Win ME to XP. Is it possible??

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I hope somebody can help????
I have recently acquired a PC from a charity shop which I want give to my
daughter.
It is a Windows Millenium Version with low memory - 128MB. Pentium III.
I have tried to install one of her games which is compatible but I receive a
message saying that memory might be too low on the system.
I have heard of websites that can clear your hard drive but as I do not
have the original Millenium Installation Disc could I use my XP Disc which I
have for my own PC.
Also I want to clear the hard drive of this computer as when I Restored the
system I came across some unsuitable material which I wouldn't want my
daughter to stumble across.
So, basically what is the best & safest way to clear this
system?...and...Can Windows XP be used on it thereafter???
Thank you kindly for any advice on these matters.
 
Several issues in play here. First, XP is a single computer license.
It might be possible to install XP but 128 Megabytes of RAM is
totally inadequate for any realistic use. For minimal performance
you'd need at least 256 Megabytes and that's marginal. You did
not mention the daughter's age, but children past 9-10 will be
doing things that require more Computer processing power. They
want to use Instant Messaging, Games and MySpace and similar
sites.
Windows ME is obsolete and unsupported by Microsoft. Because
of this you face a lack of patches and updates to remain safe if
the PC is used on the Internet.
To bring the system up to minimal requirements ( RAM, OS ) may
exceed the cost of a new entry level PC. I've seen complete PC
systems for under $290.
I understand your intent, but you're faced with numerous issues &
costs that may make using this PC a little too much trouble.
 
delboy said:
I hope somebody can help????

I have recently acquired a PC from a charity shop which I want give
to my daughter.

It is a Windows Millenium Version with low memory - 128MB. Pentium
III.

I have tried to install one of her games which is compatible but I
receive a message saying that memory might be too low on the system.
I have heard of websites that can clear your hard drive but as I
do not have the original Millenium Installation Disc could I use my
XP Disc which I have for my own PC.

Also I want to clear the hard drive of this computer as when I
Restored the system I came across some unsuitable material which I
wouldn't want my daughter to stumble across.

So, basically what is the best & safest way to clear this
system?...and...Can Windows XP be used on it thereafter???
Thank you kindly for any advice on these matters.
Click to expand...

First - the memory and the hard disk drive are not the same thing. You
*need* more meory in my opinion - 128MB is far below what i consider minimum
for ANY general-use computer - particular one running Windows XP (or with
plans to run Windows XP.) I would suggets 512MB+ - you would have to figure
out what you need to purchase and buy it to update the hardware.

Secondly - the best thing to do when getting a second hand computer is to
wipe it clean and install fresh. You would need a license for this purpose.
You would need to purchase a new CD/license for this computer. I suggest
getting a retail version of Windows XP - if that is what you are going to
install - so that you can later remove it from this computer and install it
on another if you so desire. If you get an OEM version - it will be tied to
this computer - no matter how badly it runs - forever... (in accordance to
the license agreement.)

A new Windows XP CD can be utilized to delete the current partitions (and
all data on the machine) and create new partitions and install itself.
 
That PC isn't suitable for Windows XP. marginally suitable as a door
stop. How did the PC get Windows ME on it? It may have a factory
"restore" partition on the hard drive. You may want to ask the
manufacturer tech support.
 
I hope somebody can help????
I have recently acquired a PC from a charity shop which I want give to my
daughter.
It is a Windows Millenium Version with low memory - 128MB. Pentium III.
I have tried to install one of her games which is compatible but I receive a
message saying that memory might be too low on the system.
I have heard of websites that can clear your hard drive but as I do not
have the original Millenium Installation Disc could I use my XP Disc which I
have for my own PC.
Click to expand...



No. The rule is quite clear. It's one copy (or one license) for each
computer.

There's nothing new here. This is exactly the same rule that's been in
effect on every version of Windows starting with Windows 3.1. The only
thing new with XP is that there's now an enforcement mechanism.

If yours is a retail version, not an OEM one, you can buy extra
licenses (see
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/addlic.asp). But it's
not generally a good deal. The problem is that Microsoft sells
additional licenses at only a small savings over the list price.
You're almost certainly better off just buying a complete second copy
from a discount source.

Moreover, XP needs *more* memory than Windows Me, and 128MB is
completely inadequate for anything approaching acceptable performance.

Also I want to clear the hard drive of this computer as when I Restored the
system I came across some unsuitable material which I wouldn't want my
daughter to stumble across.
Click to expand...


Good plan, even if you didn't find anything inappropriate. If I bought
a used computer, the 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.

