Question on upgrading from 98 to ME...

[Staz]

I plan on formating my hard drive and loading 98, then installing my step-up version of ME. My question is should I fully install all my drivers and applications on 98 first then upgrade to ME or just install the core of 98 with generic drivers and then upgrade to ME and then install all my drivers and applications? Or even better, can I do a clean install of ME with a step-up version?

 

[SUOrangeman]

There's NOTHING better than a clean install ... unless you absolutely can't afford installing some program again (i.e., lost the CD, etc.).

-SUO

 

[Ausm]

Upgrading just leads to BSOD's and other headaches...

AUsm

 

[laper]

Yes, I would say skip the 98 install and just install me. The 98 install will leave crap all over your disk.

 

[easternerd]

hai,
Listen i shall tell you the best way to upgrade or reinstall an OS
______________________________
No need for formatting the hard disk.
0.Copy all the CDRom contents to c:\winme etc...
1.delete your entire program files directory
2.Reboot with a boot floppy (win98) to dos
3.Delete your entire windows directory (C:\windows) using the Deltree
command ,(this may take along time)
4.thats it now ,all yor mp3s ,files and other stuff stay but u make a clean install.
5.now run setup from cc:\winme .And u have a new clean Install.
6.of course u have to reload those new drivers too..
All the best!

 

[khold]

A clean install of your WinME step-up is best. All you need to do is to access the setup file on the WinME CD. Here's what I did:

1. Wiped harddrive
2. Used Windows 98 boot disk, got to DOS with CD-ROM drive support
3. started WinME setup program
4. after asking for your WinME registration number, it will then ask you to put your Windows 98 disk into the CD-ROM drive, after that it will scan it for a few minutes, and then tell you to put your WinME disk back in, and you can continue on with the install.

 

[Dan]

khold's advice is the best. Let me just extend on it a bit. If your HDD is large enough (and whose isn't these days?) partition it. Create a "C" partition with 1.5 - 2.0GB and install WindowsME. Use your other partitions for programs, MP3's, etc. That way you can follow a variation on easternerd's advice, i.e., do a clean install of an OS while leaving your data intact.

In fact, I did exactly that just yesterday. I formatted the "C" partition and did a clean install of Win2K. My programs, data, MP's, etc. were left untouched on partitions D, E and F.