My computer came with Windows ME. I just purchased Windows
XP Professional Upgrade from my college. Do I need to
install new drivers or do I need to install any other
downloads prior to instaslling XP? If so, can you provide
guidance on what I need to do?
Provided it is not a machine with highly custom, proprietary main
hardware (eg I would be very cautious about upgrading a Compaq by any
means) you would just run the XP CD from the present system, enter
Install and continue with upgrade. Unless it shows up something
specifically not compatible which you have to deal with first, then it
will either install native XP driers, or if there isn't one, retain the
one from ME (probably with a warning).
There are a few things you should remove first - any AV or system
utility suite like Norton and any CD burning software. Install XP
compatible versions, which you may need to get new, after completion.
Read Gary Woodruff's article on upgrading to XP at
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm
One addition - before you connect to the internet, make sure the
firewall is on. In Control Panel - Network Connections, r-click the
internet connection and Properties - Advanced - check the box.
Otherwise you are likely to find you have caught the BLAST worm or one
of its friends before you can get to the Windows Update site to get the
critical updates that prevent its access
And ignore any advice that you should always install clean. Other than
on such proprietary machines (and there *any* installation is likely to
be trouble if you don't get it from the maker) an upgrade is likely to
work well - and you can always go back to a clean install if it does not