So, basically what is the best & safest way to clear this
system?
Click to expand...


Reinstall whatever operating system you want cleanly. The exact
procedure will vary depending on which operating system it is.

...and...Can Windows XP be used on it thereafter???
Click to expand...



Not if you plan to do any more than play solitaire on it. 128MB, as I
said above, is inadequate for decent performance. You need at least
256MB, and perhaps more, depending on what apps you run.
 
delboy said:
I hope somebody can help????
I have recently acquired a PC from a charity shop which I want give to my
daughter.
It is a Windows Millenium Version with low memory - 128MB. Pentium III.
I have tried to install one of her games which is compatible but I receive
a
message saying that memory might be too low on the system.
I have heard of websites that can clear your hard drive but as I do not
have the original Millenium Installation Disc could I use my XP Disc which
I
have for my own PC.
Also I want to clear the hard drive of this computer as when I Restored
the
system I came across some unsuitable material which I wouldn't want my
daughter to stumble across.
So, basically what is the best & safest way to clear this
system?...and...Can Windows XP be used on it thereafter???
Thank you kindly for any advice on these matters.
Click to expand...

There are a lot of issues to think about here.
128 Mb of memory may be adequate for a WME (windows millenium edition)
system. Check for a sticker ( with a product key printed on it) somewhere
on the computer. I believe that this sticker is essentially your license to
run WME on that computer. I don't have the link, but there are a number of
free software downloads that can extract the product key from your running
system. The computer manufacture's website may have a support section that
has drivers and other stuff you can download freely. If you can find someone
with a WME OEM installation CD, and you have the product key and drivers,
then you have all the tools necessary to completely erase the hard drive and
start over with a clean system. It is possible that this computer
originally had some other operating system, like Windows 95, so the sticker
on the case may not match the operating system actually installed right now.

Your hard drive may be large enough for what you want to do. Tell us what
size it is. Also tell us the computer brand and exact model.

Think of it this way:
Most of today's brand new cars can play MP3 formatted CDs. Five years ago,
you could typically only play regular CDs. A few years before that, you
could typically only play cassette tapes. Mixing my metaphors somewhat,
your computer is in the cassette tape age; upgrading to MP3 playing
capability can be more expensive than buying a new computer.

-Paul Randall
 
delboy said:
I hope somebody can help????
I have recently acquired a PC from a charity shop which I want give to my
daughter.
It is a Windows Millenium Version with low memory - 128MB. Pentium III.
I have tried to install one of her games which is compatible but I receive
a
message saying that memory might be too low on the system.
I have heard of websites that can clear your hard drive but as I do not
have the original Millenium Installation Disc could I use my XP Disc which
I
have for my own PC.
Also I want to clear the hard drive of this computer as when I Restored
the
system I came across some unsuitable material which I wouldn't want my
daughter to stumble across.
So, basically what is the best & safest way to clear this
system?...and...Can Windows XP be used on it thereafter???
Thank you kindly for any advice on these matters.
Click to expand...

Donate this computer and think realistically about buying something new
low-end. You cannot do what you think you can with this configuration.
 
Forget it
A Pc with win2k or maybe winxp can be purchased for less than £100 at many
PC shops/Fairs
I gave my daughter a £40 Dell with win2k for use at uni, it kept going
whilst all the laptops her friends had gave no end of troubles, and its
still going strong 3 years later.
 
Telstar said:
Donate this computer and think realistically about buying something new
low-end. You cannot do what you think you can with this configuration.
Click to expand...

That's exactly the process through which the OP got it! The previous
owner was trying to avoid the disposal fee.
 
Bob said:
That's exactly the process through which the OP got it! The previous
owner was trying to avoid the disposal fee.
Click to expand...

1. Put it on the curb for the urban faeries.
2. Leave it in a schoolyard at night (that's what Dilbert's boss did with
his refrigerator).
 
Bob I said:
That's exactly the process through which the OP got it! The previous owner
was trying to avoid the disposal fee.
Click to expand...

I just wiped a P3 with IBM wipe and reinstalled W98-SE. I put a bunch of
pre-teen games and edu/games. This works just fine for my sisters
grandkids.
This keeps the grandchildren away from her PC and keeps them occupied.
 
Frank said:
I just wiped a P3 with IBM wipe and reinstalled W98-SE. I put a bunch of
pre-teen games and edu/games. This works just fine for my sisters
grandkids.
This keeps the grandchildren away from her PC and keeps them occupied.
Click to expand...

Yep there was likely a method to get the original shipping configuration
back, which I alluded to in my reply to the OP.
 
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