Trouble installing XP Home update...May go with new installation....help?

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donkey33

Limp Gawd
Joined
Feb 8, 2004
Messages
226
Hi,

I am updating a friends PC to Windows XP Home Edition. They are currently running Windows 98 SE which as far as I can tell, is so bugged it's not funny.

I was thinking of just upgrading to XP Home to see if that irons out all the bugs but from the XP setup, I keep getting errors.

For example, "The file D:\I386\mfc42.dll cannot be copied to C:\WINDOWS\Setup\mfc42.dll". This also happens with the file migisol.exe from the same directory.

I tried this a few times but kept getting the same errors so I decided against the upgrade as even though the installation continued, it stopped at a fatal error point and said to contact Microsoft. (Unless, someone can tell me how to fix this so I can go ahead with the installation)

So, I'm considering the new installation of XP Home on this PC in hope that it will wipe it clean and all the bugs with it.

Thing is, I know how to do but am not sure with getting the PC back to normal with drivers, etc, to get it and all the hardware back up and running.

The help I am asking for is if there is a guide or if someone can tell me what I should do before I do this new install. I read somewhere to get all drivers and burn them to CD, etc, and to also backup all the files I want to keep. I'm just not sure what I have to back up and which drivers I have to get. Like sound, gfx cards, etc, I know but I'm sure there are some hidden ones along there. Do I have to reinstall the motherboard, etc.

If anyone can help or give me some advice it would be greatly appreaciated.

Thanks
 
definitely reformat and do a clean install. Boot to the XP disk when prompted choose "install new XP" /choose the partition you already have windows on/choose to format the partition "windowsNTFS" before you install.
You will have to hunt down and save any files you want to save, usually I burn them to disc or save on a network share. You dont have to worry too much about drivers beyond making sure everything is on the HAL. Default drivers already in XP will get you at least working video and internet connection so you can update later. It is of course prudent to make a list and download current drivers for all your hardware(XPdrivers) and burning them to disk, also make sure you install some anti-virus before you put the new install online.
First stop when your installed and online is to WINDOWS UPDATE. Make sure you have all the critical updates installed and make sure automatic updates is enabled.
You surely dont want to update an already buggy WIN98.
 
Friends don't let friends upgrade 98 SE without a good reformat! It *can* work, but you're almost guaranteed to have lots of leftover crap, and if there is anything at all wrong with the OS prior to the upgrade you'll have all sorts of trouble.

If it makes you more comfortable, do some research as to the latest drivers for the devices in the box in question before you do the install. As Phaedrus pointed out the default drivers in XP should be more than enough to get things up and running though.
 
Thanks guys.

It all sound fine so far. So I boot from the CD to install XP and not from the Win 98 desktop. I noticed there it had a full install option as well.

What drivers would I need really? He has no sound card and I have the graphics CD. Do I need motherboard stuff, etc? Is there anything else to get the system up and running I should do before I format?

Also, what is HAL?

Thanks
 
donkey33 said:
Thanks guys.

It all sound fine so far. So I boot from the CD to install XP and not from the Win 98 desktop. I noticed there it had a full install option as well.

What drivers would I need really? He has no sound card and I have the graphics CD. Do I need motherboard stuff, etc? Is there anything else to get the system up and running I should do before I format?

Also, what is HAL?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You shouldn't need any drivers up front really. What are the exact system specs?

The HAL is something you shouldn't worry about unless you're running a multi processor system. Basically it's the part of the OS that controls low level access to your hardware.
 
System specs are an Athlon 1800 running an ASUS K7 mobo I think.

No sound card and I have the gfx CD but will just download updated drivers anyway.
 
doh. I meant the Hardware compatibility list HCL... not HAL...
you will probably want you graphics drivers onhand, but xp should install and boot up fine without any extraneous drivers, you can update them all after install.
 
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