Upgrading virus laden computer to XP?

[Gordon]

Susan wrote:
|| We have computer riddled with viruses that has Windows ME on it. I
|| have Windows XP upgrade. Doesn't Windows XP upgrade wipe everything
|| off before installing but just requires qualifying CD? This
|| computer was given to us. I follow safety precautions given by the
|| malware experts.
||
|| One person recommends that I just reformat HD reinstall ME and then
|| upgrade to be safe. I can do that since I have reinstalled XP and
|| ME on our home computers before.
||
|| What is the best approach?
||
|| Susan

If you have (as you say) the ME CD, then boot from the *XP* CD, format the
HDD, and at some point in the install you will be asked to insert the ME CD.
That's all you need to do. There is no need to install ME first.

 

[Susan]

We have computer riddled with viruses that has Windows ME on it. I have
Windows XP upgrade. Doesn't Windows XP upgrade wipe everything off before
installing but just requires qualifying CD? This computer was given to us.
I follow safety precautions given by the malware experts.

One person recommends that I just reformat HD reinstall ME and then upgrade
to be safe. I can do that since I have reinstalled XP and ME on our home
computers before.

What is the best approach?

Susan

 

[Richard Urban]

Boot from the Windows XP CD. When you get to the screen where you can choose
your install partition, you can also choose to delete partitions. Please
delete the existing partitions. Then create a new partition to install XP
on.

I am telling you to delete the old partition because the existing MBR "may"
have a boot sector virus also. Deleting the partitions and then creating new
ones will also create a new MBR. You are guaranteed to have a clean install
by doing this.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Steve N.]

Boot from the Windows XP CD. When you get to the screen where you can choose
your install partition, you can also choose to delete partitions. Please
delete the existing partitions. Then create a new partition to install XP
on.

I am telling you to delete the old partition because the existing MBR "may"
have a boot sector virus also. Deleting the partitions and then creating new
ones will also create a new MBR. You are guaranteed to have a clean install
by doing this.

Deleting and recreating partitions only modiies the partition table in
the MBR, it doesn't rewrite the entire MBR. FIXMBR from Recovery Console
and FDISK /MBR from Win98/ME DOS will, though.

Steve

 

[Richard Urban]

I believe that if you delete ALL partitions, primary as well as
extended/logical the MBR is cleared as there is nothing there. If you then
create and format a new partition the MBR is recreated to reflect such! Is
this not so?

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Steve N.]

I believe that if you delete ALL partitions, primary as well as
extended/logical the MBR is cleared as there is nothing there. If you then
create and format a new partition the MBR is recreated to reflect such! Is
this not so?

No, it is not so. The partition table is only part of the MBR and
repartioning will only effect the partition table, not the entire MBR.

This article may help, it specifically applies to DOS/Win9x/ME but XP
uses the same MBR:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q69/0/13.ASP

Steve

 

[Richard Urban]

Thanks for the link Steve!

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Steve N.]

Thanks for the link Steve!

You're welcome Rich.

Steve

 

[Susan]

So when will I enter DOS and enter FDISK /MBR when upgrading to XP?

 

[Steve N.]

So when will I enter DOS and enter FDISK /MBR when upgrading to XP?

Boot from a Win98/ME floppy that includes FDISK and run FDISK /MBR from
there. Alternatively, you can boot the Widows XP CD, enter the Recovery
Console and run FIXMBR. It will have the same result which is to create
a generic MBR on the disk.

Steve

 

[Michael Stevens]

In

We have computer riddled with viruses that has Windows ME on it. I
have Windows XP upgrade. Doesn't Windows XP upgrade wipe everything
off before installing but just requires qualifying CD? This computer
was given to us. I follow safety precautions given by the malware
experts.
One person recommends that I just reformat HD reinstall ME and then
upgrade to be safe. I can do that since I have reinstalled XP and ME
on our home computers before.

What is the best approach?

Susan

This is one of the few times I recommend a clean install over the upgrade.
The upgrade will not get rid of the virus and other unknowns, plus you want
to make sure there are now suprises left over from the previous owner.
You boot from the CD and do a clean install.
Click on or copy and paste the link below into your web browser address bar.
How to clean install XP.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
--
Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
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