Uninstall Win ME, Install XP

[TigerB]

I have Windows XP Pro but it won't load by just dropping it in the drive because it is not an "upgrade" version.

Therefore, I would like to uninstall ME, then install XP.

However, according to Microsoft, you simply go to "Add/Remove Programs" and click on Windows Millennium", then remove. Well, Win ME does not appear on the list of programs to be removed.

Any other ideas? Is this the best way to replace one operating system with another?

Thanks
--TigerB

 

[mikesgroovin]

Wow!
Wouldn't it be really nice if you could uninstall the OS....from inside the OS?
You should be able to boot from the CD and then install a fresh copy of XP. The installation should guide you through the process. Do you have anything on the drive that you want to save like your address book, email, music, etc?

-Michael

 

[TigerB]

No... Unfortunately, I had to reformat my hard drive recently due to what I initially thought was a crash. (It must have been something close to it though, because it was hosed.) Therefore, there is no data left.

The computer came with ME, so when I reformatted the drive. I reloaded ME. But I want to put XP on it.

If I boot from the XP CD, will both OS's be on my machine? I'd like to get rid of ME if possible, just to keep things clean.

 

[Inaris]

WIth the XP cd that you have, you will have to install XP as an upgrade to ME. this is ussually OK, as long as the ME install is fresh. ME is pretty flakey by nature, but once XP is on it, you should be fine.

 

[mikesgroovin]

If this is a full install CD you will be prompted to perform a fresh install. If you choose to install you should be prompted with a choice for a place to load windows. A C: drive will already exist. Yo uhave to delete this partition and then choose to create a new partition and then convert it to NTFS.
I know it may sound a little complicated...but it really isn't.
Let me know how it goes.
Also, since this is a newly reformatted version of ME, I would just reformat again and this time install XP. I would not upgrade between any Microsoft OS, especially ME to XP as these two OS types use totally different backbones.

-Michael

 

[RyanOldw83]

Since its the upgrade version, just format again like Mikesgroovin said, pop in the cd and you will be prompted to put in an older version of Microsoft before you can install. It won't install the older version, just verify that you have one. Then you will have a fresh install of XP.

 

[bhoney]

with the xp disk you can do almost everything to start a fresh reisntall of the os. format partition everything. Just boot to the cd press enter on the setup. F8 on the agreement. hilight the partition that windows me is on usally(c press d to delete the partition and L to confirm. then press enter on unpartioned space. and format with the ntss files system. I will automatically create your partition for you after you choose to format That will start the rienstall all you got after that is installing drivers after it finished. just remember if you have a zip drive uplugg it from the computer or a printer that has a memory reader in it. (some times you have to learn the hard way to remember to unplugg those)