XP Home Upgrade From ME Problem

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BrickYard wrote:

Hello,

 

This concerns a Dell 4100 desktop P3, 1gb CPU, 512mb SDRAM, former Windows ME. This P.C. had no known issues other than the fact it had Windows ME installed :)

 

My Deal

 

I updated the BIOS to A11.  I checked in the BIOS to see if it updated, it did.

 

I did not delete any part of the old ME O.S.

 

I proceeded to install Windows XP Home off an OEM CD.  It asked for the KEY and after I entered it it was accepted.

 

I proceeded with the install and it asked about the file system and it only gave FAT32 as an option? I wanted NTFS.  I continued and it then said it would change it to NTFS.  I continued with the install until it completed.  Note: During the install of XP Home it never gave me the option to partition the drive?

 

I then installed SP2 from a Microsoft SP2 CD, it completed.

 

I then disabled System Restore and then set the V.M. to no page file.

 

I rebooted to Safe Mode and defragged the NTFS file system. While there I noticed the green area where the V.M. resides in the middle of the drive. Being that I set the V.M. to none this green area should not have been there, not yet any way.

 

I defragged 3 or 4 times but the drive did not clean up that well considering that the only thing installed was the XP O.S. and SP2.

 

I booted to normal and started to look around.  I did a search for an old program I had on the ME O.S. and the search returned reference to a few old programs I had with ME. Now I'm nervous.  It seems that the HDD and or it's partitions were not wiped clean prior to installing the new XP Home O.S.  I had thought that it cleaned it automatically?

 

I have not as yet registered this new XP O.S. and won't until the O.S. is up and running correctly which I don't think it is.

 

I think the install went dirty. 

 

 How do I go about wiping this HDD clean and any of it's former partitions before I give the install another try?

 

Thanks for any help rendered.....

 

Need to clarify something first.  If you're using a Dell Windows XP CD to install XP on your 4100 (which came with ME), then that's illegal and cannot be discussed on these forums.  If you purchased a Dell XP OEM CD from somewhere, since those CDs are not legally available for sale, it's still illegal.

 

If it's NOT a Dell OEM CD, please clarify what it is so that you can be assisted properly.

 . . " How do I go about wiping this HDD clean and any of it's former partitions before I give the install another try?" . .

 

You boot from the XP CD . . to do that, enter BIOS ( Setup ) and set the first boot device as CD/ROM.  Put your XP Disc in the drive and disconnect all external peripherals except the monitor, keyboard and mouse, and be sure those are not USB, or wireless.  Any internal USB card should also be removed.

 

Once you set your BIOS to boot first from cd . . when it restarts you will see a black screen with a prompt " Press any key to boot from CD" . . do that and you will be able to delete any or all partitions and recreate one or more, then proceed to formating and installing XP.

 

That message can pass quickly, so have a finger on the keyboard when you boot.  This will delete all data on the drive so be sure you have your important data backed up. The prompt will appear after every reboot, but do not press any key on subsequent reboots. The setup process will continue with no action required from you.

 

If you do not get that message, and you have another optical drive, try the XP CD in the other drive.

 

You can get a reinstallation guide specific to your Dell here
http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/software_reinstall/en/index?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~ck=mn

 

This is a great guide for reinstalling on a Dell:  http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm

This is a site that walks you thru a simulated XP installation:

http://www.echoproject.net/en/software/catalog.html

These are good guides to reinstalling XP . . you might want to print one for reference during the install.

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
http://www.socrtwo.info/cleanxpinstall.htm
http://www.theeldergeek.com/xp_home_install_-_graphic.htm

 

XP will load drivers for everything that came on the 4100 . . if you have added any devices you may have to find XP drivers for that.

 

If your XP installation disc does not include SP2, after the installation, you will need to download and install SP-2, while windows is clean.  Prior to connecting to the internet be sure you enable the XP firewall.

 

If you want to save your files and settings, you can use the XP Files and Settings Transfer (FAST) wizard to create an image of them and save to cd or other removable media.  These are good guides to using the FAST wizard. Just be sure you have an up-to-date antivirus before you re-instate them!

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_fstw.asp
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm

For help entering BIOS:  http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

FI

 

"Being that I set the V.M. to none this green area should not have been there, not yet any way."

 

you still have to delete the pagefile.sys from the hard drive. setting to none does not delete this file, just diables the use of it.

rickmktg,

 

Sorry but your incorrect in what you say in regards to the OEM CD that I have.  This version of Windows XP Home OEM was purchased by me brand new from newegg.com along with other hardware at the time.  It is an authentic product of Microsoft. 

 

I am well aware of what can and cannot be discussed openly on any forum regarding the illegal use of any copyrighted O.S. from Microsoft, including the overriding of any passwords etc.

 

See here:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16832116169

 

Now back to my problem...........

Somewhere at the beginning, after booting from the XP installation CD, you should have the option to delete and create partitions. There are other tools for disk/drive partitioning and formatting, but the XP CD should serve your purpose.

 

Depending on how the drive is currently partitioned and the content, you may only need to delete the partition that previously contained the ME installation (now containing the XP over ME installation). Recreate the partition from the unpartitioned space after deleting the partition, then install XP, updates, drivers, utilities, applications, and any previously saved data.

 

GM

simpswr,

 

Problem solved.

 

I'm not an ace at this, just maybe an advanced home user.  All the obvious things I overlooked and was looking for stuff that was odd.

 

First of all I was using a spare keyboard that none of the F keys worked, my bad:)  Second I miss read where during the installation it asked about a current partition already on the HDD, this blew completely over the coo coo's nest :)

 

I knew  XP will boot off the CD which it did, but along the way I stumbled.  The old Dell is just a back up to the one I built a few years ago ( P4 875 chipset, 3.2 CPU Intel based). I don't do this every day so between things my P.C. brains slip away.

 

After reading going over all the legal pages the F8 key decided it didn't want to work :(  Changed the keyboard and the install is humming along. slooooo CPU.

 

As far as the V.M. goes not to informed of this, but the way it nad been explained to me a long time ago was that even if you turn the page file off Windows will create it's own?  The Page file as I understand it is like a loop, data is added to it and data is removed from it, like some on some off depending on it's size. I was also under the impression that you get a better defrag with it zeroed out ?

 

Oh and the new copy of Windows XP Home OEM that was questioned, (not by you) was legally purchased by me at the same time I purchased hardware from newegg.com and is completely legal. I did check with Microsoft via telephone concerning the key being legit and it was. I here of bootleg stuff running around and wanted no part of it.

 

So thanks all for the reply's. Elvis has left the building............