Windows ME problem.

[MarkittyMayhem]

I have a laptop here that has Windows ME on it. The owner was deletnig things from it to create more space and fit it for a new job when he deleted the network connections. ( I have no clue why, duh!)

Anyways, now when I log onto it, it won't accept the username and password, it won't log in at all. My question is this, can I install Windows XP on it if I go into the bios and tell the computer to read from the cd-rom drive first? Will it install over the ME?

Anybody got suggestions? I don't want to have him purchase the software if it won't work.


Markitty~

 

[RealBlackStuff]

ME has similar restore points as XP.
Perhaps there is one from before he started deleting, if you can boot into safe mode?
If you have the ME-CD, you might try a re-install over the existing ME, you should not lose any userdata.
If you don't need any userdata from that installation (emails, docs, spreadsheets etc.)
you can install XP on it as you described (via boot from CD first).
Check that you have all the XP drivers for that laptop, before you start. And check if the laptop is modern enough to handle XP.

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

Jacked-up Lap-top

I can't even get into this thing... he really jacked it up. It won't start in safe mode, nothing but the bios will come up for me. It's password protected before the boot-up screen. He doesn't have the cd that came with it because he got it from the previous job, and although he kept the laptop no problem, he didn't bother grabbing discs.

Which drivers do I check for before I start realblackstuff?

He wants to purchase XP this weekend, so this Monday I will more than likely be installing it. I didn't want him buying it if it were impossible is all.

thank you, again...

Warm regards,
Markitty~

 

[Justin]

XP will most likely run on the laptop just fine. XP behaves quite well with laptops, but if he has 128mb of ram or less, it will run awful slow. Just make sure he has at least 64mb of ram, and that his hard drive has a few gig (I'd say 4, but the install requires 1.5) of free space. Don't do an upgrade install. If he doesn't have important data on it , I'd suggest wiping it clean. If he does, do an regular install with no format. That'll retain the data but avoid the problems of doing an actual upgrade install.

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

That's just it...

I can't even get into the damn thing to see his specs, but it does look relatively new. With computers that doesn't mean anything though.

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

Dang-me~

Ok now he's telling me it has Windows 2000 on it not ME, so, that doesn't change anything right? Ugh this darn thing. I'd rather toss it than try to fix it, but the company needs it. :dead:

 

[RealBlackStuff]

It's cheaper to buy Windows 2000, and (in my opinion) W2K is more stable than XP.
W2K has no restore points. But if you have a W2K-CD, it does the Repair, just like XP.
The ball is in your park.
If you really hate it, let me know, and ship it out to me LOL.

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

Ha ha!

Thank you, again. I appreciate the humor, and all of the wonderful advice. I'm reformatting the c drive as we speak and throwing Windows 98 on it, for starters, to see if it's even somewhat savable.

From there... we'll see.

Markitty~

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Hope you do (not :evil: ) get it going!
I just love free laptops! :angel:

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

Ahhhhh~

Too late Master, the grasshopper has figured out the problem and wiped the hard drive clean. : smiles :

It has XP on it now, and better for it I'd say. Sorry no free laptop, but we have a bunch of MAC hard drives here!

Markitty~

 

[RealBlackStuff]

Thank you, but no thank you for your kind MAC offer.
Hmmm, makes one wonder why you have so many lying around... MACs gone bad?
Glad you sorted the laptop!

 

[MarkittyMayhem]

MAC-attack

Not so much went bad as became obsolete. You can only upgrade and add so many things before it is just not possible to go any further. Besides we only use MACS for the layouts anyways. I prefer it that way.