Upgrade to Windows Me
Stan Miastkowski
The latest addition to the Microsoft Windows family of operating systems, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me, for short), isn't an earth-shaking upgrade, but it does add some system protection features, multimedia, and bug fixes to Windows 98 Second Edition.
If you're happily running Windows 98 SE, there's no compelling reason to upgrade to Windows Me. But if you're still plugging along with Windows 95 or you want improved stability or multimedia features, upgrading may make sense.
Windows Me's better, more-comprehensive integrated help system includes numerous step-by-step troubleshooters for diagnosing tough problems. The OS backs those up with some handy automatic recovery tools to get your computer up and running when you're stuck. Microsoft has also added a digital audio and video player, a basic video editor, more home networking features, the latest version (5.5) of Internet Explorer, and more.
The downside? Microsoft stripped out many underlying 16-bit DOS features that were an integral part of Windows 9x. Starting from a DOS prompt now requires a boot disk. And older 16-bit ISA cards that rely on DOS drivers (older modems and sound cards, for example) may not work with Windows Me. The same goes for some older applications.
Unfortunately, as of press time, Microsoft hadn't compiled a comprehensive list of the hardware and software that won't work with Me. You have to check vendor Web sites for compatibility information. During installation, however, Windows Me will check for incompatible software and ask you to uninstall it before proceeding. The install program will not catch every application, however. And if your hardware isn't compatible, Windows Me won't find or install it. As a result, you must plan carefully.
Once you've finished your upgrade, see "Windows Your Way" for more on getting the most out of Windows Me.
Pain-Free Upgrade
Before you insert the Windows Me CD-ROM into your PC's drive, it's essential that you make some background preparations. Here's a checklist:
- Although Windows Me includes drivers for a wide range of hardware, it can't cover everything. Visit the Web sites of the vendors that made your system's add-in cards, modem, printer, scanner, and so on, and download the latest drivers with Me support.
- Run ScanDisk ( Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, ScanDisk), followed by Disk Defragmenter ( Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter), on all drives in your PC.
- Scan your PC for viruses. Then, temporarily disable virus scanning, which can interfere with the installation of software, including Windows Me.
- Do a complete backup of the files on your PC.
- Make sure all applications are closed before you begin upgrading.
Consider a Clean Install
If you've been using your computer for a while, your Windows folder is probably chock-full of unused files, partially uninstalled applications, and bad Registry entries. Upgrading to Windows Me won't solve those problems. In fact, it could make them worse.
Erasing all the files on your hard drive and installing Windows Me from scratch will let you start afresh. But this approach has a downside: You'll have to reinstall all your applications. And backing up all your data files before you start is even more important.
Before embarking on a clean install, check to see whether your PC can boot from the CD-ROM drive. Open your PC's setup program (in most cases you access this by holding down a particular key at start-up; check your manual if necessary), and look for a setting that instructs your PC to attempt to boot the CD-ROM drive before trying the other drives. If that option is available, you can set your PC up to boot from the Windows Me installation disk.
If your computer won't boot from your CD-ROM, use the Windows Startup floppy disk created by Windows 9x to boot your PC. It contains drivers needed to access your CD-ROM drive from DOS.
If you do a clean install, you'll need to use your original Windows 9x CD-ROM at one point in the process. Windows Me will ask you to insert it during setup to confirm that you're actually upgrading from a prior version of Windows.
1. Copy the Setup Files to Your Hard Drive (optional)
Inserting the Windows Me Upgrade CD-ROM automatically starts the setup process, but we strongly recommend that you first copy the setup files to your hard drive and leave them there (assuming you have the space), and run setup from the hard drive. That way, Windows Me won't ask you to insert the CD-ROM every time thereafter when you install a new feature or make system changes.
To copy the Windows Me CD-ROM using your existing version of Windows, open Windows Explorer ( Start, Programs, Windows Explorer), go to drive C:, create a new folder ( File, New, Folder), and name it something like WinMeCD. Then copy all the files and folders in the CD-ROM's WIN9X folder to the hard drive's newly created folder.
2. Start the Setup
Make sure your existing version of Windows is running (if you're doing a clean install, boot from the CD-ROM or floppy disk). If you opted to copy all the upgrade files to your hard drive (as outlined in step 1), run setup.exe from the hard drive. If you just want to install from the CD-ROM, insert the Windows Me CD-ROM in your drive. The installation should start automatically. If it doesn't, run setup.exe from the CD-ROM.
The screen will ask whether you want to upgrade. Click Yes, and setup will begin.
3. Fill In the Blanks
You know the drill. You must accept the Microsoft license agreement and then fill in the long product key (found on the back of the Windows Me CD-ROM case). Setup will then check to see whether you have enough drive space to upgrade.
4. Save Your Old Version of Windows
Setup will ask if you want to save the existing Windows files. We advise you to do this, since it will allow you to return to your prior version of Windows if setup fails to complete correctly.
5. Make a Start-Up Disk
Follow the on-screen directions to create a bootable floppy start-up disk. This is an essential step if you run into problems starting Windows Me in the future. Once you've created it, make sure you label it, and put it in a safe place. After setup finishes, boot from the disk to verify that the CD-ROM drive works.
6. Sit Back and Relax
Windows Me will now begin the largely automatic process of installing files and setting up the operating system. Expect to see Windows restart your PC several times as it detects and installs hardware. If everything goes without a hitch, you should be up and running Windows Me in 15 to 30 minutes.
7. Check the Setup and Install (Optional) Drivers
Select Start, Settings, Control Panel, open the System applet, and click the Device Manager tab. Next, make sure no entry has an exclamation point next to it, since this symbol indicates a problem. If you see an exclamation point anywhere, double-click the entry and run the associated troubleshooter to solve the problem.
This is also the time to confirm that Windows Me detected and installed all your existing hardware. Click the plus signs next to the various entries, and make sure everything (modems, sound cards, and so on) shows up in the list. If any item is missing from the list, select Start, Settings, Control Panel, open the Add New Hardware applet, and follow the directions. This is also the step where you'll need to install those updated drivers you downloaded before starting the upgrade.
Even if Windows Me detected and installed all your hardware, now is a good time to install any other updated drivers that you have. Details vary; follow the directions that came with the driver.
8. If You Have Problems
If problems occur during setup, follow the on-screen directions. If Windows Me won't start after installation, boot your computer using the start-up disk you created in step 5 and follow the directions. If Windows acts strangely or shows error messages, go to Help and access the troubleshooters.
If problems persist, go to the Windows Me Solution Center. Alternatively, you can contact Microsoft tech support directly. As a last resort you can use the files saved during setup to restore your original version of Windows. To do this, boot your PC with the start-up floppy you created in step 5 and run uninstall.exe.
Stan Miastkowski is a contributing editor for PC World.
The Top Down
Benefits: New multimedia tools, fewer bugs, and system protection
Costs: Typical street price: $60 (Windows 98 upgrade); $90 (Windows 95 upgrade)
Expertise level: Beginner
Time required: 1 to 1.5 hours
Requirements: Pentium 150 or higher, at least 32MB of RAM (64MB recommended), 480MB to 645MB of hard drive space
Vendor: Microsoft