Reinstalling Windows ME - How to Proceed?

[Lynn Q]

Hi there,

I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM (now up
to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.

I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due to
the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to Windows
ME.

I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the original
hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my original
ME disk. No problems there.

What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this regard
will be much appreciated.

As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently C: is
the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put there
due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can do a
clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of as I
now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on another
unrelated system.

So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive first
(where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple thing
like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or, is
there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean install of
ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system. Once I
remove it then the license can be put on a different system without fear of
a problem.

Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
appreciated and welcomed.

Thank you!

Lynn

 

[Heather]

Hi Lynn.....the ones that can help you are in England and should be back
on here in a few hours. Mike or Mart will be able to assist.

Cheers....Heather (Canada)

"Lynn Q" <manxcatq@live.ca> wrote in message
news:C526B56F.481E2%manxcatq@live.ca...
> Hi there,
>
> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM
> (now up
> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One
> CD
> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.
>
> I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
> However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due
> to
> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to
> Windows
> ME.
>
> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the
> original
> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my
> original
> ME disk. No problems there.
>
> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this
> regard
> will be much appreciated.
>
> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently
> C: is
> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put
> there
> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can
> do a
> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of
> as I
> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on
> another
> unrelated system.
>
> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive
> first
> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple
> thing
> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or,
> is
> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean
> install of
> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system.
> Once I
> remove it then the license can be put on a different system without
> fear of
> a problem.
>
> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
> appreciated and welcomed.
>
> Thank you!
>
> Lynn
>

 

[N. Miller]

On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:12:47 -0400, Lynn Q wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM (now up
> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.
>
> I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
> However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due to
> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to Windows
> ME.
>
> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the original
> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my original
> ME disk. No problems there.
>
> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this regard
> will be much appreciated.
>
> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently C: is
> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put there
> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can do a
> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of as I
> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on another
> unrelated system.
>
> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive first
> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple thing
> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or, is
> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean install of
> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system. Once I
> remove it then the license can be put on a different system without fear of
> a problem.
>
> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
> appreciated and welcomed.

If you still have your Windows ME Emergency Boot Disk, and are aboslutely
certain there are no important files to save, I'd just boot from the EBD and
run FDISK against both drives. Just kill the existing partitions, and create
one new primary partition on each drive. I believe you can run FORMAT from
the EBD as well. Then run the Windows ME install disks.

--
Norman
~Shine, bright morning light,
~now in the air the spring is coming.
~Sweet, blowing wind,
~singing down the hills and valleys.

 

[Mart]

I concur totally with Norman's recommendations but would add one rider for
completeness. Following your clean install, try to do your Windows Updates
as soon as possible. System Restore will not function until you do. (Also
there are some 40-odd other critical updates to bring it up to standard -
still currently available at the MS WU site)

BTW - There are couple of very useful documents on your WinMe CD called
setup.txt file and cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading. You should also
print out and have handy, a copy of the cleanhd.txt file - a copy of which
you can also see here :-
"Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us

Good luck

Mart


"N. Miller" <anonymous@msnews.aosake.net> wrote in message
news:1ow42y52hxft6.dlg@msnews.aosake.net...
> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:12:47 -0400, Lynn Q wrote:
>
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
>> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM (now
>> up
>> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
>> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.
>>
>> I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
>> However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due to
>> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to Windows
>> ME.
>>
>> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the original
>> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my
>> original
>> ME disk. No problems there.
>>
>> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this
>> regard
>> will be much appreciated.
>>
>> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently C:
>> is
>> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put
>> there
>> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can do
>> a
>> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of as
>> I
>> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on
>> another
>> unrelated system.
>>
>> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive
>> first
>> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple
>> thing
>> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or, is
>> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean install
>> of
>> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system. Once
>> I
>> remove it then the license can be put on a different system without fear
>> of
>> a problem.
>>
>> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
>> appreciated and welcomed.
>
> If you still have your Windows ME Emergency Boot Disk, and are aboslutely
> certain there are no important files to save, I'd just boot from the EBD
> and
> run FDISK against both drives. Just kill the existing partitions, and
> create
> one new primary partition on each drive. I believe you can run FORMAT from
> the EBD as well. Then run the Windows ME install disks.
>
> --
> Norman
> ~Shine, bright morning light,
> ~now in the air the spring is coming.
> ~Sweet, blowing wind,
> ~singing down the hills and valleys.

 

[Shane]

Lynn Q wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM
> (now up to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style
> memory).

Shame you're in Canadia, I have 256MB of PC100 and 256MB of PC133 sitting
around waiting to be used. I finally took a hammer to the Maxtor drive, but
as the RAM takes up so much less room....

I s'pose I could fax it to Figgs and she could take it round to you.


Shane

 

[JR]

Mart As MS is no longer supporting ME how can I do an Update and where
can I find them on MS WU? When I go to WU all I get is screen that says it
is no longer supported for ME.



"Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:OnkrBBbNJHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>I concur totally with Norman's recommendations but would add one rider for
>completeness. Following your clean install, try to do your Windows Updates
>as soon as possible. System Restore will not function until you do. (Also
>there are some 40-odd other critical updates to bring it up to standard -
>still currently available at the MS WU site)
>
> BTW - There are couple of very useful documents on your WinMe CD called
> setup.txt file and cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading. You should
> also print out and have handy, a copy of the cleanhd.txt file - a copy of
> which you can also see here :-
> "Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us
>
> Good luck
>
> Mart
>
>
> "N. Miller" <anonymous@msnews.aosake.net> wrote in message
> news:1ow42y52hxft6.dlg@msnews.aosake.net...
>> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:12:47 -0400, Lynn Q wrote:
>>
>>> Hi there,
>>>
>>> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
>>> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM (now
>>> up
>>> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
>>> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.
>>>
>>> I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
>>> However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due
>>> to
>>> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to
>>> Windows
>>> ME.
>>>
>>> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the
>>> original
>>> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my
>>> original
>>> ME disk. No problems there.
>>>
>>> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this
>>> regard
>>> will be much appreciated.
>>>
>>> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently C:
>>> is
>>> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put
>>> there
>>> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can
>>> do a
>>> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of as
>>> I
>>> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on
>>> another
>>> unrelated system.
>>>
>>> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive
>>> first
>>> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple
>>> thing
>>> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or, is
>>> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean install
>>> of
>>> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system. Once
>>> I
>>> remove it then the license can be put on a different system without fear
>>> of
>>> a problem.
>>>
>>> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
>>> appreciated and welcomed.
>>
>> If you still have your Windows ME Emergency Boot Disk, and are aboslutely
>> certain there are no important files to save, I'd just boot from the EBD
>> and
>> run FDISK against both drives. Just kill the existing partitions, and
>> create
>> one new primary partition on each drive. I believe you can run FORMAT
>> from
>> the EBD as well. Then run the Windows ME install disks.
>>
>> --
>> Norman
>> ~Shine, bright morning light,
>> ~now in the air the spring is coming.
>> ~Sweet, blowing wind,
>> ~singing down the hills and valleys.
>
>

 

[Mart]

Try the "Scan for updates" button just above the box/area where it says that
it is no longer supported.

It may not be 'supported' but the updates are still (currently) available -
don't know how long for though.

Mart



"JR" <arropaca@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:6D5A8FB6-1A97-4428-B81E-F7B6A19E89A0@microsoft.com...
> Mart As MS is no longer supporting ME how can I do an Update and where
> can I find them on MS WU? When I go to WU all I get is screen that says it
> is no longer supported for ME.
>
>
>
> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
> news:OnkrBBbNJHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>I concur totally with Norman's recommendations but would add one rider for
>>completeness. Following your clean install, try to do your Windows Updates
>>as soon as possible. System Restore will not function until you do. (Also
>>there are some 40-odd other critical updates to bring it up to standard -
>>still currently available at the MS WU site)
>>
>> BTW - There are couple of very useful documents on your WinMe CD called
>> setup.txt file and cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading. You should
>> also print out and have handy, a copy of the cleanhd.txt file - a copy of
>> which you can also see here :-
>> "Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us
>>
>> Good luck
>>
>> Mart
>>
>>
>> "N. Miller" <anonymous@msnews.aosake.net> wrote in message
>> news:1ow42y52hxft6.dlg@msnews.aosake.net...
>>> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:12:47 -0400, Lynn Q wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi there,
>>>>
>>>> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is otherwise
>>>> working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way with more RAM (now
>>>> up
>>>> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
>>>> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not speedy.
>>>>
>>>> I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP Pro.
>>>> However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall slowness due
>>>> to
>>>> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to
>>>> Windows
>>>> ME.
>>>>
>>>> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the
>>>> original
>>>> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my
>>>> original
>>>> ME disk. No problems there.
>>>>
>>>> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in this
>>>> regard
>>>> will be much appreciated.
>>>>
>>>> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently
>>>> C: is
>>>> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which were put
>>>> there
>>>> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept, I can
>>>> do a
>>>> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I know of
>>>> as I
>>>> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on
>>>> another
>>>> unrelated system.
>>>>
>>>> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D: drive
>>>> first
>>>> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a simple
>>>> thing
>>>> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or,
>>>> is
>>>> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean
>>>> install of
>>>> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system.
>>>> Once I
>>>> remove it then the license can be put on a different system without
>>>> fear of
>>>> a problem.
>>>>
>>>> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions much
>>>> appreciated and welcomed.
>>>
>>> If you still have your Windows ME Emergency Boot Disk, and are
>>> aboslutely
>>> certain there are no important files to save, I'd just boot from the EBD
>>> and
>>> run FDISK against both drives. Just kill the existing partitions, and
>>> create
>>> one new primary partition on each drive. I believe you can run FORMAT
>>> from
>>> the EBD as well. Then run the Windows ME install disks.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Norman
>>> ~Shine, bright morning light,
>>> ~now in the air the spring is coming.
>>> ~Sweet, blowing wind,
>>> ~singing down the hills and valleys.
>>
>>
>

 

[Shane]

Mart wrote:
> Try the "Scan for updates" button just above the box/area where it
> says that it is no longer supported.
>
> It may not be 'supported' but the updates are still (currently)
> available - don't know how long for though.

