Upgrading from ME to XP

Hello everyone.

I am upgrading my laptop OS from Windows ME to Windows XP Pro. I'm hoping to get as much necessary info as I can as this is the first time that I am doing an upgrade of this sort. Am only a newbie , bit nervous

Please can you give me tips, tricks, tweaks etc etc. things I should know pre, during and post XP Install. I have done a search on this forum about this but can't seem to find one on how to upgrade.

All help is very much appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance

 

For starters have a look at all these steps: Windows XP Professional Upgrade Center.
Check for any possible hardware/software compatibility issues.
Backup everything important before you start.

Regards,

CrazyM

 

Thank you CrazyM for the link, I have read through that.

There are a few things bugging me now,

Firstly, is a clean install more preferable to just an upgrade? They say that a clean install is much preferable as just upgrading is still inheriting the old OS's problems. I have had quite a few mishaps with ME over the time I have had it and could benefit with a fresh clean install really. However, a clean install maybe more complicated for me. Any thoughts?

Secondly, I have heard that SP 2 and Dell have incompatibility issues. How true is this? My Laptop is a Dell Inspiron 8100 and meets XP's requirements.

Thirdly, how can you check hardware and software compatibility prior to XP Upgrade? I don't think I can download the Windows Update Advisor that Microsoft's site gives out as a) I have a slow connection and b) it only works for US version of Windows, this laptop and all its software was bought in the UK.

Thanks very much in advance for all the help.

 

In addition here are two additional references I used for ME to XPHome(clean) which went very well on 4 yr. old Dell which had become unstable over the years.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/index.htm
http://aumha.org/win5/supp2b.htm

 

Thank you ronjor for the link, I have come across this site whilst searching for info and just skimmed through it. I did browse more intently last night this site and I must say I enjoyed reading Paul Thurrott's reviews and articles. He seems pretty much up to date with anything to do with Windows past and future releases. It's a very good site.

Thanks RobZee for the reply, will look at the sites as soon as I get the chance.

Well for an update, I decided last night to download the Upgrade Advisor by Microsoft here

I just gave it a shot, if it worked it worked, if it didn't oh well, I'll have to worry about it later. I figured there wasn't much difference between US and UK version of ME as heck they are both in English anyway ! and although it took a while to download (more than an hour, not sure how long exactly coz I went to bed already), by the next morning, it was there all downloaded and ready for me to peruse. I was so pleased

The results were quite interesting, my Logitech camera and the photos stored with it apparently may not work with XP or it may need additional files. Java and interestingly enough, my A/V AVG might not work with XP as well so it said it would disable it temporarily during the update. And that really was it, I was quite pleased that there weren't too many listed there. One thing I am not sure about is this:

Network Incompatibilities
IrDA Protocol
This version of IrDA Protocol will not work with Windows XP. To update a
more recent version of this software, go to the Microsoft Web site
(http://www.microsoft.com).

It may be from my old mobile phone that used infrared, if this didn't work, then I would not worry too much.

Anyway, got to do a few homework still before I do this upgrade. It is my Logitech Camera that I have to do some research on as I have quite a lot of my photos as well as videos of important occasions stored in my pc and I wouldn't be happy if I lost them. Any info is welcome.

What is the best way to back up files, photos, music, videos etc..?

Thanks for your replies

 

Do you have a CD writer?

Regards,

CrazyM

 

If you have a CD writer, you can burn all your music, videos, photos and valuable programs to blank CDs. I use Recordnow to burn my important progs to blank CDs for backup purposes.

 

CrazyM, nadirah, No, I don't have a CD Write unfortunately. Any more tips? My good friend suggested a USB stick but I prob. would need something bigger like at least 3-5 Gb just to be on the safe side.

 

Any friends with a writer where you could plug into their LAN and burn the files you need to back-up? Or someone with an external drive/writer you might be able to borrow?

Regards,

CrazyM

 

Ah yes, an external CD writer is probably my best bet. I will ask around and see if I can borrow one. Thanks

 

Connnect the external drive/writer to your computer and burn the files using the external drive/writer.

 

Yes, I have to find one first though

Keep you posted.

