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#1
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they
cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
#2
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
No, you can't use an Upgrade disk with the Product Key from the machine. The
Upgrade disk will require a Key. Don't you have the Product Key for the Upgrade disk? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
#3
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
Yes, I do have the Product Key for the upgrade disk. I wasn't sure if the
computer would want the original Product Key (to match previously installed software), or if it would be satisfied with the new Product Key. I guess since I'm not using the original disk that came with the computer, I should have know it would want the new code...please pass the salt to go with my egg, thank you. Any other concerns I should be aware of before I undertake the install? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: No, you can't use an Upgrade disk with the Product Key from the machine. The Upgrade disk will require a Key. Don't you have the Product Key for the Upgrade disk? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
#4
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
Did you also receive a Win98 disk to go with the installation they left you
with? If so, you can perform a clean install (format and install) of ME using the Upgrade disk. (If you have a Win98 disk, or even, I believe, a Win95 set of floppies, you can do this. If you don't have one, maybe you can borrow one?) Otherwise, especially since you have no personal files to worry about, start Windows, then put in the Upgrade disk and go for it. I know of no special peculiarities, though I've only installed ME a few dozen times (as opposed to hundreds of time with 98 and XP), so others here might have some hints that I don't know about. That number on the outside of the machine is worthless without a disk that matches it. An installation CD doesn't care about the Product Key of the current installation, only about the one that matches the installation CD. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... Yes, I do have the Product Key for the upgrade disk. I wasn't sure if the computer would want the original Product Key (to match previously installed software), or if it would be satisfied with the new Product Key. I guess since I'm not using the original disk that came with the computer, I should have know it would want the new code...please pass the salt to go with my egg, thank you. Any other concerns I should be aware of before I undertake the install? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: No, you can't use an Upgrade disk with the Product Key from the machine. The Upgrade disk will require a Key. Don't you have the Product Key for the Upgrade disk? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
#5
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
Alas, no Win98 disk came with the computer, but perhaps I can find an old
disk at my work from a previous system? The only reason I want to install ME, to be truthful, is to hopefully find all of the drivers that were on the system originally. The DVD drive no longer wants to run movies, the USB port doesn't recognize 'plug and play' items (cannot locate drivers once plugged in), etc. I only need it to run Word, Powerpoint, and be able to save to a flash drive, everything else is purely a just a 'want' vs 'need'. In your opinion, am I headed in a proper direction, or should I leave it alone (Win98 installed)? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: Did you also receive a Win98 disk to go with the installation they left you with? If so, you can perform a clean install (format and install) of ME using the Upgrade disk. (If you have a Win98 disk, or even, I believe, a Win95 set of floppies, you can do this. If you don't have one, maybe you can borrow one?) Otherwise, especially since you have no personal files to worry about, start Windows, then put in the Upgrade disk and go for it. I know of no special peculiarities, though I've only installed ME a few dozen times (as opposed to hundreds of time with 98 and XP), so others here might have some hints that I don't know about. That number on the outside of the machine is worthless without a disk that matches it. An installation CD doesn't care about the Product Key of the current installation, only about the one that matches the installation CD. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... Yes, I do have the Product Key for the upgrade disk. I wasn't sure if the computer would want the original Product Key (to match previously installed software), or if it would be satisfied with the new Product Key. I guess since I'm not using the original disk that came with the computer, I should have know it would want the new code...please pass the salt to go with my egg, thank you. Any other concerns I should be aware of before I undertake the install? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: No, you can't use an Upgrade disk with the Product Key from the machine. The Upgrade disk will require a Key. Don't you have the Product Key for the Upgrade disk? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
#6
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Second hand computer reinstall ME
You'd want at least Win98 Second Edition. For that, you should be able to
find most drivers. I say SE, specifically, because of much better USB support and because many, many apps and hardware state it as a minimum requirement. If yours isn't SE, then go to ME. If it is SE, then you might want to spend some time tracking down drivers. Yes, ME will have more modern drivers included, but only to a certain extent. So research the issue for all the devices you're concerned about and see if SE and ME drivers are available. I wouldn't want to install ME unless I knew for certain it was necessary, both because I prefer 98 and because an Upgrade is less trustworthy than a clean install. Also, without the 98 disk, it will be unlikely that you can decently revert to 98 if you don't like ME. Yes, theoretically you can upgrade and revert, but in practice... -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... Alas, no Win98 disk came with the computer, but perhaps I can find an old disk at my work from a previous system? The only reason I want to install ME, to be truthful, is to hopefully find all of the drivers that were on the system originally. The DVD drive no longer wants to run movies, the USB port doesn't recognize 'plug and play' items (cannot locate drivers once plugged in), etc. I only need it to run Word, Powerpoint, and be able to save to a flash drive, everything else is purely a just a 'want' vs 'need'. In your opinion, am I headed in a proper direction, or should I leave it alone (Win98 installed)? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: Did you also receive a Win98 disk to go with the installation they left you with? If so, you can perform a clean install (format and install) of ME using the Upgrade disk. (If you have a Win98 disk, or even, I believe, a Win95 set of floppies, you can do this. If you don't have one, maybe you can borrow one?) Otherwise, especially since you have no personal files to worry about, start Windows, then put in the Upgrade disk and go for it. I know of no special peculiarities, though I've only installed ME a few dozen times (as opposed to hundreds of time with 98 and XP), so others here might have some hints that I don't know about. That number on the outside of the machine is worthless without a disk that matches it. An installation CD doesn't care about the Product Key of the current installation, only about the one that matches the installation CD. -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... Yes, I do have the Product Key for the upgrade disk. I wasn't sure if the computer would want the original Product Key (to match previously installed software), or if it would be satisfied with the new Product Key. I guess since I'm not using the original disk that came with the computer, I should have know it would want the new code...please pass the salt to go with my egg, thank you. Any other concerns I should be aware of before I undertake the install? "Gary S. Terhune" wrote: No, you can't use an Upgrade disk with the Product Key from the machine. The Upgrade disk will require a Key. Don't you have the Product Key for the Upgrade disk? -- Gary S. Terhune MS-MVP Shell/User www.grystmill.com "MrClean" wrote in message ... I was given a second hand computer by a local college. Before gifting, they cleared the hard drive and installed Win98 on the laptop. The laptop originally ran ME on it (the original product key and info is posted on the computer), can I use a ME upgrade disk and the original product key to get this computer back to ME? Is there things I should do prior to install? |
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