FFS Microsoft...get it right.

[feral]

I have just upgraded from Win 98 to Xp as 98 would not read a USB stick.

It was suggested to do a clean install ie. back up all your important files and proceed with a clean install. I did not do this as I did not have the equipment to do it. I have installed XP and it goes ok but I was concerned about a messy install.

I decided to start all over again.

So now I have organised my important files to be removed from the computer. I decided to format the drive and start fresh.

So when Microsoft advices that this will overwright all existing files......


WHY ARE THERE STILL FILES AND FOLDERS FROM THE ORIGINAL SETUP ON MY COMPUTER AFTER A FRESH INSTALL :angry2: :angry2:


FFS Microsoft..when you ask this will delete or remove all data from your drive and I say 'yes please' thats what I expect :soapbox:


I have all the disks for 3.11, Win 98 and now XP. I wanted a clean disk, install 3.11, then Win 98 and finally XP.

Now Xp will not allow me to format to start as a new clean disk. I imagine that this is because of the change from Fat 32 to Nfts file system.

Any other logic from our learned friends here because I am not getting any thing from Microsoft :wallbash:

[abaddonxi]

Make a dos boot disk and fdisk the bejabbers out of it. Wipe it as clean as a whistle.

I think if you're doing a upgrade install you need the old setup disks, not a system with the os on it, but it's been a long, long time since I've done anything except xp installs.

Cheers
Simon

[MarknDeb]

Mate use floppy and format the drive, set up the bios on next boot after format to boot from CDROM "with XP in Drive" and install fresh that way, if XP is an upgrade it will ask for an original disc or disk of an older version to complete the install as an upgrade.

[shorty943]

I have just upgraded from Win 98 to Xp as 98 would not read a USB stick.

It was suggested to do a clean install ie. back up all your important files and proceed with a clean install. I did not do this as I did not have the equipment to do it. I have installed XP and it goes ok but I was concerned about a messy install.

I decided to start all over again.

So now I have organised my important files to be removed from the computer. I decided to format the drive and start fresh.

So when Microsoft advices that this will overwright all existing files......


WHY ARE THERE STILL FILES AND FOLDERS FROM THE ORIGINAL SETUP ON MY COMPUTER AFTER A FRESH INSTALL :angry2: :angry2:


FFS Microsoft..when you ask this will delete or remove all data from your drive and I say 'yes please' thats what I expect :soapbox:


I have all the disks for 3.11, Win 98 and now XP. I wanted a clean disk, install 3.11, then Win 98 and finally XP.

Now Xp will not allow me to format to start as a new clean disk. I imagine that this is because of the change from Fat 32 to Nfts file system.

Any other logic from our learned friends here because I am not getting any thing from Microsoft :wallbash:


G-day mate, first thing, don't freak out, ---- yet.

"format will overwrite all existing files......"
It is a stock standard warning by the format command, just to ensure you did not call for format by mistake.
Every file ever written to the disk is still there. When Windows "deletes" a file, all it does is scrubs the first character from the file name and replace it with a hidden character. I think most consumer level OS's do the same

" install 3.11, then Win 98 and finally XP."
That is about the dirtiest install I have heard of. If you still have a functional set of 98 boot floppys, or if your 98 disk is bootable, you might try to install a basic 98, formatting, and using FAT32 if possible, install to C\windows. Then use your XP disk to install to the same directory, overwriting the system, if your XP disk is not bootable, the windows setup program must be run from within windows, then use the built in drive converter to convert FAT32 to NTFS, then comes all the fun of re-installing all your applications and restoring your data.
98 can use FAT16 or FAT32, XP can use FAT32 or NTFS, (Vista only uses NTFS, but don't go there).

I hope this clears up some fog for you.

Shorty.

[p38arover]

My laptop doesn't have a floppy.

Ron

[shorty943]

Check under your laptop Ron, do you have a floppy there?:p

Shorty

[p38arover]

No. :D

[shorty943]

No. :D

You better hope its a hard drive then mate.:twisted:

Shorty.

[p38arover]

'Tis, 'tis.

Ron

[feral]

It's done :D

Wiped everything and have the cleanest install ever :p

There are a few people I would like to thank.....


Numpty's Missus....unoriginal floppies. Would they still be a collector's item?

abaddonxi.....did this using XP in drive.

MarknDeb.....sort of did this with XP in drive.

Shorty.....didn't freak out just started again and format everything. Don't get angry...get even :twisted::twisted::twisted:

Ron....well, whatever takes your fancy.



Shorty and Ron....."May the journey you traverse be long and hard"



Good result and thanks for your help.

Cheers.

[shorty943]

There you go man, keep as cool as you can, face piles of trials with smiles, for it riles them to believe you percieve the web that they weave.;)

Moody Blues.

Be careful with the Windows Genuine Advantage.:(
There have been many reports of WGA playing havoc with peoples activation, on Vista and also now XP. There seems to be a code conflict, and some times Microsoft's server will not identify your activation correctly, and you will get a report that your copy "may be pirated" and MS will do a backdoor partitial deactivation on you. XP must be activated to work, but deselect the WGA update when you get updates from MS, at least till ZDNet.com, and other security speciallists, give it the green light. ZDNet is a free to register site dedicated to computer and internet security, I get 4 or 5 emails from them per day, it is to be concerned over. Check them out, very informative.:(

Shorty.

[shorty943]

Yes, my boat has sailed many stormy seas, Ive battled oceans full of tears, and still no port in view. And it would be a pleasant change if this good boy recieved a favour.

Two more MB references. Can you work them out or should I send you the complete set in MP3?

Shorty.

[shorty943]

Seventh Soujourn is one of my favourites, I cheated of course. My kid brother (age 48) is a big MB fan, has everything ever produced. So I just used LPRecord, to rip and convert all MB albums of his to my puter. Every album, in MP3 format on 1 CD, want a copy?

Shorty.

[loanrangie]

Mate use floppy and format the drive, set up the bios on next boot after format to boot from CDROM "with XP in Drive" and install fresh that way, if XP is an upgrade it will ask for an original disc or disk of an older version to complete the install as an upgrade.

This is the easiest way to do a fresh install as you only need to put the win 98 disc in to prove you have it and then it will install from scratch otherwise if you upgrade you arent really doing a fresh install as old files are kept as backup.

[GURU7OF9]

now maybe i have missed something but i would have thought a much easier way to reinstall windows xp [ in this case] would be to boot of xp cd and click on r for recovery console.
use the format command and format C: , and then reboot off xp cd and it will ask you , where do u want to install windows to. just agree with c drive . install as normal.

if u are really struggling [ ie cannot clean drive b4 install] u could always use a manufacturer drive diagnostic tool and do a Low level format on your drive first .

if u want to make partitions u can also make all your partitions this way as well, and u can format them all before installing windows. this way you do not have to go back into windows and change drive letters of cd drives etc around after xp installation.
[ie to keep the dvd/cd drives at the end of the windows explorer tree. eg c drive = windows, d drive = partition 1, cd drive = e drive
i like to have dvd/cd drives at the end . not partitions after cd/dvd drives.