Me to XP jitters

[Charlie]

I've had so much trouble keeping the Me system computer
running I have decided to try to solve the problem with a
move to XP. I'm worried that I do not have enough
knowledge to do a "new" install without screwing up all my
records, and I am worried that an upgrade will leave me
with the problems I have been experienceing.
I think many of my problems have been Norton related, but
I don't know enough to be sure.
My questions are;
What are the chances that a move to XP will solve my
problems?
What are the chances that such a move will make my
computer even LESS reliable than it already is?
c

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Charlie;
If you are having problems, then an upgrade may not help.
Your best chance would be a Clean Installation:
Disconnect all peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, etc)
Go to BIOS and set CDROM as boot device before hard drive.
Insert Windows XP CD and reboot.
At "Press any key to boot to CDROM" quickly press a key and follow the
prompts for a Clean installation:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp
Delete all partitions in step 5 if you desire to erase all data on the
hard drive.
Partitioning and formatting will be done automatically.
All data will be destroyed, back-up important data first.
If your computer was shipped with Windows XP, these procedures may or
may not apply.
Check your manual or contact the computer manufacturer for more
details.

Assuming your hardware and software is up to the task, a Clean Install
will probable increase reliability a lot.

First before you upgrade, check this link, especially #3 Upgrade
Advisor, to be sure the computer is ready for Windows XP:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/default.asp

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


"Charlie" > wrote in message
...
> I've had so much trouble keeping the Me system computer
> running I have decided to try to solve the problem with a
> move to XP. I'm worried that I do not have enough
> knowledge to do a "new" install without screwing up all my
> records, and I am worried that an upgrade will leave me
> with the problems I have been experienceing.
> I think many of my problems have been Norton related, but
> I don't know enough to be sure.
> My questions are;
> What are the chances that a move to XP will solve my
> problems?
> What are the chances that such a move will make my
> computer even LESS reliable than it already is?
> c

Many thanks. I'm not sure I have the "smarts" to do the
clean. I run a small business out of my home and have
about 15 years of customer history that I could never key
in again, if I goof. This all makes me very nervous.
Thanks!
>-----Original Message-----
>Charlie;
>If you are having problems, then an upgrade may not help.
>Your best chance would be a Clean Installation:
>Disconnect all peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, etc)
>Go to BIOS and set CDROM as boot device before hard drive.
>Insert Windows XP CD and reboot.
>At "Press any key to boot to CDROM" quickly press a key
and follow the
>prompts for a Clean installation:
>http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.as
p
>Delete all partitions in step 5 if you desire to erase
all data on the
>hard drive.
>Partitioning and formatting will be done automatically.
>All data will be destroyed, back-up important data first.
>If your computer was shipped with Windows XP, these
procedures may or
>may not apply.
>Check your manual or contact the computer manufacturer
for more
>details.
>
>Assuming your hardware and software is up to the task, a
Clean Install
>will probable increase reliability a lot.
>
>First before you upgrade, check this link, especially #3
Upgrade
>Advisor, to be sure the computer is ready for Windows XP:
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading
/default.asp
>
>--
>Jupiter Jones [MVP]
>An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se
tup.asp
>Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.
>
>
>"Charlie" > wrote in message
...
>> I've had so much trouble keeping the Me system computer
>> running I have decided to try to solve the problem with
a
>> move to XP. I'm worried that I do not have enough
>> knowledge to do a "new" install without screwing up all
my
>> records, and I am worried that an upgrade will leave me
>> with the problems I have been experienceing.
>> I think many of my problems have been Norton related,
but
>> I don't know enough to be sure.
>> My questions are;
>> What are the chances that a move to XP will solve my
>> problems?
>> What are the chances that such a move will make my
>> computer even LESS reliable than it already is?
>> c
>
>
>.
>

[Harry Ohrn]

What type(s) of problems are you having? If your problems are hardware
related then an upgrade will not help at all. For example frequent lockups,
reboots, bluescreens and so forth can be related to faulty RAM, inadequate
powersupply, heat or overclocking. So upgrading either via an in place over
top upgrade or via a clean install will simply bring those problems into XP.
Let us know more about the nature of your problems.

