ME and think it is a fine operating
system (compared to 95/98). However, I do agree with him that you'll want
to reformat and install from scratch.

If you have the media and product keys for all your applications, then all
you really care about is the data that you created. Assuming that is the
case, there are two easy options. The cheapest is to buy a new hard drive,
slap it into the computer, unplug the power from the old hard drive (if you
want to be extra careful), and install Windows XP on the new hard drive.
Mind the master/slave jumper when installing the new drive. You'll want to
change the jumper on the old drive to be the slave and keep the new drive
jumpered as master (the default). Once Windows XP is installed, turn off
the computer and plug the power cable into the old hard drive, then turn
your computer back on. Voila! All your old data will be just a few
mouse-clicks away at all times.

Maybe even easier is to buy one of those external USB drives. Boot into
Windows ME, plug the external usb drive into your computer and begin backing
up your data to the removable drive. You can then install XP on the hard
drive, plug the usb drive into the system and begin retrieving your old
data.

Good Luck,

carl
 
Malke said:
First back up all your data. Have on hand any drivers for your hardware
and programs you will want to reinstall on CD's. Make sure your computer
will handle XP - run the Upgrade Advisor first.

Then try an upgrade install. You may be pleasantly surprised. An Upgrade
Install will keep all your data and programs intact. If the upgrade does
not go well, then do a Clean Install. You will need your ME installation
disk as qualifying media.

Upgrade Advisor -
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/xpupgdissues.html - Upgrade Issues
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Click to expand...


Vagabond Software said:
Well, I disagree with Gregg on Windows ME and think it is a fine operating
system (compared to 95/98). However, I do agree with him that you'll want
to reformat and install from scratch.

If you have the media and product keys for all your applications, then all
you really care about is the data that you created. Assuming that is the
case, there are two easy options. The cheapest is to buy a new hard
drive, slap it into the computer, unplug the power from the old hard drive
(if you want to be extra careful), and install Windows XP on the new hard
drive.
Mind the master/slave jumper when installing the new drive. You'll want
to change the jumper on the old drive to be the slave and keep the new
drive jumpered as master (the default). Once Windows XP is installed,
turn off the computer and plug the power cable into the old hard drive,
then turn your computer back on. Voila! All your old data will be just a
few
mouse-clicks away at all times.

Maybe even easier is to buy one of those external USB drives. Boot into
Windows ME, plug the external usb drive into your computer and begin
backing up your data to the removable drive. You can then install XP on
the hard drive, plug the usb drive into the system and begin retrieving
your old data.

Good Luck,

carl
Click to expand...


cddog:
In my view the advice you received from Malke is the correct one to follow.
Assuming your present Me system is properly functioning; there are no
hardware problems that you're aware of, and your hardware is sufficient to
cope with the XP OS, there's no reason *not* to use the upgrade path as
Malke has recommended to upgrade your system. In virtually every case the
upgrade will proceed smoothly and without incident. To be sure, it's always
prudent to save your important/critical files prior to undertaking a
reinstall.

In your situation I see no overriding reason of the need to undertake a
fresh install of XP and then go through the rather onerous task of
reinstalling all your programs & data as suggested by Carl. While there's
certainly no harm in purchasing a new HD or USB external HD, as Carl
suggests, and subsequently configuring your system to handle backups, this
additional hardware arrangement should have no particular bearing on the
desirability to perform an upgrade on your present Me system rather than a
fresh install of XP.
Anna
 
cdog said:
Microsoft customer services have told me,eventualy, that i am able to up
grade my existing ME to XP.
What they can't seem to help me with is if i have to save all my existing
files and information to disc before i upgrade and then reinstall it or will
the XP kick in and automaticaly use my existing ME files and info.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

See this link for info:
Upgrading to WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION or PROFESSIONAL
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm
 
Anna,

You stated that "there's no reason *not* to use the upgrade path as Malke
has recommended to upgrade your system."

I heartily disagree. I have NEVER seen an upgraded system perform as fast as
a freshly installed system. You inherit all the old OS's registry entries,
many of which are not needed by the old system and certainly not by the new
system. Fairly often, the drivers written for the current OS will crash the
new OS. Many times, the Upgrade Advisor has found incompatible software that
had to be removed, then reinstalled after the new OS was in place. If you do
an upgrade, you inherit all the old settings, spyware, bloated registry,
etc.

Granted, I have not been doing this as long as others (only since 1992), but
that has been my experience and the experience of all the network
consultants I know.

For example, I can take my current 18 month old installation of XP Pro, back
up my data, and do a fresh install, then put back the same exact
applications. Looking at the system, it will appear identical to its
condition now, yet it will outperform my current system by a large margin.
Time and again I have had this experience.