 

For backing up you can always connect to someone else’s PC via a crossover cable, then burn your data off. I would still look at a more permanent solution for backing up, such as a External Laptop Hard Disk Drive that plugs in via USB, or external Burner – even better.

Just make sure to get your emails, favorites and anything on your desktop that isn't a shortcut...

Cheers

 

Sorry for the late reply. I had to shelve this update for a bit due to a very busy work schedule. I am still gonna do it though eventually, when I get the time that is

Thank you for this tip. This crossover cable that you mentioned, what exactly is it and where can I get it? You see I have previously thought of this and have enquired regarding this. Where I work, I have access to PCs with CD writers and I have asked the staff about it and they did say I can connect my laptop to their PC but she is at a loss as to how to connect it and where to get the cable from etc...

Thanks so much for everyone's help. Appreciate it.

 

Hi Mystique,

As you have not received a reply yet I thought I'd just try and be of some technical help to you here. I hope that's ok with you.

First of all... the ability of your laptop to be able to connect via a crossover cable to another computer depends on one factor only. Your laptop must be fitted with what is known as a network card. Then the computer you wish to connect it to must also have a network card. These cards will then have the correct connectors to plug the crossover cable into.

So before you do anything else you must check your computer to see if it does have this network card fitted. Here is a link to a site that gives some good information about checking if these cards are fitted.

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/its/facilities/studentcomputing/residences/faq/cards_cables/

Ok... once this has been established... you will then need to check the computer that you wish to connect yours to for a similar card. Once you have found the cards connector on yours it should be fairly easy to find the same type of connector on the back of the other computer as it will be the same type. These connectors are called RJ45 and look a bit like a telephone connector but a little bit bigger.

Then... once all this has been verified... you will need to get the correct crossover cable... either from a good local computer store or possibly PC World may sell them... but it must be a crossover and not a CAT5 patch cable as these look the same but are for use with network hubs that don't require a crossover connection.

Then... you will need to set up your laptop to be able to connect to a local network using the built in Windows ME network wizard. Here is a link to a site that gives details how to do this.

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/wmeshrhn.html

Then... when you connect to the other computer you should be able to see your folders and files to allow you to copy over the ones you require. Then these can be burnt to a CD using the other computers software and writer to make your back up disk.

Before you do anything on your computer... make sure that the files are correctly copied on the CD. Just pop the CD in your drive and browse to it and make sure they are all there safe and sound. Then you can do the XP install confident that your data is there on the CD waiting to be copied back when your laptop is running with the new OS.

I would like to wish you good luck with this project.

Z

 

Hi zarzenz,

Thanks so much for your reply.

It was such an excellent and well written post, making it easy to be understood by a newbie like myself. I checked out the links you gave and they were informative as well. Yeah, not much luck with responses so your reply was a treat! It's my first foray with doing something major like this on my first laptop. It's such a prized possession. I rely on it heavily. It is such an important communication tool for me and heaven help me should it crash, God Forbid!

My main concern however is this, if I am able to connect my laptop to another PC, how can I make sure that all my personal stuff are not seen and/or saved on that PC? I got loads of personal stuff; documents, family pics and videos, music, all of which I do not want to share across all the computers in my workplace! I did think of this before but thought against it because of the danger of saving personal stuff on another PC. To be honest, I asked about that crossover cable because someone suggested it above and I wanted to know how to do it. Your post explained it very well. Also, how about the IT staff in my workplace, are they able to see my files when I am connected to their PC, even if I don't save? How do these things work with shared computers? Sorry for all the questions

Am not home at the moment, but when I eventually am, I would investigate and see where this network card is on my laptop.

Many many thanks to you z.

Will report back.

Good day to you.

 

give your local comp repair shop or car boot sale a visit and try to find a 5Gb or a little bit more Hard drive. I got an 8Gb from my local repair shop for 3€. Then all you need is to plug it in place of your CDROM (computer off pull CDROM connections and place it on the "new" HD. switch on, formate it, then copy from your hard drive and paste. OR drag and drop. The hard drive saves files far better than CD/DVD.

 

Hi Mystique,

I'm glad to have this further chance to reply because I had thought about this today in work and wanted to add some more about networking and so I can do this now at the same time I answer you also.

