I want to upgrade to Windows xp. I now have windows ME. Do I need to reformat or will it install over Windows?

Answer 1

Best to buy new PC because Windows XP requires about 512 MB RAM to function efficiently. If you have that much then I would recommend reformatting, it might be better for performance.

Answer 2

Why would you want to upgrade to Windows XP? My suggestion to you is for you to hold off installing XP and waiting another month or so when Microsoft releases the new version of Windows Vista which will be far more advanced, enhanced, and smoother than XP.

Answer 3

Windows XP will UPGRADE your current Operating system. I would be careful as there MAY be some of your hardware & Software that will not be compatible with Windows XP. Also rememebr that Windows Vista is just about ready to be released. Check the microsoft website for minimum requirements (Hard Disk, Processor Type, Memory, etc) to make sure that your system is compatible with XP.

Answer 4

How to Upgrade to Windows XP
By Sandy Berger

If you own a computer more than two or three years old, the best way to move to Windows XP is to purchase a new computer with Windows XP preinstalled. Most older computers don't meet the hardware requirements for XP. Microsoft recommends that your computer have a processor clock speed of at least 300 megahertz, 128 megabytes of memory, and 1.5 gigabytes of available hard disk space. Also, you cannot upgrade from Windows 95. You must have a newer version of Windows like Windows 98 or Me already installed on your computer.

Readiness Test
Is your computer fast enough? Is your hard drive large enough? Does your computer have enough memory? To find out, surf over to the PC World & PC Pitstop XP Testing Center and take the XP Readiness Test. This test will perform a quick and painless assessment of your computer hardware and software for XP compatibility.

Start With a Clean Machine
If your computer hardware is ready for XP, there are a few things to know before you run out and make this Microsoft purchase. Be advised: a Windows XP upgrade is not for the faint of heart. While XP itself seems to be very smart and savvy, the installation can be a nail-biting experience. ( Read about my XP upgrade experiences) The XP upgrade works very well on "clean" machines (computers that have only a few programs installed and that have not had a lot of programs and/or equipment added and/or removed). In fact, a good way to upgrade to XP is to completely clean up the computer by reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows 98 or Me: then you can perform the upgrade. This, however, means that you must reinstall all of your programs and peripheral equipment as well as restore all documents and settings. Although worthwhile because your computer is sure to perform better, this is a time-consuming endeavor.

A Backup Is Insurance
If you decide your computer is not too "junked" up, if you love some of the new XP features, and if you have a computer that passes muster (and an extra $99), you are ready to roll. In preparation for the upgrade, you will want to clean up your hard drive, i.e. remove unused programs and unnecessary data (see How To Clean Up your Hard Drive). It may even be useful to perform a scan disk and defrag on your hard drive if you haven't done so recently (see How to ScanDisk and How To Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly). Most importantly, back up all of your important documents and data. Back up everything including e-mail, word processing documents, financial data, and important photos and graphics. After installing XP on several different computers, I never had to use my backup files, but backup files are like an insurance policy: valuable when and if you need them.

The next step is to click on Start — Settings — Control Panel and choose Add/Remove Programs. You will want to uninstall your anti-virus software and any other utility programs like GoBack or Norton Utilities. Check with the manufacturer as to whether you can simply reinstall these after the upgrade or whether you will have to purchase an upgraded version specifically created for Windows XP.

Uninstall Anti-Virus Program
Now you are finally ready to insert the XP upgrade CD. First, the installation program searches your hard drive for incompatibilities. It will tell you if there is anything you need to do before the installation can proceed. For instance, you may have to remove a program. You will also be presented with a list of possible incompatibilities. You may want to print out this list for future reference; however, I found that very few of the items needed attention after the installation.

Installation — Finally
For the most part, once past the assessment phase, the installation should proceed pretty much on its own. If your computer freezes at any point along the way, give it some time and make sure it has really stopped performing. Then, press the on/off button to turn the computer off. Press again after a minute or two to restart the computer. The setup program should restart on its own.

Equipment Test
Once the XP installation program finishes, you will want to test all your equipment such as scanners, printers, etc. If anything is not working properly, you may have to upgrade the driver for that peripheral. A quick visit to the manufacturer's Web site should reveal an XP driver. If you don't find an XP driver listed, try the driver to Windows 2000, which will often work quite well.

Time and Patience = Windows XP Upgrade
Can the average computer user perform this upgrade? Yes, but it will undoubtedly involve quite a bit of time and patience. If you are pressed for time and patience is not one of your strong points, you may want to call a local computer consultant and have them deal with any Windows XP upgrade frustrations

Answer 5

Reformatting before 'XP' installation is not imperative. Push in the 'XP' CD and it will do the rest, with a bare minimum input required from you.

However, if you have been exposed to virus and Spywares, or if you had lots of disorganized junks in your 'PUTER', you can optionally choose to reformat your PUTER to give you a better performance. Caution! Only use the RESTORE discs that came with the PUTER, for reformatting purpose. Also note please, that if you elect to reformat, then you will loose all your data and current files and will need to re-install other applications, including MicroSoft Office, Lotus, Music suits;...etc.

Answer 6

Make sure you have enough memory to handle it. XP is a memory hog. And your computer also has to be fast enough too. Other-wise, pop in the XP CD and the computer will do most of the work. Just watch the screen and do what it asks. BTW, Vista will be out next year making XP out-dated. XP should be alot cheaper in the coming months.

Answer 7

If you want to make a fresh install one, then you should format your disk from your xp cd. do not forget to move all your data to other partition.

If you do not want to re-format, you can install XP over your windows Me. you do not have to worry about your replacing hardware-driver.. usually, XP will do some hardware diagnostic first. if your hardware-driver are not supported by XP, it will confirm you. So, Just prepare all your cd hardware-driver..

Once again, if you choose an upgrade-install, you can UNDO the XP instalation .. and back to your windows Me anytime.

That's All
Hope Usefull for you

Answer 8

I believe you can UPGRADE to WIN XP

rather than install a new OS - check the box - and get the Upgrade Box which is cheaper than a brand new Operating System - it should give the requirements using

Then the first thing you CD will do is verify your version of ME - that you have a correct product key existing on your computer - and it will be on it's way to installing itself

Answer 9

Windows XP support upgrading over Windows ME so you will not need to re-format your HD.

good luck

Answer 10

Even if you can, I would recommend reformatting and doing a clean install. It may be a bit more work if you have some things you want to save, but you'll be happier in the long run.