Re: regretting upgrade from ME to XP Home

You have essentially reached the end of the road without a second hard drive. When you get it installed, you should consider creating a Program Files folder on that new drive. Uninstall large programs (Office, Photoshop, etc.) on your current drive and reinstall them in the new Program Files folder. Move your My Documents folder to the new drive. If you are using Adobe Reader, you could reduce disk space by uninstalling the Adobe Reader and installing the Foxit Reader http://www.foxitsoftware.com Much smaller and much faster.

As soon as you can, install Service Pack 2 (may have been included in your installation CD) and the 100 or so critical updates since the Service Pack was issued. There will be a lot of storage used by all of the critical updates. If you can, defrag the old drive.

It's a lot of work, but will be well worth it. I've been there and done that!
"Melodie" <Melodie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:36C7E4CD-53CB-4D1B-8E35-07352D0193B3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Ronaldo! I'll definitely check out these resources!
Melodie

"Ronaldo" wrote:

Forgot to mention that you'll need to know the RAM memory characteristics so
you can buy a compatible module. ASTRA32 provides that information in "SPD
Memory Info".

You don't have to read all the following articles, but all of them have good
information to help you upgrade your computer.

Build Your Own PC (lots of good info)
http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/step/7/

How to install an additional hard drive
http://www.basichardware.com/HowTo_Install_Hard_Drive.html

How To Install Internal & External Hard Drives
http://www.smartcomputing.com/Editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2004/w1510/07w02/07w02.asp

Add more memory to your computer
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/addmemory.mspx

Memory Module Physical Installation Procedure
http://www.pcguide.com/proc/physinst/ram-c.html

Install Memory (RAM), performing a RAM Upgrade, installing DIMMS
http://www.helpwithpcs.com/upgrading/installing_dimm_memory_ram.htm

Memory Buying Guide
http://www.helpwithpcs.com/buying/hardware_buying_guide_ram_memory.htm

