ME-->2000/XP upgrade

[petrefax]

i suspect i already know the answer to this, but hee's hoping anyway

is there any possible way to upgrade windows ME to either windows 2000 or XP without performing a complete format & re-install?

i have a mate who is having lots of trouble with ME (surprise surprise) and i seem to be spending more & more of my time fixing his machine

he won't wipe/clean install since there are so many things he wishes to keep on his current set-up & despite my best efforts in trying to explain that he could back everything up & go for a fresh install then put all this old crap straight back on there, he's just not having it...its an upgrade or nothing

i've obvioulsy googled for it & found a few tips but as yet i've not been able to make it work - has anyone been successful in doing this & if so....how!?!

[Jimmy Little]

YES! just put the disk in and update! a clean install is by far the best bet as he can slipstrem SP2 aswell, but you can just update, i did the first time!

[gamesaregood]

Yes as said you can just do an upgrade

But make sure that everything is xp compatiable before upgrade and that includes software as well as hardware.

I would still recomend backing up all important files though!

[directhex]

you can just upgrade - but it's likely to keep any existing problems as well as settings.

windows isn't well designed to do this type of upgrade, always do a fresh install if you can

[mike_w]

I would highly recommend formatting, that way you start afresh and have less problems.

Why is your friend so insistant on not reformating?

[Jiff Lemon]

If he's going to upgrade to XP using this method you could suggest the following.

Insert disc, Upgrade to XP. Run transfer and settings wizard, and save all settings and files.
Then Reformat, clean install, Run transfer and settings wizard and reimport.

Long winded, very messy. Personally, I'd prefer to export all files to CD/HDD and clean install.

[Jimmy Little]

when i first got XP i done the 'upgrade method' from ME and as stated above i had all my old ME bugs and probs. i ended up doing a clean install when i got some form of virus i think????? and the speed diffrence was a heck of a lot!

show your mate this thread and tell him to stop being silly!

[DaftpuNk]

Upgrades, upgrades, upgrades. Next to the competent hardware installation, the solid Windows installation is of key importance to a stable and reliable system. Windows ME? Get it out of there! Worst Microsoft OS ever in my view, and upgrades are always just piling stuff onto a shoddy foundation. Get a large trout, slap your mates face around a bit with it a few times, and get that box wiped properly.

Full NTFS format, and don't spare the horses!

[Jimmy Little]

the wise man built his house on rocks!

[directhex]

the wiser man built his house on deep-set concrete foundations.

[Jimmy Little]

the wiser man built his house on deep-set concrete foundations.

you made that up

you can only have rocks or sand!!


cheat!!!

[Butuz]

If your friend has problems on ME, then when he upgrades to XP he will probably inherit those problems and i doubt will have a stable XP system.

If your friend values your knowledge, then tell him that the only way to make his system stable and reliable again, is do do a full wipe and reinstall of XP, and if he doesnt agree due to whatever preconceptions/silly user ideas he has, dont fix it for him any more.

Butuz

[Jimmy Little]

yeah you will only be back and forth sorting out diffrent probs!