Successful computer upgrade!

[coriolis]

I am posting this from our newly upgraded computer which is now our second-best computer. I got through the update process from ME to XP, which was a bear. I originally started the upgrade while the old OS was running, it seemed to be proceeding ok, but at one point it had to restart the computer. Not sure if I could have removed the CD at that point but I left it in and it booted from the upgrade CD. That's when the trouble began. There were several error messages which I had to google on another computer to resolve. I had to change the settings in the old OS to get a clean boot, disconnect the USB laser mouse and use an old ball mouse (PS2) that barely worked, and take out the network card temporarily, to allow the upgrade to continue. My old ME recovery disk wasn't usable to certify the prior install. I had to pull out a really old NT disc which did the trick. Then it took a lot of guts to delete the partition that had the old OS and allow it to reformat the hard drive to NTFS. It only took about 6 hours. Guess I'll never know if I should have removed the CD before it restarted.

Now we have 4 usable machines (well 3 1/2 - computer 3 still has Windows NT) which we really need with 6 people wanting to get "on."

It feels good to have accomplished it. Not recommended for the weak of heart. For some of you this may be routine, but going through it the first time, it's a big deal for me.

I'll wait another 7 years before I start thinking about Vista.

[HarlequinBoy]

Congrats!

I have Vista on my notebook. It's okay I guess.

[WindRunner]

7 years? That's a little sooner than my "never" date to upgrade to that thing they call an OS . . .

Funny that the NTFS reformat took so long . . . from what I've heard, you should be able to reformat a FAT or FAT32 to NTFS almost instantaneously, while you have your OS up even. Guess that wasn't true in this case . . .

Glad it all went OK, though. Upgrades are always tough, even if it isn't your first time . . . because they will never, NEVER go the same two times in a row.

[TexasStooge]

That's good news there!