This is an E-mail that I just received from a colleague in New York, Bob Umlas. Bob is a Microsoft MVP, owns his own consulting business involving databases and spreadsheets, and is considered "the" Excel guru. If he has problems with Windows XP, what about the rest of us ???


Bob -

Warning (for real, honest)

I decided to just go ahead & bought Windows XP & installed it at home.
I have since hosed my machine. It's also a "known" problem with XP, so says Microsoft!!!!!
It has something to do with upgrading from a Windows ME machine with a particular configuration, which I was lucky enough to have. Be forewarned! I suggest waiting until the reported bugs have filtered thru the masses, unless you don't have ME.

The story:
The install said it'd take about 78 minutes. After it completed, my screen was totally black and there was no noise coming from the hard drive. After 10 minutes like this, I rebooted. Got my DELL logo startup, and XP said it was installing Windows XP, with 53 minutes left to go. Never having done this before, I just let it finish. Well, it completed, machine froze (with message on it indicating how reliable Windows XP is!!), and I had to reboot. Got my DELL logo once again, and it came up saying Windows XP is installing. With 53 minutes to go. OUCH! I called Microsoft. They said due to the call volume, they couldn't help until perhaps tomorrow (Friday) night, but my symptoms are known to happen with Windows ME, etc. etc. Oh? Why not either recall the product or at least put in a last-minute paper letting us folks know?? Hmmm?. OK, I just did it again. 53 minutes. Again. 53 minutes. I watched Outer Limits. Went back to my machine, and it was UP & RUNNING! Whew! Tried a few things, only had problems having it recognize my ZIP drive -- unable to fix this on my own. Went to bed at 1:15AM.

This morning, my machine was frozen with a Windows XP logo on it. Couldn't do anything. Turned machine off & on. That was the last I saw of my machine! Was in a reboot loop.

1: Started XP, said it had to check some inconsistency on my disks, finished, said no problems found, rebooted. Go To 1.

After 10 or so reboots (by itself), I turned it off, went to work. I will be on the phone with Microsoft tonight!
Wish me luck!
Bob Umlas



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Bob McCormick
69 Malibu project

THANK YOU!

I just recived a copy today.
I was just about to install it, and i decided to go on the internet for 20 minutes to read some posts..

I have Windows ME..

Please let us know what Microsoft told him.
Thanks a lot again!


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1972 Chevelle Malibu custom 4dr (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/chaosmalibu1.jpg)
Restoration started: February 10th 2001
Pic 1 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/chaosmalibu2.jpg) , Pic 2 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/chaosmalibu3.jpg) , Pic 3 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/chaosmalibu4.jpg) and Pic 4 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/chaosmalibu5.jpg)
TC member #1278

I was going to update mine tonite thanks, now I think will wait!

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CFR.

PCWorld has a test site for those wanting to upgrade to XP. It scans your computer and tells you of any known conflicts or problems. Their site is www.pcworld.com (http://www.pcworld.com) Pete

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Member# 1097
67 std camaro conv 327/210, 1978 annv vette, 1985 Z28 Camaro, 1970 Chevelle, challenged deer now in rehab, 00 grand prix,
www.chevelles.com/showroom/no1dc1.jpg

I have learned something in the 10+ years of computer support. If Microsoft wrote the code....DON'T upgrade.

I have witnessed many many upgrade failures with no way to return to your former OS other than a format and reload from scratch.

Wish I could be of more help. But with XP as new as it is not all the bugs have been worked out.

Tim

I think I'll be sticking with Win 98 SE2. At least the bugs are known, and it's fairly stable.

What are the benefits to Win ME or XP anyway??

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71 Ragtop
MCC #347, TC (Gold) #174
N3JHV@bellatlantic.net

Tim is right, go ahead and upgrade if you've got it but wipe the drive down and start from scratch.

Sid, best thing to do is read a few articles at CNet.com or somewhere similar.


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Rick Sutter
Member #383
'67 Chevelle Super Sport
67SS.com (http://67SS.com)

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BLU69:
I have learned something in the 10+ years of computer support. If Microsoft wrote the code....DON'T upgrade.

I have witnessed many many upgrade failures with no way to return to your former OS other than a format and reload from scratch.

Wish I could be of more help. But with XP as new as it is not all the bugs have been worked out.

Tim<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Tim I couldn't agree more... If you are installing a microsoft operating system, your best bet is too start with a BLANK drive (read reformatted) Otherwise there is always a problem.. Also before I upgrade from what I currently have, I check all of my hardware drivers.. if ONE driver isn't available, or if it is buggy, it WILL cause problems. I download all of my drivers, make a backup of my current system, format the harddrive, and install. After EVERY software install I defrag and reboot. This helps identify any problems a particular piece of software might give you.. Remember if you make a backup of your machine before doing this.. if there is a problem, 15-20 minutes later your back up and running! Hope everything works out...


