What I want to do is upgrade Windows ME to XP as a clean install. But XP Home Edition is giving me fits.

In order to get a full and true clean install, I need to present and original ME disc in the drive. But I do not have a genuine Micro$oft cd, it is a recovery cd with a legal ME on it. And, of course, this recovery cd does have a cd key listed on the back casing of my PC. Also, the installation process does not give me the option of typing in the genuine cd key, which I think was a stupid thing to leave out. So my only option is and 'on the top install' which means I still have junk files left over that I have no idea where to find and what is safe to delete.

My other option is to buy Windows XP full, but that's another $100. What are my other options besides what I said in the first sentence? I have already installed twice, and I am certain the only option I am left with is 'on the top' installing. After all, that is all it has done.

I was going to do an original full restore and format with the Windows ME recovery cd, then upgrade to XP Home Edition. That would be clean enough install for me. Unfortunately the recovery cd is not working right. The PC company (in which I will neglect to name, as I still have high hopes for them) was suppose to send a new recovery cd, but it has been weeks and surely even a snail mail shipment would have been here by now.

Although the upgrade 'on the top' install does redo the WINDOWS folder, it does not redo the program files folders, where a lot of junk files are. So what if I delete everything except the WINDOWS folder, and reinstall the upgrade? Will it place in the proper programs in the program files folders.

It might be possible to do a full install with upgrade CD by

a) Booting with XP installation floppies (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/r...eleaseid=33290)

or

b) Booting with 9x/ME floppy (with CD support), smartdrv (to speed up copying), copy XP's I386 folder to harddisk, start winnt.exe from there.

I haven't tested these, though.

Another thing would be to check which files XP upgrade checks to see if there is a previous version installed and then create those files.

Which mean there is a previous post.
Windows OS > Trouble installing XP home edition with full format
http://www.3dspotlight.com/vb/showth...&threadid=1599