Upgrades are for people who are not concerned with maximum stability or
speed.

Gregg Hill
 
cdog said:
Microsoft customer services have told me,eventualy, that i am able to up
grade my existing ME to XP.
What they can't seem to help me with is if i have to save all my existing
files and information to disc before i upgrade and then reinstall it or will
the XP kick in and automaticaly use my existing ME files and info.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...


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 made sure that 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) Additionally, run
Microsoft WinXP Upgrade Advisor to see if you have any incompatible
hardware components or applications.

You should, before proceeding, take a few minutes to ensure that
there are WinXP 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


--

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

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Gregg said:
Anna,

You stated that "there's no reason *not* to use the upgrade path as Malke
has recommended to upgrade your system."
Click to expand...


And she's correct, unless the older OS is experiencing problems.

I heartily disagree. I have NEVER seen an upgraded system perform as fast as
a freshly installed system.
Click to expand...


Then you haven't been upgrading over properly maintained and prepared
operating systems.


You inherit all the old OS's registry entries, many of which are not needed by the old system and certainly not by the new
system.
Click to expand...


That's not true, at all. Any applicable registry entries are
translated from the old format into the new, but superfluous entries are
not carried over.

Fairly often, the drivers written for the current OS will crash the
new OS.
Click to expand...


Again, untrue. In fact, it's not even possible for device drivers
written for WinMe to function under WinXP.

Many times, the Upgrade Advisor has found incompatible software that
had to be removed, then reinstalled after the new OS was in place.
Click to expand...


That's not the fault of the OS, but rather the specific application.
And it doesn't occur all that often. Even so, that, in and of itself,
is no reason to avoid an upgrade; reinstalling one or two applications
is a lot less time consuming than having to needlessly reinstall everything.

If you do
an upgrade, you inherit all the old settings,
Click to expand...


Which is precisely the point of doing an upgrade....

spyware,
Click to expand...


Which would not exist on a properly maintained system....

bloated registry,
Click to expand...


Flat out wrong.


Granted, I have not been doing this as long as others (only since 1992), but
that has been my experience and the experience of all the network
consultants I know.
Click to expand...


And it's completely contrary to my experience with WinXP. FYI, very
few network consultants are overly conversant with the technical
capabilities of workstation operating systems; they're outside their
area of expertise. Granted, there are many knowledgeable "consultants"
who learned their trade from the ground up, but there are all too many
who have nothing but a degree, some boot camp certifications, and *no*
hands-on experience.

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.

Upgrades are for people who are not concerned with maximum stability or
speed.
Click to expand...


No, upgrades are for people with properly maintained systems who have
better things with their time.



--

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

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Bruce,

If what you say is correct, then why would formatting and re-installing the
exact same OS and the exact same applications speed up the system
significantly? I have done that many times, going from XP Pro to XP Pro,
with all the same software, but the new install ALWAYS outperforms the old
installation of the exact same OS and applications. Boot times are faster,
programs open faster, etc.

I have seen several "properly operating" Windows XP Home Edition systems
cause bizarre behavior when upgraded to XP Professional. These were not home
users, they were Home Edition on corporate LANs.

As for the drivers, you are wrong. Several antivirus versions will crash the
new OS or prevent the installation if the old version is not removed first.
Upgrade Advisor does not always catch them.

I am one of those who learned from DOS 6 on up. I know every person will
have differing experience, but the experience I have had shows that a fresh
install beats an upgrade every time for speed and reliability.

To each his own!

Gregg Hill
 
Gregg said:
Bruce,

If what you say is correct, then why would formatting and re-installing the
exact same OS and the exact same applications speed up the system
significantly?
Click to expand...


A lot of applications cause memory leaks and other problems, not to
mention the trash with which most users will clutter their systems, over
time, and the reinstallation cleans this up. This has little or nothing
to do with the OS, itself. There will be no perceptible difference in
performance between a properly maintained two-year old installation and
a fresh installation. Experience bears this out, both on my personal
machines, and the hundreds I oversee on an enterprise LAN.

I have done that many times, going from XP Pro to XP Pro,
with all the same software, but the new install ALWAYS outperforms the old
installation of the exact same OS and applications. Boot times are faster,
programs open faster, etc.
Click to expand...


You might want to look into the nature and quality of the applications
being used.

I have seen several "properly operating" Windows XP Home Edition systems
cause bizarre behavior when upgraded to XP Professional. These were not home
users, they were Home Edition on corporate LANs.
Click to expand...


Why in the world would WinXP Home machines be on a corporate LAN? That
fact alone clearly demonstrates that the IT department in question is
completely inept; there's no way I'd believe the machines overseen by
such an organization could ever have been properly maintained.

