How do I load Windows XP “upgrade” on fresh Hard Drive ??? (1 Viewer)

[Shawn Sefranek]

I loaded XP last night on my home system and I am puzzled.
It wouldn’t let me start the install from a “System disk” floppy boot.
My 45 Gig HD is partitioned into (4) sections.
They are labeled C, D, E & F.
My intention was to completely wipe out Millennium with a fresh install but it wouldn’t let me do it.
I created a system disk from within Windows Millennium that had my system files and CD drivers on it.
After booting from the system floppy and inserting the XP CD, I tried to start the install.
It gave me the error: “Can not run SETUP from DOS mode”.......WTF ???
I had to start the install from within Windows and specify “Full Install” to ignore my old version.
It wouldn’t let me write onto the “C” drive because it contained my current OS, so I had to load it on the “D” partition.
So now when I boot I have the option of starting Millennium or XP.
I guess that’s not such a BAD thing, but not what I wanted to do.
Suppose I was building a new PC or replacing a bad Hard Drive.
Would I have to load the old OS and then XP upgrade ???
What did I do wrong ?
Shawn S
PS....On a side note I think XP is great. It has a much improved interface and recognized all my hardware/software so far.
It looks like it has a lot of new toys for managing audio, video & digital photos.
I think I’ll hang on to that Millennium partition for the time being just in case though.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

If you want to do a 'clean' install (rather than upgrade the current Me installation) you'll need to format the partition first. You should be given the chance to do this within the XP install after the first reboot.

 

[Jesse Leonard]

From dos, you cannot just run the Setup.exe on the WinXP cd. This program will not run from dos (as you found out). From dos, go into the I386 folder of the CD and run winnt.exe. This is the install from dos program.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Or you can do what Jesse said.
I was just about to say that. Honest. I was, really.

 

[Shawn Sefranek]

Thanks for the info Jesse & Rob.
I actually thought about files in the Subdirectories, but didn’t know where to start or what the file name might be.
I may try the install again tonight to get XP installed like I originally wanted.
Jesse, I see you are located in Seattle.
Your employers name wouldn’t happen to start with the letters MICR***** would it ???
If so, tell Bill that he should put this information in the instruction booklet.

Shawn S

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Shawn, if your system supports booting from a CD then you can get in that way too. Me, 2000 and XP are all bootable installation CDs.

 

[brentl]

Rob you best me to it ... just go into the bios and mahe your first boot device the CD rom
Bernt L
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[CRyan]

Hmmm. I was going to ask a question related to an XP install, but now I have several. I have XP pro, but decided to wait to install when I get my new computer built. However, I would not mind getting it going on my current PC.
So a couple of questions. I currently have Me and only have one partition on the HD. Is there a way to now go ahead and let XP do a new install? I guess I mean is there a free way of adding a new partition to the HD now so that I can go ahead and install Win XP on that new partition? Does Win XP make a new partition when choosing to do a new install?
Then the next question is, would there be a way of then deleting the Win Me partition after getting all of my needed files over to the new Win XP partition?
I had looked at the CD laast night and was a little confused over the two installation options.
Thanks,
C. Ryan
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http://www.elitestoragedesigns.com/RyanOAR.bmp

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Then the next question is, would there be a way of then deleting the Win Me partition after getting all of my needed files over to the new Win XP partition?

Mmm... could be tricky. What you would in effect be doing is relocating XP from the second to the first partition on the drive. You would need to amend the boot.ini file (NT bootloader menu file) to make sure it was pointing to the correct partition.
That said, I tried doing this once with Windows 2000 Pro and went cockeyed very quickly. 2K would boot and then die a sudden death once it reached the point of loading personal settings. Never did find a solution and had to resign myself to a reinstallation

 

[CRyan]

Thanks a lot Rob for the detailed response! Figured it would not be as easy as it sounded.
Maybe I will simply upgrade to play around with it and then do the real install when I finally piece together my new system.
What is WinXP really doing when it gives you the option of the two different installs. It does not really make sense in the manual. I have done a clean install many a time - hey I have WinMe. But I am not sure how the program can do a new install from within windows. Oh well, I guess I will figure it out when I actually do it. Just have never had the option before that I recall.
C. Ryan
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http://www.elitestoragedesigns.com/RyanOAR.bmp

 

[Rob Gillespie]

A 'clean' install is done to a newly formatted (empty) partition. You set it up and format it yourself or do it in the XP installation procedure (unless you want NTFS in which case you have to format within the install).
An 'upgrade' install overwrites your existing OS, but in theory should keep your current applications and settings if they are relevent.
If you're running Me and choose to do a clean install of XP, the procedure will do a bit of messing about, reboot the PC and then go into the installation procedure proper.