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X-Ray View of my Chevelle :D (http://www.normieschevelle.com/sideview.jpg)
Getting Closer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/passfull.jpg)

Word of advice....

NEVER UPGRADE!!! There are too many problems that can happen when uprading. Imagine how many supported systems they would have to test to make sure upgrades work succefully.

Workaround: Get 2 hard drives or partition your hard drive into two(leaving enough for installation for the OS on the smaller portion C http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif Create a large chunk on the other half of the drive (D http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gifand install all your apps there. Keep all of your important data on this part of the drive.

Now, every year Microsoft releases a new OS you can format that part of the drive and never have to worry about upgrading your OS, since it never works anyway.

p.s. wait till the next OS release from Microsoft, then you know XP is safe to install.

Good luck!

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RickS:
Tim is right, go ahead and upgrade if you've got it but wipe the drive down and start from scratch.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you say "upgrade" and wipe the drive, I assume you're talking about a fresh install of XP and not using an upgrade CD where the existing OS must already be installed?

Not that I'm especially concerned as I'm running W2K but it might be confusing to some who rush out and get an upgrade CD instead of a full package.

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Dale McIntosh
TC Gold #92/ACES #1709
67SS & 67 Elky
http://www.dalesplace.com

Yeah Dale, I wasn't very clear. I meant upgrade as in change versions (hopefully XP is a move up). You can do a clean installation (format the drive beforehand) using the upgrade CD. If the drive is clean, the installation will ask you to put the disc in from a qualifying product (earlier version of Windows but not Win 95) so it can make sure you are "upgrading"

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Rick Sutter
Member #383
'67 Chevelle Super Sport
67SS.com (http://67SS.com)

edit: Whoops- was writing this as Rick was also responding....


<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dale McIntosh:
When you say "upgrade" and wipe the drive, I assume you're talking about a fresh install of XP and not using an upgrade CD where the existing OS must already be installed?

Not that I'm especially concerned as I'm running W2K but it might be confusing to some who rush out and get an upgrade CD instead of a full package.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know about XP, but most (if not all) Microsoft upgrades will allow you to install the "upgrade" on an empty harddrive. Early on in the installation process, it will do an "upgrade complience check" to where it looks for a previous version of software that is being upgraded. If it can not find it, it will tell the user to put in the installation software for the previous version. Once it has checked that, it will then continue with the install, with out installing anything from the previous version.




[This message has been edited by Gene McGill (edited 10-30-2001).]

SS396boy.

Good advice, That is what I've been doing for years on my own and on clients machines. I have been thru several OS changes and have not lost any data.

Most apps would still need to be reinstalled as they copy dll's to the windows and system directories and update the registry.

Excellant partitioning strategy. I have even ghosted my OS partition to my second partition as a backup when testing a new OS.

I have been using 2k for a while and it seems really stable. XP seems fairly stable as well and seems to be a little faster than 2k. I have to stick with an OS which supports dual processors.

Tim.



[This message has been edited by BLU69 (edited 10-30-2001).]

Additional information from ZDNet: http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/stories/story/0,10738,2819063,00.html

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Bob McCormick
69 Malibu project

Hey... Data belongs on Servers!! PCs are for fun! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

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Got Chevelles?
Jeff Carpenter
65 Chevelle/65 Elky (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/jeffc1.jpg)
67 Elky Project (http://www.littlecars.com/67.JPG)
Team Chevelle Gold #61

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RickS:
Yeah Dale, I wasn't very clear. I meant upgrade as in change versions (hopefully XP is a move up). You can do a clean installation (format the drive beforehand) using the upgrade CD. If the drive is clean, the installation will ask you to put the disc in from a qualifying product (earlier version of Windows but not Win 95) so it can make sure you are "upgrading"

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Never knew (or even thought) of that. I've tried other MS application upgrades and if it doesn't find what it's looking for on the hard drive, it fails. FP2000 upgrade from FP98 comes to mind but I'm not entirely certain. I knew you could "upgrade" from Win 3.1x to Win95 by just having a file named WIN.COM on the drive.

I'm not looking to go to XP as I'm satisfied with my W2K Pro but it's useful information...appreciate it.




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Dale McIntosh
TC Gold #92/ACES #1709
67SS & 67 Elky
http://www.dalesplace.com

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sid Coleman:
What are the benefits to Win ME or XP anyway??

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well...ME will crash a lot more so you get to watch the rebooting process http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif With XP, you get in on the ground floor of the new Bill Gate$ licensing scheme. Like, if you change enough components (or sometimes, just the right one), you have to ask Microsoft's permission to re-register the software. Anytime any software scans my PC to generate a code that is sent back to (especially) Microsoft, that's scary.



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Dale McIntosh
TC Gold #92/ACES #1709
67SS & 67 Elky
http://www.dalesplace.com