Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics (
More info?)
Ok. The reason you don't have the option to remove XP in Add and Remove
Programs is because it was a clean install rather than an "upgrade". This is
a matter of semantics. When we say "upgrade" here we generally mean using
the "upgrade path" which has the user installing a newer version of Windows
directly overtop of an existing version of windows. This can have the
benefit of retaining many of the settings and installed apps as well as
retaining the data on the old system. The downside is that upgrades aren't
always successful especially if a system isn't properly prepared for the
upgrade.
In your case, while you did change operating systems you didn't upgrade you
did a "clean" or "fresh" install. To revert back to Windows Me you will need
to follow the second option I gave in my preceding post.
--
Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
"henry21" <henry@ennifer81.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:O$Rrwi4sFHA.1136@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> My initial mail did state that I wished to format the drive and do a clean
> install of ME and 'possibly' upgrade to XP at a later date. I took the
> route suggested which formatted the drive and only put XP on. Nothing is
> shown in the Control Panel/Add remove so I can't uninstall and I think the
> route given, which I took, has taken ME off. I am new to this and I can't
> tell you what you have to know if I don't know what you want to know. Can
> we please start again or forget it Thanks for all your advice anyway it
> has learnt me a lot even if it didn't solve my dilemma, Henry.
> "Harry Ohrn" <harry---@webtree.ca> wrote in message
> news:uo1oVGzsFHA.2492@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>> Ok I think I understand. You want to have Windows Me running on your
>> system
>> so you can use hardware that doesn't like XP.
>> Maybe someday in the future you will upgrade to Xp and have the software
>> but
>> for now you just want Me. Is that right?
>>
>> Here are 2 scenarios. Pick the one that is best for you.
>> 1) You had Windows Me installed and then upgraded to XP but now want to
>> revert back to Windows Me by uninstalling XP. To do that simply go to
>> Control Panel->Add and Remove Programs. Select the option to Uninstall
>> Windows XP. That should roll you back to Windows Me. However, if after
>> upgrading from Windows Me to XP you converted the drive from FAT32 to
>> NTFS
>> you will no longer have the option to roll back.
>>
>> 2) You want to remove Windows XP and do a fresh install of Windows Me. To
>> do
>> this you need to repartition and reformat the drive. Boot with a Windows
>> Me
>> Start-up floppy. At the command prompt type FDISK and press Enter. Answer
>> Yes to enabling large drive support if you see the message. You should
>> get
>> to the FDISK Menu. Select the option to Delete partitions. Select the
>> option
>> to Delete Non-DOS partitions if your install of XP was the NTFS format.
>> If
>> the format was FAT32 then select the option to Delete Primary Partitions.
>> Delete the partition. Esc back to the FDISK Menu. No select the option to
>> Create Partitions. Create a Primary Partition. When finished leave the
>> floppy in the drive and Esc out and reboot. At the command prompt type
>> FORMAT C: and press Enter. That will format the drive as FAT32. When
>> finished pop your Windows Me CD into the drive and change to the drive
>> letter
>> of your CD and type SETUP.EXE
>>
>> If in the future you wish to upgrade to XP you have the advise supplied
>> in
>> the previous posts to work with including this
>>
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/upgrade_tips.htm
>>
>> --
>>
>> Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
>> www.webtree.ca/windowsxp
>>
>>
>> "henry21" <henry@ennifer81.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
>> news:u6wyEKysFHA.4052@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>> Thanks Sharon but in trying to install ME I was taken through all the
>> steps
>>> the Team advised on without any probs. The only prob is I want ME only
>>> at
>>> this stage and can't find out how to uninstall/delete WindowsXP or
>>> format
>>
>>> the drive to achieve this, Best Wishes, Henry.
>>> "Sharon F" <sharonfDEL@ETEmvps.org> wrote in message
>>> news:OTHibYxsFHA.332@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>>> > On Tue, 6 Sep 2005 14:38:05 +0100, henry21 wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Thanks for your help but I do wish to install Windows ME in order to
>> use
>>> >> existing hardware that wont run in XP.
>>> >> The 2 disks I have, ME and XP Upgrade are both legal discs purchased
>>> >> at
>>> >> Retail Outlets. I have a new laptop bought with XP installed so now
>>> >> I
>>> >> wish
>>> >> to format my hard drive for the old comp but dont know how, Thanks
>> again
>>> >
>>> > Henry, putting the possible hardware issues aside for the moment, you
>>> > would
>>> > not need to install WinME before installing XP. You will need the
>>> > WinME
>> CD
>>> > for a step during the setup (proof of a previous version of Windows)
>>> > but
>>> > that's all you need it for.
>>> >
>>> > Ken gave you two good links for step-by-step articles that walk you
>>> > through
>>> > the setup process including formatting the hard drive. Suggest taking
>>> > a
>>> > look at those. The directions are good and the screen shots of the
>>> > setup
>>> > screens are a very handy reference.
>>> >
>>> > Coming back to the hardware on the desktop -- as long as the system
>> meets
>>> > the minimum system requirements for XP, there's a good chance the
>> install
>>> > will go well. If there's hardware you have a question about - post
>>> > here.
>>> >
>>> > The upgrade advisor that the others have mentioned is rather dated but
>>> > would still be appropriate for an older desktop. It would also point
>>> > out
>>> > any software that may not be compatible with XP. (You'll need to
>>> > decide
>>> > how
>>> > essential any incompatible software is to you and whether or not you
>> want
>>> > to live without it.) The advisor is included on the WinXP upgrade CD.
>> You
>>> > can run it without making any changes to the existing setup. Read the
>>> > report and then decide what you want to do.
>>> >
>>> > And remember - If, for whatever reason, an XP install doesn't work
>>> > out,
>>> > you
>>> > can always start over and do a clean install of WinME instead.
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Sharon F
>>> > MS-MVP ~ Windows Shell/User
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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