Upgrade Time

Here is the situation. I have finally had it with Windows ME and I plan on
doing a fresh install using the Windows XP Pro Upgrade. I will also be
installing (2) 512MB DDR RAM modules from Crucial. Here are my questions.

1. I currently have 512MB SDRAM, should I remove this and install the new
memory (1GB DDR) before I do a fresh install of XP (I am aware that you
cannot mix the 2 memory types), or should I leave the current 512 SDRAM in
and replace it after the fresh install of XP? Windows ME has a limit of
512MB, yet another reason I am dumping it for XP.

2. I also have a question about the file system. Here is my current setup.
I have 2 separate hard drives. The first is an 80GB that is broken up into
3 separate partitions (C, D, and E). Of course, C is used for the OS and
programs. D is used for family downloads, pictures, songs, etc. E is used
to store my digital images, I am into photography, and MS Office files. The
second hard drive is the old 60GB drive that I had before I bought the 80GB
and it is also partitioned into 3 (F, G, and H) and is mainly used for
backup purposes. Both drives are using the FAT32 system that ME requires.
I would like to use the NTFS file system after I install XP Pro. The
information that came with the upgrade states that I can convert to NTFS at
any time. I had only planned on doing a reformat of the C drive partition
to do the upgrade, leaving D, E, F, G, and H alone and intact. Can I change
to the NTFS file system and still leave the other in FAT32 or do I have to
convert everything at once? Would it be a better idea to leave the file
system as FAT32 until after the upgrade and then change to NTFS? I have a
feeling that I am totally confused about how this is handled, so feel free
to set me straight.

3. I have had to do a fresh install of Windows ME 3 times in 3 years and I
always used the same startup floppy disk to run FDISK and FORMAT. Do I need
to have a new startup disk to reformat the C drive or can I just use the
same one that I was using with ME? If I do indeed need a new disk, where do
I get it?

I am sure that I am not the only person out there that has performed a
similar upgrade and I would like to have some input from you before I start.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.




--
Robert Stewart
RWS Photography http://tinyurl.com/n3mx

HiRobert,

You've received several responses in other groups, including one from me.
Please see if these help in your decisions. In the future, please do not
cross-post the same question to multiple groups. Those of us trying to help
monitor many of them, and answering the same question from the same person
excessively occupies what little time we have to devote to assisting others.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Robert Stewart" <Canonman@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:EQKXb.9276$eL2.910964@twister.southeast.rr.co m...

> Here is the situation. I have finally had it with Windows ME and I plan

on

> doing a fresh install using the Windows XP Pro Upgrade. I will also be
> installing (2) 512MB DDR RAM modules from Crucial. Here are my questions.
>
> 1. I currently have 512MB SDRAM, should I remove this and install the new
> memory (1GB DDR) before I do a fresh install of XP (I am aware that you
> cannot mix the 2 memory types), or should I leave the current 512 SDRAM in
> and replace it after the fresh install of XP? Windows ME has a limit of
> 512MB, yet another reason I am dumping it for XP.
>
> 2. I also have a question about the file system. Here is my current

setup.

> I have 2 separate hard drives. The first is an 80GB that is broken up

into

> 3 separate partitions (C, D, and E). Of course, C is used for the OS and
> programs. D is used for family downloads, pictures, songs, etc. E is

used

> to store my digital images, I am into photography, and MS Office files.

The

> second hard drive is the old 60GB drive that I had before I bought the

80GB

> and it is also partitioned into 3 (F, G, and H) and is mainly used for
> backup purposes. Both drives are using the FAT32 system that ME requires.
> I would like to use the NTFS file system after I install XP Pro. The
> information that came with the upgrade states that I can convert to NTFS

at

> any time. I had only planned on doing a reformat of the C drive partition
> to do the upgrade, leaving D, E, F, G, and H alone and intact. Can I

change

> to the NTFS file system and still leave the other in FAT32 or do I have to
> convert everything at once? Would it be a better idea to leave the file
> system as FAT32 until after the upgrade and then change to NTFS? I have a
> feeling that I am totally confused about how this is handled, so feel free
> to set me straight.
>
> 3. I have had to do a fresh install of Windows ME 3 times in 3 years and

I

> always used the same startup floppy disk to run FDISK and FORMAT. Do I

need

> to have a new startup disk to reformat the C drive or can I just use the
> same one that I was using with ME? If I do indeed need a new disk, where

do

> I get it?
>
> I am sure that I am not the only person out there that has performed a
> similar upgrade and I would like to have some input from you before I

start.

> Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Robert Stewart
> RWS Photography http://tinyurl.com/n3mx
>
>
>
>

I do apologize, I'm not a frequent newsgroup user. Sorry for the
cross-post.


--
Robert Stewart
RWS Photography http://tinyurl.com/n3mx



"Rick "Nutcase" Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23JlgPKB9DHA.2572@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

> HiRobert,
>
> You've received several responses in other groups, including one from me.
> Please see if these help in your decisions. In the future, please do not
> cross-post the same question to multiple groups. Those of us trying to

help

> monitor many of them, and answering the same question from the same person
> excessively occupies what little time we have to devote to assisting

others.

>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Win9x
> Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
> www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
> Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org
>
> "Robert Stewart" <Canonman@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:EQKXb.9276$eL2.910964@twister.southeast.rr.co m...

> on

questions.

new

in

> setup.

> into

and

> used

> The

> 80GB

requires.

> at

partition

> change

to

a

free

and

> I

> need

where

> do

> start.

>
>