Upgrading from Windows Me to XP

  • Thread starter Thread starter Artur
  • Start date Start date
A

Artur

Hello all,

On my laptop I have windows Me (which came with the comp) and I want
to upgrade to Windows XP. But I have a harsh problem: I usually run a
DOS based program that won't run under Windows XP at all (I have
contacted Microsoft and they told me that program is really
incompatible with Win XP). Is it possible to have both Windows on my
laptop? Win XP as main operating system and Win Me just for when I
need to run my DOS based program. Is this very complicated? Seems a
very awkward solution, but I don't see anything better.
Thank you
Artur
 
Artur said:
Hello all,

On my laptop I have windows Me (which came with the comp) and I want
to upgrade to Windows XP. But I have a harsh problem: I usually run a
DOS based program that won't run under Windows XP at all (I have
contacted Microsoft and they told me that program is really
incompatible with Win XP). Is it possible to have both Windows on my
laptop? Win XP as main operating system and Win Me just for when I
need to run my DOS based program. Is this very complicated? Seems a
very awkward solution, but I don't see anything better.
Thank you
Artur
Click to expand...

Actually, it's very easy. It's best to first partition the drive into two -
third party software such as PartitionMagic will do it. However, you don't
even have to do that. Either way, insert the XP CD-ROM into the drive and
boot with it. Select a new upgrade. If you have the second partition,
point to it for the installation. XP will create a boot menu that allows
you to select which you want at boot, with XP being the default.
 
Hi, Artur.

As Frank says, installing a dual boot system is easy. In fact, WinXP Setup
will handle it automatically. Just remember two basic rules: First, don't
install two Windows into a single partition. Second, always install the
newest Windows LAST. (WinXP Setup knows just how to handle WinME, but WinME
never heard of WinXP.)

With WinME already installed, and a second partition (or unpartitioned disk
space) available, just boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and follow the prompts.
Tell it to do a clean install into the second partition. It will detect
WinME already installed and save a copy of the Win9x/ME-style boot sector as
C:\bootsect.dos. Then it will write its own WinNT-style boot sector onto
C:, and write its "system files" into the Root of C: (C:\ntldr,
C:\ntdetect.com and C:\boot.ini). Then it will install the bulk of WinXP
(probably more than 1.5 GB) into that second partition. Boot.ini will point
to Win ME on C: and to WinXP on that second partition. Each time you boot,
you will choose between WinME and WinXP on the menu that will be presented.

Drive C: must remain formatted FAT32; otherwise, WinME will not be able to
boot. If you want to access the second (and any other) partition, it must
also be formatted FAT32, since WinME cannot read, write or even SEE an NTFS
partition. WinXP will have no trouble mixing NTFS and any FAT partitions.

RC
 
Thank you, Frank and White. Just a question: To install the dual boot,
must I have the full installation CD? I have a CD with the upgrade
from previous versions to XP. When I boted from it, I got a starnge
message that said no previous vesion of Windows was found. The
installer asked for a CD of a previous windows version. But my current
Me version came installed frm factory.
Thank you.
Artur
 
Hi, Artur.

Well, I guess I was hoping that I could overlook "OEM" in your first post,
especially since you didn't mention WHICH OEM you are dealing with. Could
you please tell us the make and model of your computer.

Each Original Equipment Manufacturer buys the basic Windows package from
Microsoft and then customizes that to fit the OEM's own hardware. That -
and the low volume purchase price - is why MS requires the OEM to handle all
the support for that customized version of Windows. Some OEMs deliver a
CD-ROM with a full version of Windows with the computer; others deliver only
a limited version on the CD. Apparently, your OEM customized WinME in such
a way that WinXP Setup does not recognize that it is there at all. :>(

As for the WinXP upgrade versus full CD, the only real difference is in
pricing - and the upgrade version of Setup checks to see that you have a
qualifying version of Windows before it installs WinXP. It should be
sufficient for you to insert the WinME CD-ROM when WinXP Setup is looking
for a qualifying version. But if your vendor did not furnish you with such
a full WinME disk, then you may be a captive of that vendor and be forced to
buy your WinXP from there, too.

Since I don't have an OEM version, and I have no idea WHICH OEM version you
have, I can't help you much from this point. If you post the make and
model, someone here might recognize it and point you in the right direction.

RC
 
R. C. White said:
Hi, Artur.

Well, I guess I was hoping that I could overlook "OEM" in your first post,
especially since you didn't mention WHICH OEM you are dealing with. Could
you please tell us the make and model of your computer.

Each Original Equipment Manufacturer buys the basic Windows package from
Microsoft and then customizes that to fit the OEM's own hardware. That -
and the low volume purchase price - is why MS requires the OEM to handle all
the support for that customized version of Windows. Some OEMs deliver a
CD-ROM with a full version of Windows with the computer; others deliver only
a limited version on the CD. Apparently, your OEM customized WinME in such
a way that WinXP Setup does not recognize that it is there at all. :>(

As for the WinXP upgrade versus full CD, the only real difference is in
pricing - and the upgrade version of Setup checks to see that you have a
qualifying version of Windows before it installs WinXP. It should be
sufficient for you to insert the WinME CD-ROM when WinXP Setup is looking
for a qualifying version. But if your vendor did not furnish you with such
a full WinME disk, then you may be a captive of that vendor and be forced to
buy your WinXP from there, too.

Since I don't have an OEM version, and I have no idea WHICH OEM version you
have, I can't help you much from this point. If you post the make and
model, someone here might recognize it and point you in the right direction.

RC
--
Click to expand...
Thank you, RC
My computer is a Compaq 1800 T, Pentium III, 1GHz. I have a full WinMe
disk, but it was not furnished by Compaq. I was afraid to insert it
when Win Xp asked for a disk. Can there be any problem if I use it?
Artur
 
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