----------------------------------------------
"Ronaldo" <private_email5@xxxxxxxxxxx> escribió en el mensaje
news:ek6OWiIoHHA.208@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Melody" wrote:
> > Any suggestions on where I can look for specific instructions about > > how
> > to do this? Are there limitations on how much upgrading is possible
with
> > a given machine?
>
> To know your machine's upgrade limitations (or potential) install > ASTRA32.
> The motherboard is the fundamental component, knowing the make and > model
of
> the motherboard you can search for information on it's full potential > in
the
> maker's website.. but any motherboard has support for at least two
> harddrives, and at least two memory modules and your's probably has > only
one
> 128MB module and room for another one.
>
> Download ASTRA32 to know your computer's maximum RAM capacity (Look in > DMI
> Memory Info)
> http://www.astra32.com/
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> "Melodie" <Melodie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> escribió en el mensaje
> news:76CD3C82-C42E-478A-9CE2-405FFE3BC7D3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Thanks, Ken. Your information is very helpful! (I posted a response
> > yesterday, but it hasn't show up, so I must have done something > > wrong.)
I
> > checked Add/Remove Programs. No luck there. So if I understand
correctly,
> I
> > can backup my files and reinstall ME from CD, in order to get my > > machine
> > running again. (I'm really sick of hauling this heavy laptop back > > and
> forth
> > from work!) That will give me some time to buy and install the new > > HD
and
> > RAM. Any suggestions on where I can look for specific instructions
about
> how
> > to do this? Are there limitations on how much upgrading is possible
with
> a
> > given machine?
> > Thanks so much!
> >
> > Melodie
> >
> >
> > "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote:
> >
> > > On Sat, 26 May 2007 12:46:04 -0700, Melodie
> > > <Melodie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > >A couple of months ago I decided to upgrade because I was worried
about
> > > >security issues if I continued to use ME. Wish I hadn't done it. > > > >I
> checked
> > > >the system requirements for this upgrade and thought I was OK, but
> evidently
> > > >not. My hard drive is way too full.
> > >
> > >
> > > And you have nowhere near enough RAM.
> > >
> > >
> > > > In My Computer it says my C: drive
> > > >total size is 37.2 GB and free space is 2.72 GB. I've removed a
bunch
> of old
> > > >email and docs, but it didn't help much. Ran Disk Cleanup. Disk > > > >is
> too full
> > > >to run Defrag. I think I even removed some of my virus and > > > >spyware
> software,
> > > >just trying to clear enough space to defrag.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > You might want to consider buying a second hard drive and moving a > > > lot
> > > of files to it. Your present drive is *very* small these days.
> > >
> > >
> > > > (Don't worry, the machine isn't
> > > >vulnerable. I'm using my work laptop at present and don't plan to
get
> on the
> > > >internet again with my home machine until I can get this > > > >resolved.)
> I've
> > > >been reading, and reading, and reading in these discussion
> groups.....and now
> > > >I'm too scared to do anything else to it! At this point, if its
still
> > > >possible, I think I'd rather just go back to ME.
> > >
> > >
> > > As a general rule, you can't uninstall an operating system. You > > > have
> > > to reformat the drive and install another operating system cleanly.
> > >
> > > There's an exception to that, however. If you did an upgrade from
> > > Windows 98 or Me, and took the option to save the previous > > > operating
> > > system and also did not convert your drive to NTFS, then you can > > > find
> > > an entry in Add/Remove Programs. Clicking on that will uninstall
> > > Windows XP and revert to the previous operating system.
> > >
> > > If there's no entry in Add/Remove Programs, then one or more of > > > those
> > > conditions wasn't met, and your only choice is to reformat and > > > install
> > > whatever operating system you want cleanly.
> > >
> > >
> > > >I have the reinstallation
> > > >CD that came with my computer, but I'm afraid I deleted ME files > > > >that
I
> > > >shouldn't have.
> > >
> > >
> > > If you use the reinstallation CD, you'll be starting over, so what
> > > files you deleted from the hard drive shouldn't be pertinent.
> > >
> > >
> > > > (I think I remember being asked about deleting ME files at
> > > >some point. Everything worked fine for weeks, so I may have done
that.
> Sorry,
> > > >this was a while back and I just can't remember exactly.) My > > > >guess
is
> that
> > > >I'd need a costly upgrade to make XP feasible.
> > >
> > >
> > > Depending on what type of RAM your computer uses, you should be > > > able
> > > to buy another stick of 128MB (for a total of 256MB) for under > > > $50US.
> > > And you can buy a 60-80HD for not much more than $50.
> > >
> > > If I were in your shoes, I'd spend the $100 or so to upgrade those > > > two
> > > components, and you should be all right.
> > >
> > > >It might make better sense to
> > > >just buy a new machine.....but I really don't feel comfortable
spending
> the $
> > > >right now (possible layoff looming). So...if I can go back to ME,
that
> may
> > > >be best.
> > > >
> > > >My system specs:
> > > >Dell Intel Pentium 4 CPU 1.60 GHz,
> > >
> > >
> > > That's fine.
> > >
> > >
> > > >128 MB RAM
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Nowhere near enough. How much memory you need for decent > > > performance
> > > is not a one-size-fits-all situation. You get good performance if > > > the
> > > amount of RAM you have keeps you from using the page file, and that
> > > depends on what apps you run. Most people running a typical range > > > of
> > > business applications find that somewhere around 256-384MB works > > > well,
> > > others need 512MB. Almost anyone will see poor performance with > > > less
> > > than 256MB. Some people, particularly those doing things like > > > editing
> > > large photographic images, can see a performance boost by adding > > > even
> > > more than 512MB--sometimes much more.
> > >
> > >
> > > >floppy disk drive and CDROM
> > > >
> > > >As you can probably tell, I know just enough to get myself in
trouble,
> which
> > > >is exactly what I've done! I'd appreciate advice from the experts
> here, but
> > > >please "dummy it down" for me, or I won't get it! Thanks so much!
> > > >
> > > >Melodie
> > >
> > > --
> > > Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User
> > > Please Reply to the Newsgroup
> > >
>
>
>
>






.

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