Or how much point, as the longer it is, the more insecure Win Me and
doolally the user who has just installed it? Having said that, besides the
essentially irrelevent observation that WU remains available for 98SE too,
it is perhaps interesting that WU still works for Windows 95 (and I was, of
course, doolally enough to install it!).

Kind of fascinating to see again, being the WU version that Millennium first
used.

The most recent update is from so very, very long ago!

Shane


>
>
> "JR" <arropaca@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:6D5A8FB6-1A97-4428-B81E-F7B6A19E89A0@microsoft.com...
>> Mart As MS is no longer supporting ME how can I do an Update and
>> where can I find them on MS WU? When I go to WU all I get is screen
>> that says it is no longer supported for ME.
>>
>>
>>
>> "Mart" <mart(NoSpam)@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
>> news:OnkrBBbNJHA.1164@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>> I concur totally with Norman's recommendations but would add one
>>> rider for completeness. Following your clean install, try to do
>>> your Windows Updates as soon as possible. System Restore will not
>>> function until you do. (Also there are some 40-odd other critical
>>> updates to bring it up to standard - still currently available at
>>> the MS WU site) BTW - There are couple of very useful documents on your
>>> WinMe CD
>>> called setup.txt file and cleanhd.txt which are well worth reading.
>>> You should also print out and have handy, a copy of the cleanhd.txt
>>> file - a copy of which you can also see here :-
>>> "Windows Millennium Edition Cleanhd.txt File Contents"
>>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/en-us
>>>
>>> Good luck
>>>
>>> Mart
>>>
>>>
>>> "N. Miller" <anonymous@msnews.aosake.net> wrote in message
>>> news:1ow42y52hxft6.dlg@msnews.aosake.net...
>>>> On Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:12:47 -0400, Lynn Q wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi there,
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a 10-year-old system which has two hard drives and is
>>>>> otherwise working fine. It's had a few upgrades along the way
>>>>> with more RAM (now up
>>>>> to 200 MB (not up to 256, didn't have enough old-style memory). One CD
>>>>> drive is a CD reader, the other is a CDRW but it's not
>>>>> speedy. I had upgraded the original Windows ME installation to a WinXP
>>>>> Pro. However, due to memory limitations (RAM) and just overall
>>>>> slowness due to
>>>>> the age and technology of this system I wish to revert it back to
>>>>> Windows
>>>>> ME.
>>>>>
>>>>> I would prefer to start over from scratch. I still have all the
>>>>> original
>>>>> hardware disks (CD Burner software, fax modem, etc.) including my
>>>>> original
>>>>> ME disk. No problems there.
>>>>>
>>>>> What I need to know is how best to proceed so your guidance in
>>>>> this regard
>>>>> will be much appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>> As I said, a two-drive system, C: is 16 GB and D: is 4 GB. Currently
>>>>> C: is
>>>>> the main drive with XP installed. D: has some XP files which
>>>>> were put there
>>>>> due to the storage limitations on C:. Nothing needs to be kept,
>>>>> I can do a
>>>>> clean install. No files need to be backed up and kept that I
>>>>> know of as I
>>>>> now use webmail most of the time and my other main files reside on
>>>>> another
>>>>> unrelated system.
>>>>>
>>>>> So. What to do? How to proceed? I assume I can format the D:
>>>>> drive first
>>>>> (where the extra files are). What should follow next? Is it a
>>>>> simple thing
>>>>> like putting the ME disk in the CD drive and running an install? Or,
>>>>> is
>>>>> there a better way to accomplish this. I just need a good clean
>>>>> install of
>>>>> ME on here. XP is going to be used elsewhere, not on this system.
>>>>> Once I
>>>>> remove it then the license can be put on a different system
>>>>> without fear of
>>>>> a problem.
>>>>>
>>>>> Please give me some advice on how to proceed. Any suggestions
>>>>> much appreciated and welcomed.
>>>>
>>>> If you still have your Windows ME Emergency Boot Disk, and are
>>>> aboslutely
>>>> certain there are no important files to save, I'd just boot from
>>>> the EBD and
>>>> run FDISK against both drives. Just kill the existing partitions,
>>>> and create
>>>> one new primary partition on each drive. I believe you can run
>>>> FORMAT from
>>>> the EBD as well. Then run the Windows ME install disks.
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Norman
>>>> ~Shine, bright morning light,
>>>> ~now in the air the spring is coming.
>>>> ~Sweet, blowing wind,
>>>> ~singing down the hills and valleys.