Problems With Pc "not Unusual"

[vodka]

Hi all

Can any spare some time to explain how I can totaly uninstall windows Me that I'm runing at this time. I want to losse everything on my PC and start again..

I have a copy off windows XP pro I want to install, I only know the basics about computers but I have nothing to losse as my Pc is playing up something bad.

Any help would be really be acepted and a beer or two would be no problem...

Help needed, from vodka

[stumonster]

the specifications of your machine are pretty important...what processor,how much ram and hard drive size, as winxppro does require a bit of grunt. As for putting the new OS on your machine it should be reasonably easy if you boot from the cd. . you mainly want to make sure you have the drivers for your modem on disk and your internet dialup number password and login written down.

there are many resources on the internet describing in detail how to do a fresh OS install, or if you need some more ram in your machine to run winxp, take the box with you to panthip and when they put the new ram in , pay them an extra couple of hundred baht and they will prob install the OS for you also.

[rss]

... as my Pc is playing up something bad.

If there is already a problem with your PC, I doubt if XP will fix it. If anything, it will make it worse. As stumonster said, your system specs are very important if you want to upgrade to XP. I have an old Acer notebook that came pre-insalled with Win/ME and I found out by visiting the Acer website that it cannot be upgraded to XP. The hardware simply doesn't support it.

[vodka]

hi

Thanks for your comments, yes I think it maybe better to take it to Pantip or some other professional..cheers

[francois]

hi'

my 2 baths here

anyone remember what a formatting means ?

just start your com with a boot--floppy and after type fdisk at the promt ...

type format C: ... and answer yes to all silly ms questions, let it run

after a reboot, go to the bios (del) before the verifying pool data ...

select the cd as the first boot device.

then insert your cd of Xp.

reboot and let the new install run ...

install your new Os (XP) ... here you are

cheers

francois

[Dickie]

Best would be to kill off all the partitions on the hard disc and then run the CD to install on a now virgin hard drive.

[benthai98]

of course you could take a complete new bootable ISO of Mandrake 10 and install linux. :-) Sorry, just seemed a "try another OS if the one you have sucks" kinda comment was needed there...

[kwiz117]

Best would be to kill off all the partitions on the hard disc and then run the CD to install on a now virgin hard drive.

Yes, this is the easiest way to do it.

Formatting also will work.

But many of us do not keep these bootable floppy disks.

Have any of you used Windows XP upgrade option with Windows me, Windows 2000 or any other lower version to upgrade. I have never been able to upgrade any OS by selecting this upgrade option in Windows Setup. (Re-install XP, Yes)

[ BTW, I use win 98 CD as my bootable CD and then FDisk to partition. Remember to change the CMOS boot sequence to first boot from the CD.]

[frodo]

Best advice...take it to someone who knows how to do this. I to had WinME installed and decided to upgrade to XP. What a headache that was. To make a long story short, I had to first upgrade to 2000, then to XP. Can't go from ME to XP. I know you want to erase, but there is also a risk of losing drives. If you haven't done this before, take it to someone who has. Not worth the headaches and frustration. I'm still stuck with three different O/S on my h/d.

Frodo

[francois]

hi

of course you could take a complete new bootable ISO of Mandrake 10 and install linux. :-) Sorry, just seemed a "try another OS if the one you have sucks" kinda comment was needed there...

RIGHT

it might be the right time to do so

but, anyway, get someone to help you in your first step in the linux world.

be also aware that you might have the "community release" of the mandrake 10,

try to get the official one, a lot of upgrade in compared to the community one,

the one that anyone can download (with a fast connection of course)

and don't worry about software that you might need, you'll have more that what you need, but some help on the install will help you what to choose,

useless to have Kword, open office and abiword at the same time.

the choice is quite large and you have to choose at the install, or install all,

and choose after and uninstall the one you don't need.

but still, some help would be needed ... regarding some dependencies ...

some programs need some files, and if you uninstall a program that share some files, you may get some problem to run some other program ...

for sure, get some help, but I can tell you that you won't be disapointed

you may find some help here too

Linux users "normally" like to help the newbies

cheers

francois

[cathyy]

I'd recommend the Libranet 2.8.1release, just made a free download, over Mandrake 10 Community Edition. I've tried them both. That new version of Mandrake is seriously buggy.

Libranet has a really active support group on their website, and it is amazingly free of newbie-bashing. You'll never get a RTFM there.

As for the Windows ME: ME sucks worse than Win 98 first edition. It is just not stable no matter what computer it is on. If your computer won't handle XP, the next best thing to try in the Windows world would be Windows 2000.

Have your computer boot to any Windows cd. Hit the F3 key the first time it wants you to hit enter. You may have to hit F3 again to verify you do, in fact, want to leave setup, depending on which Windows cd you are using.

You will end up at a black screen. Type in "fdisk" and hit enter. Then follow the instructions to show the partition information and delete all the partitions. Reboot the computer, again booting to the CD, and install your Windows on your spanking-clean hard drive. Windows setup will give you the chance to partition it, and will format it for you.

You should ALWAYS install an operating system this way, called a "clean installation," rather than doing an upgrade or installing over/on top of a previous version. It saves time and trouble in the long run. Yes, I'm a computer professional. I'm unfortunately not in Thailand right now to help you or I would.

[francois]

hi'

That new version of Mandrake is seriously buggy

confirmation of the differences between the community release and the official one

get the 10.0 official, better that the community with all the updates

cheers

francois

ps; the official release of mandrake 10.0 is running nicely

the community one need to work on a bit ...

I would be tempted to say "like any" other Linux box

[vodka]

Hi All

This is driving me crazy, "more mekong does not help"

I thought it would be so simple to for better words "wash your pc insert the Xp copy of a disk that I have from the Uk, that someone put on my pc back in the uk.

All would be simple obviously, I'm the simple one. Are you all telling me you can't just click a few buttons and there will be nothing on your pc, put in the disk click download and away you go....

But I'm really impressed how you all tried to help me, being new to this forum.

Please nobody advise me to throw a bottle of water on my pc get a sponge and clean I'm not that simple

Cheers guys..

[benthai98]

i'm pretty sure that you can upgrade from ME to XP. In this case just stick in teh XP disk and follow the instructions. Keep in mind that any 'pecularities' may follw it across to the new installation.

If you are in Pattaya then bring it to me and i'll do it for u.

[kabal1234]

Try to do a fresh XP install if at all possible. ME is the worst of the MS OSs. If your having trouble with even this I would advise against a Linux installation.