Tips Before Purchase, Setup, and After Setup of Windows Millennium Edition (Me) (272156)

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Before Purchasing Windows Me

Before you purchase Windows Me, verify that your computer meets the minimum hardware requirements and that programs you use work with Windows Me. To determine if a program works with Windows Me, contact the manufacturer of the program. If you are planning to upgrade over a pre-installed version of Windows, check with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) before you proceed.

The minimum hardware requirements can vary depending on which features of Windows Me you want to use. For example, if you want to connect to the Internet through your telephone line, you would need a modem, or if you want to play sounds, you would need a sound card. The minimum requirements include:

• Pentium 150-MHz processor or better
• 32 megabytes (MB) of RAM or better
• Minimum 320 MB of free hard disk space
• CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
• 3.5-inch high-density floppy disk drive
• Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
• Video adapter and monitor that support VGA or higher resolution
• Sound card
• Modem, 28.8 or faster
• Speakers or headphones

For more examples or for a more comprehensive lists of system requirements, see the following Microsoft Web site:

Windows Compatibility Lists

The Windows Hardware Compatibility List contains a list of computers and peripherals that are compatible with Windows Me.

For additional information about the Hardware Compatibility List and software compatibility, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: You can also view the following Microsoft Web site for additional information about the Hardware Compatibility List: NOTE: The Software Compatibility List contains a list of programs that have the Windows logo and have been tested and found to run on Windows Me. The Hardware Compatibility List contains a list of computers and peripherals that have been tested and found to run on Windows Me.

For additional information about your specific computer or device, or to identify known incompatibilities or possible workarounds, please check with the manufacturer of your computer or device.

Review Text Files

The text (.txt) files that are included with Windows Me contain a large amount of information that may be applicable to your hardware or software environment. You can view these files before you install Windows Me at the following Microsoft Web site:

Specific Hardware Issues

If you have any of the following hardware devices, please follow the recommended action before you install Windows Me:

MWAVE Modem Driver, IBM ThinkPad Model 600, 600E, 770X and 770Z

Before you upgrade to Windows Me, read the Update.txt file in the Driver\Modem\IBM folder on the Windows Me CD-ROM.

Diamond Video Adapters

If you have one of the following video cards, contact your vendor about obtaining a new video Basic Input/Ouput System (BIOS) update:

• Diamond Speed Star PCI Video Adapter with BIOS version 1.01
• Diamond Viper PCI VGA Video Adapter
• Diamond Stealth Video Adapter, Bios v1.03

Toshiba

If your Toshiba has the LTModem driver version 2.16 and earlier, you must upgrade the driver before you install Windows Me.

Toshiba Windows 95 Utilities must be removed by using the Toshiba uninstallation utility before you install Windows Me.

Availability of Windows Millennium Edition

Windows Me is available in the following two formats:

Full Version

To install the full, non-upgrade version of Windows Me, you do not need a previous version of Windows. Because you can use the floppy disk to start the computer and the floppy disk contains generic CD-ROM drivers, you can use the disk to start your computer and run Setup.

Upgrade Version

You can use the Windows Me Upgrade package to upgrade from Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition. If your operating system is not currently installed, you can use the Windows Me Upgrade to install Windows Me if you can provide the disks or CD-ROM from a previous version of Windows to confirm your eligibility for the upgrade. You are prompted for this media during Windows Me Setup.

To purchase a copy of Windows Millennium Edition from the Internet, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

Before Installing Windows Me

To avoid common installation problems:

• Have the following items ready:
  • A floppy disk that can be used to start the computer and provide the utilities you need to make a new hard disk drive usable, or to use in case there are problems with your installation. To create a Startup disk in Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows 98 Second Edition, see item 4 under the "Important Considerations Before Using Fdisk and Format" section in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

    255867 How to Use Fdisk and Format to Partition/Repartition a Hard Disk

  • A Windows Me CD-ROM.
  • If you are starting from an empty hard disk and are using an upgrade version of Windows Me, you must have an earlier Windows product disk. You do not need to install the older version of Windows first if you are starting from an empty hard disk. The upgrade compliance check asks you to show proof of possession of a qualifying earlier version of Windows. When you receive the prompt, you must insert the disk to show the Setup program that you have the product.
  • Driver disks from manufacturers. If you have hardware that requires drivers that are not included with Windows Me, you need the disk or CD-ROM that the manufacturer provided to install these drivers. If you do not know if your drivers are included, check the Hardware Compatibility List at the following Microsoft Web site:

    http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx

  • Documentation for your computer hardware, in case you need to change BIOS settings or check other information.
• If you are upgrading your computer, use the check list from the following Microsoft Web site to minimize problems:

  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q271240

• If you are upgrading over a previous version of Windows, perform a "clean boot" to disable third-party device drivers, utilities, or other programs that may prevent a successful installation. You can perform a clean boot by using one of the following methods:
  
