clean install of XP from ME

eirebhoy

I am moving up to XP Pro from ME, everything I have read says a clean install will be a lot better than doing the upgrade. I want to back up my data files but am not sure how to do this. I only want to backup certain programs and delete the rest. What are the most important things to backup? I guess I just make a new folder and add all the files I want to backup, do I cut or copy these files?

Any more info would be great.

Cheers.

Red Alert

A clean install of XP is much better indeed - XP will then be able to format your drive as an NTFS hard disk, which is able to store file permissions natively (like unix does).

Back-up only your own documents, however make a manual note of things such as network settings and the like - it's better to spend time setting up XP to your liking as most of the settings in XP share more in common with those from NT and 2000.

egan007

unless you specifically need file premissions change your drive to fat32 using partition magic. That way there will be no access issues. after upgrading XP you can switch it back

if you have a second partition you can copy what files you need to it temporarly - this will prob be just - documents and settings folder. for the likes of outlook you will have to export the settings and save the file.

alternatively format your c drive bang in XP and away she gows
i upgraded 98 once to XP and it was sh1t so don't try!

highly recommned the format route

Sleipnir

er just remember that the folder you copy your files to will be deleted during the clean install anyway. You have to back them up to some external device, another hard, partition etc.

Also, you can't back up installed programs, just back up the original installation file if you downloaded them.

If you post specific of what you want to back up it would make it easier to see exactly what you need to do.

eirebhoy

I haven't got a lot of documents to backup, its mostly programs which I downloaded off the net but I read that a lot of this stuff can't be installed. I would have done an upgrade but I want to get rid of half thejunk and spyware on the computer. Will programs like Microsoft Word, Picture It, etc. be possible to install on XP? What about Internet Explorer, Ad-aware, Winzip, MSN messenger, windows media player, real one player and all the other programs i downloaded? Also, Internet bookmarks?

So, its mostly just downloaded programs which havn't got any CD-roms to install.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by Kananga
er just remember that the folder you copy your files to will be deleted during the clean install anyway. You have to back them up to some external device, another hard, partition etc.

I am going to put the programs on CD-roms, how many would I need though? I would prefer a partition but I am not very good with that sort of stuff.

Sleipnir

well you can't really backup programs that have been installed. You could just backup the original installation file that you downloaded.

So for example, if you have deleted the original winzip.exe file that you downloaded from Winzip.com or wherever, you'll need to download that installation file again.
You can't backup the installed program.
Same for the rest you mentioned too.
Most progs you mentioned are compatible with XP (you should check the manufacturer for things like Picture It) Winzip, spybot etc are anyway.
Messenger, IE, WMP are already in XP.

You'll also need to get XP Service Pack 1 if it's not already on your installation CD (should be printed on CD itself) and also all the patches since then (there is a security rollup package available on MS's website) using Windows Update.

Bookmarks should be in a folder called "Favourites" on your system.

eirebhoy

So, since I have deleted every original installation file that I downloaded i will have to do it all again with 56k?:( There isn't much I really need to backup then. So what do I do? Just put all the files into a new folder and stick it onto a Cd-Rom?

Also, I have the Service Pack and patches.

egan007

Originally posted by eirebhoy
I haven't got a lot of documents to backup, its mostly programs which I downloaded off the net but I read that a lot of this stuff can't be installed. I would have done an upgrade but I want to get rid of half thejunk and spyware on the computer. Will programs like Microsoft Word, Picture It, etc. be possible to install on XP? What about Internet Explorer, Ad-aware, Winzip, MSN messenger, windows media player, real one player and all the other programs i downloaded? Also, Internet bookmarks?

So, its mostly just downloaded programs which havn't got any CD-roms to install.

You will need the original installer prorams that you installed Microsoft Word, Picture It, with in order ton install them again.

Internet Explorer, Ad-aware, Winzip, MSN messenger, windows media player, real one player and all the other programs i downloaded? Also, Internet bookmarks?

the only ones from this list are Ad-aware and Realone -
the rest are included in XP - Winzip is not but XP has the ablilit yo unzip without winzip

IE bookmarks are in your favourites folder in documents and settings - just copy this folder and then copy it back to it's original location after XP is installed

Sleipnir

Basically, yup!

You can't even bring your comp to a friend/work which has broadband for downloads etc?
create a folder and put all your personal files into that; docs, progs, favorites, etc.

Worth spending a few days making a note of all the stuff you use and their locations.
Saves the frustration of watching the format progress and then remembering that one really important folder you buried on your computer somewhere that you didn't back up.........:mad:
Happened to me sooooooo many times.

Jokah

Hi,

Sorry to jump in on the thread. i am actually in a similar situation, and want to reformat a drive.

Now I have everything backed up, except the MS patches. Is there anyway of saving them straight to the HD so I can put them on the back up CD also?

I will be formatting the HD and reinstalling XP Home. A virus has hit this computer (my parents) and I have to get it fixed before I go back to my other house tomorrow.

So any ideas please?

Thanks

eirebhoy

Right, I am transferring files to my documents to backup and all I have so far is a few Word documents, "My Music", My Pictures and IE Favourites. What else do I need? I can't think of anything.:(

eirebhoy

I have backed up my programs and I am now trying to install XP. After 2 minutes the computer reboots and the following comes up:

The following list shows the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer.
Use the UP and DOWN ARROW KEYS to select an item in the list.
- To set up Windows Xp on the selected item, press ENTER.

- To create a partitiion in the unpartitioned space, press C.

- To delete the selected partition, press D.

I then pressed D and I get this message:

Setup is unable to perform the requested operation on the selected partition. This partition contains temporary setup files that are required to complete the installation.

I googled this and I found out that I am supposed to change my primary bios to boot from CD-Rom but I get this message:

Boot from ATAPI CD-Rom: Failure

What should I do now?

Also, I read that I have to have the original Windows ME CD to install XP but I only got the Windows ME recovery disk, where can I get a ME CD?

Cheers.

Tivoli

- To set up Windows Xp on the selected item, press ENTER.

you want to install windowsXP onto the c drive without changing the drive contents so just press enter

also dont change the filesystem to ntfs if it asks els your old winme installation will never work again



enjoy

Sleipnir

Originally posted by mukki
also dont change the filesystem to ntfs if it asks els your old winme installation will never work again

That is of course assuming you don't want to dump ME. Which I believe you do!
So just install on the current partition.

Just put in your XP cd and boot from that. If it's the original CD, it should work no problem assuming the CDROM is first in the boot listing in BIOS.