As for the drivers, you are wrong. Several antivirus versions will crash the
new OS or prevent the installation if the old version is not removed first.
Upgrade Advisor does not always catch them.
Click to expand...


You need to learn the difference between hardware device drivers and
anti-virus applications. The two are not even remotely connected.

I am one of those who learned from DOS 6 on up. I know every person will
have differing experience, but the experience I have had shows that a fresh
install beats an upgrade every time for speed and reliability.
Click to expand...

I learned the same way, although I started well before MS-DOS 1.0, with
CP/M. My experience show that, in most cases, your observations are
reasonably accurate as far as they go, because the overwhelming majority
of systems (both in the corporate and home arenas) simply are *not*
properly maintained. IT budgets and time are often too constrained, and
most home users too computer illiterate. But my experience also proves
that there is *no* performance disadvantage to when upgrading a properly
working and maintained system.



--

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

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Gregg said:
Bruce,

If what you say is correct, then why would formatting and
re-installing the exact same OS and the exact same applications speed
up the system significantly? I have done that many times, going from
XP Pro to XP Pro, with all the same software, but the new install
ALWAYS outperforms the old installation of the exact same OS and
applications. Boot times are faster, programs open faster, etc.
Click to expand...


I'm not Bruce, but I don't think he'll mind my throwing my two cents in.

When you reformat and reinstall, you are creating a brand-new installation
of the operating system, *without* all of the accumulated spyware,
autostarting applications, etc. that the old one may have. My guess is that
the improvement you are seeing is usually simply a result of the
reinstallation, not the changeover from an upgraded installation to a clean
one.

Of course if the machine had been well-maintained, all of this spyware etc.
wouldn't be there and you wouldn't see th improvement at all. Unfortunatly
computers are not always well-maintained.

I have seen several "properly operating" Windows XP Home Edition
systems cause bizarre behavior when upgraded to XP Professional.
Click to expand...


I don't anybody, not Bruce, and certainly not me, will claim that *every*
upgrade results in a problem-free installation. However most upgrades do go
very well, and my recommendationis 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.


These were not home users, they were Home Edition on corporate LANs.
Click to expand...


I don't have any statistics to back this up, but I suspect that in many
instances, corporate users are *more* likely, not less likely, to be
infested with viruses, spyware, etc. Those corporate lans can spread things
around the corporation very quickly.

As for the drivers, you are wrong. Several antivirus versions will
crash the new OS or prevent the installation if the old version is
not removed first. Upgrade Advisor does not always catch them.
Click to expand...


What do antivirus programs have to do with device drivers? Two different
issues entirely.
 
Bruce,

Thanks for the feedback. Those Home Editions on a corporate LAN are from a
friend's client. Over and over again, he has tried to get them to buy
equipment through him, but they run down to Fry's (egad!) and buy eMachines
with Home Edition. We go in and (clean install) upgrade them to XP Pro. It
ends up costing them more in the long run, but they just do NOT get it!

Gregg Hill
 
Ken,

The speed improvement is on my home system, well maintained, no spyware,
almost no non-Microsoft software. I can put back the EXACT same applications
and there most definitely is a speed improvement.

I do it every year or two, or after having installed and removed a lot of
software (for testing). I have never seen a program uninstall ALL the
components and registry entries it created.

OK, I'll give up now. I know what my experience has taught me, and deny it
as you may, the difference is real in my experience.

Thanks for your input!

Gregg Hill
 
Gregg said:
Bruce,

Thanks for the feedback. Those Home Editions on a corporate LAN are from a
friend's client. Over and over again, he has tried to get them to buy
equipment through him, but they run down to Fry's (egad!) and buy eMachines
with Home Edition. We go in and (clean install) upgrade them to XP Pro. It
ends up costing them more in the long run, but they just do NOT get it!
Click to expand...


Ah! The old end-run around competent technical device! I feel your
pain. And, upon reflection, probably should amend my last post a bit:
the IT department may not be inept, but whomever makes purchasing
decisions for the company certainly is.

Also, with any computer first coming into the company, the only smart
thing to do is wipe the hard drive and start from scratch. Besides the
well-known fact that OEMs put all kinds of superfluous crap on the PCs
they sell, the only way to even begin to ensure security is to start
anew. While the OEM may not have deliberately installed any spyware,
key-loggers, or other malware, there's no telling what some
bored/disgruntled assembly line employee, store sales clerk, or even a
random "visitor" to a busy store with inattentive sales staff might have
added a "feature" or two.

The first thing that happens to all new computers acquired for my LAN
is an complete wipe if the hard drive.


--

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

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? .... I know not what course others may take, but as
for me, give me liberty, or give me death! -Patrick Henry
 
Bruce,

I never even thought about the security implications. Now, to pass on the
scare factor to these fools.

Gregg Hill
 
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