  
  • Start your computer by using a previous Windows or MS-DOS boot disk. Copy the Windows Me cabinet (.cab) files to your hard disk first, put the disk in your floppy drive, and then restart your computer. Depending on the boot disk you used, you may not have access to your CD-ROM drive, but this method can still be used if you copy the Setup files to your hard disk first. To copy the Windows Me .cab files to your hard disk:
    1. Use Windows Explorer to create a temporary folder named "Winflat" (without the quotation marks) on a drive with plenty of free space to store the Setup files, and do not quit Windows Explorer.
    2. Start another instance of Windows Explorer. Right-click Start, click Explore, click your CD-ROM drive, click the Win9x folder on the Windows Me CD-ROM.
       
       NOTE: You may need to adjust the two Windows Explorer windows so that they are side by side.
    3. Copy all of the files and folders in the Win9x folder to the Winflat folder.
  • Windows 95 Safe Mode Command Prompt Only. Copy the Windows Me .cab files to your hard disk first, start your computer and hold down F8 at the "Starting Windows 95" prompt. Choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only. Using this method does not provide access to your CD-ROM drive, but it can be used if the Setup files are copied to your hard disk first. See the "Boot from a previous Windows or MS-DOS boot disk" section above for information about how to copy the Setup files to your hard disk.
  • Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition Step-by-Step boot. Start your computer and hold down F8 at the "Starting Windows 98" prompt, and then choose Step by Step. Choose Yes only for devices you want to be loaded. In most cases, you should choose Yes to the Himem.sys file.For additional information about how to perform a clean boot, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

    243039 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 95

Installing Windows Millennium Edition

NOTE: For additional information about setting up Windows Me, see the Quick Start Guide that is included with your Windows Me product. Chapter 1 ("Setting Up Windows Me") and Appendix A ("Installing Windows Me on a Clean Hard Disk") include step-by-step instructions for installing Windows Me.

After you have performed the steps in the "Before Installing Windows Me" section of this article, select the appropriate method:

Clean Hard Disk (No Operating System Installed)

If you are going to run Setup on a clean hard disk:

1. Insert the Windows Me Startup disk into the floppy disk drive, and then start your computer.
   
   NOTE: If you purchased the Windows Me Upgrade version, you need a startup disk (such as a Windows 98 Startup disk) that has CD-ROM drivers so you can use the CD-ROM drive.
2. Insert the Windows Millennium Edition CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
3. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command:

   CD-ROM drive letter:
   setup

4. Follow the instructions on the screen. If you are using the Windows Me Upgrade, you must insert a CD-ROM or floppy disk from a previous version of Windows.
5. Continue to follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.
6. If you need instructions about how to set up a new hard disk for installation, view the Cleanhd.txt file on the following Microsoft Web site:

   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/271673/EN-US/

Operating System Installed, Start Setup from .Cab Files on Hard Disk

If you copied the Windows Me .cab files to your hard disk:

1. To change to the folder where you copied the .cab files, at the command prompt type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each command

   cd drive letter/winflat setup

   where drive letter is the drive letter that contains the .cab files you previously copied.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen. If you have the Windows Me Upgrade, you may be prompted to insert a CD-ROM or floppy disk from a previous version of Windows.
3. Continue to follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

Previous Operating System Installed, Start Setup from CD-ROM

If you are going to upgrade your previous operating system, but do not want to copy the cabinet files to your hard disk (usually due to a lack of available hard disk space), use one of the preceding clean boot methods that provides the ability to use your CD-ROM device, and then use the following steps:

1. Insert the Windows Me CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.
2. To change to the CD-ROM drive, type the following commands at the command prompt, pressing ENTER after each command:

   drive letter: setup

   where drive letter is the CD-ROM drive letter.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen. If you have the Windows Me Upgrade, you must insert a CD-ROM or floppy disk from a previous version of Windows.
4. Continue to follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

Windows Me Setup Issues

For information about known Setup issues, please view the Setup.txt file. For additional information about Setup issues, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Highlights for Windows Web Site

To view a list of the FAQs & Highlights for Windows Me, please see the following Microsoft Web site: After the page is displayed, double-click Windows Millennium Edition, and then select the topic of your choice.

How to Obtain Assistance with Windows Me

In Product Help

Windows Me has a "Help and Support" that is tool designed to make it easier for you to find help "inside" your computer. To run Help and Support, click Start, click Help, and then either browse the tool or type what you are looking for in the Search box, and then click Go.

Technical Support

If you acquired this product as a retail product, you are eligible for no-charge assisted Personal Support for this product from the Internet or by using the telephone. You can also submit support incidents over the Internet by using the Help and Support tool and clicking the Assisted Support link on the navigation bar.

For more information about Windows Me, please visit the following Microsoft Web site: