upgrading to XP

About the only thing I actually have activated is SystemDoctor, Norton Protection, WinDoctor

System Doctor ( can slow the system down too much ) and Norton Protection ( I find it not needed and can cause problems for Scandisk and defrag ) I do not use at all.

WinDoctor and the Optimize I do use on occassion. But at a time of my chosing. And that time is usually right after I make any changes to the system.

Make changes. Wait a day or two to make sure all is going to be OK. Delete all rb00x.cab files. Run the Optimize and let it restart Windows which makes a new rb00x.cab file. That leaves me with an up to date reg backup.

YES. I have had problems by doing this. BUT, they were my doing not Norton.

The NSW 2003 Defrag I have yet to try.

The only parts of Norton that I allow to load at startup are NAV and the Firewall.

BillyBob

 

At work so only a minute!

Sorry I didn't make it clear! Yes you can use the full version and do an upgrade.

My point on the Registry cleanups is win98 can only get so many, but after XP is in charge it can get the rest of the old W98 registry entries.

Well it is only natural that it takes work to upgrade, it also takes work to do it clean and reinstall everything.

Which ever way you do it you should have a verified image to restore if things go bad. Don't burn any bridges!

About the clean install! Yes XP has a little cutie called "Files and settings transfer wizard" if it can see the old OS even over the LAN or www it can bring these things in. Like Dialup and internet settings, Email and apps like MS Office without reinstalling. You tell it what you want.

Finally as to what you said about something going wrong!

IT WILL!

There will be little things to change or fix plan on it. The proceedures I have and will provide only give you a much greater chance of success and minimize residual items.

Mike

 

Hi, all,

I'm a new member here. I can only say that I'm glad I did my installation of Win XP Home over ME before I read this. It would have scared me to death. I had not a single hitch, and haven't had in the 18 months now that I've used it. I also have used Nortons SystemWorks for years and would not be without it.

This looks like a quite active forum with some good help available. However you upgrade to XP, I think you will really enjoy it, after you get accustomed. Rock solid for me.

 

I'd love to go from Win98SE to XP Pro. Are you saying I can "upgrade" by installing over Win98? Reason I ask is that I tried this a few months ago by booting from the XP Pro CD and received a message that XP could only install either to a different directory or delete "windows" and install there. Did I do something wrong?

TIA!

Russ

 

Or would this work?... Upgrade Win98SE to XP and use the Transfer Wizard to get all your apps "re-regisistered ". Then do a back up of the apps in he Program Files directory and your fonts directory, etc.. And make sure you get a back up of the Registry. Then format "C" and reinstall WinXP. Then do a restore of the apps and the registry. And lastly use regcleanr to tidy up.

Would that work and leave you with something resembling a clean install? But with all your apps intact and without having to reinstall everything?

I keep running across these dire admonitions (in other forums) to avoid trying to upgrade over any other version of windows. It's confusing.

Tight Stitches
DWFII

 

DWII, RASelkirk, AndyB52

Only a moment, at work now!

Have been very busy at work and in late, tired. Will get the steps you need plus more info tonight for sure!

The dire reports are exactly because these people did not prep before the upgrade. As Andy said he had no problems. Thing is think about this. People that don't prep have tried to upgrade with Viri, Spy/Adware, disk errors, hardware errors, other problems with windows (like windows98 is already locking up and etc.) Then they say it is not a good idea to upgrade. Gezzz!

If the OS is clean and HW is stable it will almost always work.

Is not as dire as it sounds.

RASelkirk yes you can upgrade.

Tonight!

mike

 

What I am thinking about ( actually planning ) is to get another HD ( need a larger one anyway )

Make a clone ( or copy ) of this one. I believe I should be able to do this using the software that come with the new drive.

Set this one aside.

Get the new setup and working PROPERLY.

I already have all the needed XP drivers ( I think )

Make sure Partition sizes are proper.

Set Video back to Standard VGA.

AFTER un-installing Symantec products then upgrade to XP over top of existing 98 SE.

Re-install Motherboard drivers. Get the Video redone and working properly. ONLY THEN re-install Symantec. Of course I have been disconnected from the Internet untill after re-installing Norton. And I believe the XP builtin Firewall can be disabled as it only blocks incoming anyway. And I am on a Router also.

If it works all will be fine. If it does not work properly all I have lost is time. I have an abundance of same and getting bored and need something new to fight with anyway. If a no go just Format C: and start clean.

This AM alone I found at least four pieces of usless ( or not used ) software and have removed same.

RegCleaner, Spybot, Ad-Adware, Scandisk and Defrag run on all partitions.

Temp folders etc. to be cleaned just prior to copying.

All this should keep me busy for a day or two.

Hey Mike Did I miss anything ?

And Mike You are quite correct. Upgrading over an OS that has problems is asking for more more problems.

BillyBob

 

You pretty much pegged it BillyBob!

But here is more info on this subject for RASelkirk and DWFII.

Some links:

http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2812048,00.html

http://www.computerbits.com/archive/2002/0100/upgradetoxp.html

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_9xupgra de.asp

http://www.informit.com/isapi/product_id~{E89DED79-A7AE-435E-8617-03D8D775E332}/content/index.asp

One of these talks about the "Files and settings Transfer wizard ".

In answer to your question DWFII about using a combo of the upgrade and files and settings. Yes I guess it would work but if you do an upgrade it will do it all for you any way.

SO! Here are the steps as I do them, just remember I am fanatical about the OS being clean. These are the things I do ever so often for routine maintenance.

Configure CleanMgr to max settings
Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sageset:1
The above need only be ran once (these settings will be remembered as the default until another sageset is ran).

It will present a menu select all except compress, then

Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sagerun:1
As long as /sageset above has been ran on this computer from now on the /sagerun is the only thing that needs to run.
____________________________________________

Cleanups
These are for 95 98 only!

Boot to DOS (not shutdown to DOS). While booting hit F8 to startup menu. Chose "command prompt only ".

Type these commands exactly hit enter at the end (do not type the notes that are in parenthesis like this).

del c:\*.swp (may get file not found, is ok)
del c:\windows\*.swp
deltree c:\windows\shelli*.*
deltree c:\windows\temp\*.* (answer yes to all) "ALL "
deltree c:\windows\tempor~1\*.*
deltree c:\windows\history\*.*
deltree c:\windows\spool\printers\*.*
____________________________________________
Registry and System cleaners

RegCleaner http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml
Look in first 2 cols for programs you thought you uninstalled or removed, these are the dregs left by the uninstaller. Also tag and remove any that you are POSITIVE are not supposed to be on your computer. After removing these go to the top Tools-Registry Cleanup-Do them all. Delete all it finds.

EasyClean1.7 http://gswi.com/downloads.htm
Run only unnecessary files and registry clean delete all it finds. If you have ME or XP in the "Unnessesary Files" type the word HELP in the skip box. Do not do Duplicate files!

RegScrubXP http://www.lexunfreeware.com/LexunFreeware.htm
NOTE: W2K and XP only! ***************Save this one for when you get XP installed.***************

Select RegScrub finds problems and remove all it finds.

See these links on uninstalling Norton!

http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=87952#post87952

Read entire thread for insight, specifically my message #9 down and the additional thread reference in this message. This is how to rid your self of Norton before upgrade. Reinstall this only after XP is installed.

Last thing don’t forget to run the regcleaners again soon after XP is running to finish cleaning any old win98 registry entries.

I am outta here………………..

Mike

 

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to post this guide.

Two quickies: What is cleanmge and what is sagerun? Are these WinXP utilities on the CD? Or a seperate utility that can be DL'd? I've never heard of them in Win98SE.

Thanks again Mike.

DWFII

 

Cleanmgr is on all MS OS's.

/sageset:1 tells cleanmgr what to clean

and /sagerun:1 actually runs the cleanup.

Mike

 

Mike,

Wow!! I've never heard of it! Thanks Again!! I followed your instructions and ran sageset and sagerun. Where can I find more information about this utility? What is the "1" for, for instance?

DWFII

 

http://support.microsoft.com/defaul...port/kb/articles/Q253/5/97.ASP&NoWebContent=1

Mike

 

Mike,

thanks again.

BTW, I just was told that any OEM version of WinXP Pro has to go on a clean HD...I guess that means no upgrading with an OEM. Means you have to format your hard drive, first. Surely the same is not true of the retail version of XP Pro. So is there any advantage to buying the full version as opposed to buying the Upgrade version?

DWF II

 

Are you sure?

Who told you this?

If true then your best bet is to copy 98 to aother partition and install clean. Then use the Files and settings tranfer wiz ".

Could be true as I have never used the XP upgrade but I have used the both Pro and the OEM vers of XP. But don't recall if I actually did an upgrade with an OEM!

Mike

 

Mike,

Was looking to buy an OEM full version on Ebay at a good price. But I was wondering about the "included hardware" so I emailed the buyer (appears to be an outfit that deals insurplus software, etc.) and asked about upgrading as well. That's the answer I got--has to go in on a clean install.

If someone knows different, I'd like to hear about it. Especially because OEM full versions are somewhat cheaper than either retail full versions or upgrades. And then there's the OEM upgrade versions and the Academic versions...[sigh]

DWFII