upgrade OEM ME to MS XP

Question

Hello all

I am just a user and know nothing about programs of tecki language.

I purchased a Dimensiond 4100 in 1999 that came with OEM Millennium installed. BOO HOO.

I purchased a copy of MS XP home edition and tried to load it.

It would not let me do this as an error message says 'cannot continue due to COMCTL32.DLL is missing'.

I cannot find the original disc containing ME but I understand that a copy of the operating system is kept on the back end of the hard disc unless the disc is full it will remain there forever.

A friend tells me that the COMCTL32.DLL is part of the operating system so it should be easy to copy the details from back to the front!

Can anyone help me please.

DELL-Jesse L · Answer

SouPac,

Thank you for using the Dell Community Forum.

Check out the page below. It has some information on different links that may be helpful in resolving the error you are getting.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=COMCTL32.DLL+&btnG=Google+Search

Message Edited by DELL-Jesse on 02-11-2004 12:10 PM

Denny Denham · Answer

SouPac,

The hidden file you are referring to is a Zztop image of the operating system as it was installed at Dell. It was available on Windows 98SE systems but I am not sure whether or not it was available for ME and it is apparently not available for your system.

If you received that error while trying to upgrade Windows ME to XP rather than doing a clean install of XP you may be able to avoid the error by doing a clean install, which you can do with an XP Upgrade CD. See the directions here. The first time you do this, the upgrade CD will examine your hard disk for an installation of a qualifying operating system (ME is one) and proceed with the installation. After you have done the installation, however, you will need a Windows ME CD if you ever have to reinstall ME. You may find it less expensive to purchase a full OEM version of XP Home Edition if you can return the XP CD you currently have.

Message Edited by Denny Denham on 02-15-2004 10:16 AM

lmb59 · Answer

@Denny Denham wrote:

If you received that error while trying to upgrade Windows ME to XP rather than doing a clean install of XP you may be able to avoid the error by doing a clean install, which you can do with an XP Upgrade CD. See the directions here. The first time you do this, the upgrade CD will examine your hard disk for an installation of a qualifying operating system (ME is one) and proceed with the installation. After you have done the installation, however, you will need a Windows ME CD if you ever have to reinstall ME. You may find it less expensive to purchase a full OEM version of XP Home Edition if you can return the XP CD you currently have.

Denny~

I just bought XP Home Edition (upgrade pack), but am not sure if it's a full OEM version of XP.... but I do have the ME CD if I need to reinstall. I hear over and over about clean install, and am glad that I have this handy CD burner to back up my "stuff"! However, your "here" link isn't working...so if you don't mind, could I have the link to get instructions on upgrading to XP? And, is there some things that I should look out for when upgrading?

~lmb59
Dell Dimension 4100
933MHz/P-3
@128MB SDRAM @133MHz
8x/4x/32x CDRW
Conexant HCF V.90/56k RTAD Speakerphone PCI Modem (COM3 port)
40GB Ultra ATA HD
Logitech Internet Keyboard
12x Max Variable DVD ROM
WinMe (OEM)

Denny Denham · Answer

lmb59, My apologies. A typo rendered my link invalid. It has now been corrected so that it really does point to here.

Windows General

upgrade OEM ME to MS XP

Was this post helpful?