Reformatting question

[MsGini]

I have my mother-in law's Compaq that has WinME installed and then a VALID WinXP HE on top of it. We want to reformat and clear off everything that ever was... Best way to go would be factory ME CD and then XP upgrade? The XP upgrade won't allow me to do a total reformat, will it?

I don't want that pesky Microsoft validator to tell me that I', using an XP that is licensed somewhere else. I'm thinking that I had to sign MIL up somewhere?

Thanks ahead for any help...

 

[DelJo63]

the full retail package will allow you to access the partition and thus
reformat prior to the install.

validation is another matter I'll not address.

 

[Tedster]

yes, the XP upgrade will allow a total format of the HD. All it will require is the ME disk to verify you owned a previous version of windoz.

XP can only be licensed on 1 machine or motherboard at a time. Multiple running copies are illegal.

 

[SNGX1275]

The only problem is likely the Compaq has a restore cd that has ME on it, in which case XP probably won't consider that a valid proof of a previous OS and won't allow it. So he'd probably have to install ME then upgrade to XP. Inelegant, but thats a price you pay for not having a true OS disk.

 

[MsGini]

XP can only be licensed on 1 machine or motherboard at a time. Multiple running copies are illegal.

Yes... I'm aware of that. What I'm saying is will I have to re-verify true ownership and does anyone know where or how that can be done. I'm sure that I have access to the ORIGINAL disks for the Win ME and XP. I am not trying to screw around, but I know that so many people HAVE learned to manipulate the system enough that it makes it that much more difficult to just do the right thing.

So, no site to verify this stuff with at MS before hand? Dag, they need a toll free number for general junk.

 

[Xodious]

I thought WinME wasn't upgradeable?

 

[MsGini]

You're asking me?

I'm the one that already did it. I just want to do it again.

 

[DelJo63]

*IF* you have a bootable CD which can give you a command prompt, then this worked for me:
get to the command prompt,
cd to your original drive
cd to \windows
rmdir /s *.*

BE AWARE, all data will be preserved, but all programs will need to be REINSTALLED!

All user logins are lost, but their directories are left intact.
(rename \user1 to \zzuser1 and then later, create login user1 and
copy zzuser1\ to the new user1\ )

 

[MsGini]

Thanks jobeard

Not sure if this is going to be worth the effort, but we'll see!