But first... hadi's suggestion is very good. In fact it would be very easy but for one problem... it would need you to take the covers off your laptop to gain access to the drives connections etc. This may therefore not be something you wish to do. Laptops can be a bit tricky to work on... even to get apart... so I'm thinking this may not be what you wish to do. Otherwise it would certainly be a good way to keep complete control over your files for your eyes only.

Anyway... what I wished to add was this.

It actually addresses something you asked about and this is the situation that the computer in your workplace may already be on a network, with connection to a central server. Usually the computers in various offices are workstations and are connected to the main server kept away from all the these other computers. They are then connected via the local network usually via a CAT5 RJ45 patch cable (not crossover) to the main servers via hubs that have multiple ports to connect a certain number of these remote computers together.

So the first thing to be aware of is this. If the computer you are thinking of using is already connected like this, then you can't use the crossover cable if it's still connected to the server. You can however disconnect the cable at the back of the computer, and in so doing would remove the connection to the server, but the people who use the computer must be aware of this as they would then not have any access to the server whilst you are doing your connection.

If you did not want to do this, then you could connect a patch cable (not crossover) to the main network providing you had access to the hub. This would probably be near the main server, unless there are a number of computers all connected in one office as workstations and then you may find a hub connected as an extra uplinked one off the main hub. You may then be lucky and find a spare port (there are usually 8 or 16 ports on most hubs) and then you would not even have to disconnect the workstation.

Now... as regards the privacy of your files.

Well the best way would be to use the workstation with it not connected to the main network server. So this would mean doing the disconnection first and then using your crossover cable. This way only the 2 computers are going to be connected. A lot depends on if this is allowed to be done. Then as long as you keep everything under your personal control, you should be able to copy your files to the CD without leaving a copy on the workstations hard drive.

But this is exactly what I was thinking about today.

I have not myself ever used burning software. I don't even have a CD writer. So I'm therefore not sure what is exactly involved in the copy/burn process. I was even thinking you may have to set up the network wizard on the office computer if it is not already networked, but I am guessing it probably must be now as it would not be much use to have a free standing computer in offices these days.

So how private would this all be.

That's so tricky to answer.

It depends on the network involved and its connection to a server. It also depends if a workstation can be used in this way as a direct crossover... it should be possible... but this is where my knowledge is not able to be sure. It depends on what type of software they have to allow copying of files, and if it can only be done via the server... in which case it may be that other computers using the network the same time may be able to have access to all files... but without knowledge of how your workplace has the various access levels set up, this is impossible to tell.

You may have to ask a technical person in your IT department if you have one to help you with some of these important privacy issues here.

I do hope you can resolve all this ok.

Z

 

Hi zarzenz,

Is this it?

 

Yes... that's it and you got the little led's there that show when it's connected to a live network correctly and when data is being transferred.

Is that an actual pic from your laptop in which case you will have the card, or is it a pic of an RJ45 that you found so that you know what to look for. In which case, if you find one of these on the side or rear of your laptop then you will be halfway there.

 

Seems like you got yourself a bargain there. Thank you for the tip hadi.

Thank you zarzenz.

PM sent in reply.

 

You could perhaps use remote desktop connection while at work?

I read thru this thread but didn't see any mentioning to make sure you either get some one to burn you a SP2 CD ( since I think you said you were on dialup) or order one from MS. They are free. I ordered one since I don't trust downloads that big and they only way to test a downloaded cd is when you are doing the upgrade to SP2.
One thing I found with my computers when installing a fresh copy of the OS is that before SP2, I had to make sure I had all the drivers for my computers prior to the install. Otherwise I had to go download all of them.
With SP2, most of the drivers are accounted for.
You can see your drivers by right clicking on my computer & selecting properties & hardware device manager. There you will see all of the hardware that is correctly OR incorrectly connected to your computer.

Bruce

 

It seems he wanted to getrid of old HD's. he said that: sooner or later no one asks about old stuff any more. By the way I found The method of attaching a HD in place of CDROM is the best for backup. because you can copy/paste whatever without caring about audio,video,or just normal data. while buring it on CDs one has to take care and burn audio as audio not as files and so on. Any way wish you goodluck with whatever method you find easier.