--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


"Charlie" > wrote in message
...
> I've had so much trouble keeping the Me system computer
> running I have decided to try to solve the problem with a
> move to XP. I'm worried that I do not have enough
> knowledge to do a "new" install without screwing up all my
> records, and I am worried that an upgrade will leave me
> with the problems I have been experienceing.
> I think many of my problems have been Norton related, but
> I don't know enough to be sure.
> My questions are;
> What are the chances that a move to XP will solve my
> problems?
> What are the chances that such a move will make my
> computer even LESS reliable than it already is?
> c

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Charlie;
First it is important that you have a back-up plan for your important
data.
Hard drives die all the time.
Most after years of operation, but some in the first hours of use and
everywhere in between.
Not having back-ups with important data is much like Russian Roulette.
Consider getting and using a CD writer or even a second hard drive to
keep important data backed up.
Both are relatively cheap and simple to install as well as use.

Harry in another post suggests you may have some sort of hardware
issue, if that is the case, no level of software upgrades will resolve
the issues.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.


> wrote in message
...
> Many thanks. I'm not sure I have the "smarts" to do the
> clean. I run a small business out of my home and have
> about 15 years of customer history that I could never key
> in again, if I goof. This all makes me very nervous.
> Thanks!
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Charlie;
> >If you are having problems, then an upgrade may not help.
> >Your best chance would be a Clean Installation:
> >Disconnect all peripherals (camera, printer, scanner, etc)
> >Go to BIOS and set CDROM as boot device before hard drive.
> >Insert Windows XP CD and reboot.
> >At "Press any key to boot to CDROM" quickly press a key
> and follow the
> >prompts for a Clean installation:
> >http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.as
> p
> >Delete all partitions in step 5 if you desire to erase
> all data on the
> >hard drive.
> >Partitioning and formatting will be done automatically.
> >All data will be destroyed, back-up important data first.
> >If your computer was shipped with Windows XP, these
> procedures may or
> >may not apply.
> >Check your manual or contact the computer manufacturer
> for more
> >details.
> >
> >Assuming your hardware and software is up to the task, a
> Clean Install
> >will probable increase reliability a lot.
> >
> >First before you upgrade, check this link, especially #3
> Upgrade
> >Advisor, to be sure the computer is ready for Windows XP:
> >http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading
> /default.asp
> >
> >--
> >Jupiter Jones [MVP]
> >An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
> >http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/se
> tup.asp
> >Please respond to newsgroup only for everyone's benefit.
> >
> >
> >"Charlie" > wrote in message
> ...
> >> I've had so much trouble keeping the Me system computer
> >> running I have decided to try to solve the problem with
> a
> >> move to XP. I'm worried that I do not have enough
> >> knowledge to do a "new" install without screwing up all
> my
> >> records, and I am worried that an upgrade will leave me
> >> with the problems I have been experienceing.
> >> I think many of my problems have been Norton related,
> but
> >> I don't know enough to be sure.
> >> My questions are;
> >> What are the chances that a move to XP will solve my
> >> problems?
> >> What are the chances that such a move will make my
> >> computer even LESS reliable than it already is?

[Harry Ohrn]

> wrote in message
...
> Many thanks. I'm not sure I have the "smarts" to do the
> clean. I run a small business out of my home and have
> about 15 years of customer history that I could never key
> in again, if I goof. This all makes me very nervous.
> Thanks!

If you have that many years of customer data on your system you MUST back it
up regularly. Consider getting yourself a second hard drive or a CD-Burner
to backup to. Prices have really dropped for both of these. If you are
nervous about the upgrade why not pay a bit for someone to do this for you.

--

Harry Ohrn - MS MVP (Windows Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/
www.webtree.ca/newlife/