Upgrading from Windows 95 or Windows 98: Step by Step

Follow the steps below to prepare for your upgrade to Windows Me from Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows 98 Second Edition:

Before you begin

1. Make sure that Windows Me is appropriate for your needs.
   Read about which Windows is right for you and decide which operating system fits your needs.
2. Make sure your computer can run Windows Me.
   Check your system specifications to see if your computer meets the system requirements for Windows Me.
3. Make sure your hardware devices and software have been tested with Windows Me.
   Go to the tested hardware search area to find out if your hardware has been tested with Windows Me. Check with your software manufacturers to find out if your software applications have been tested with Windows Me.

Prepare your system

1. Install hardware and software updates, if necessary.
   Get the latest driver software for any peripheral devices attached to your computer. Consult the documentation that came with your devices, or visit the manufacturer's Web site.
2. Scan for viruses.
   Use the latest anti-virus software to scan for, and eradicate, any viruses on your hard drive. Current anti-virus updates are available for download from most anti-virus software manufacturers' Web sites.
3. Back up your files.
   Back up all of your hard disk's critical data onto a CD, tape drive, floppy disk, or other form of storage media. You should not attempt to back up system files or registry manually, as Windows Me will perform this task for you during setup.
4. Uncompress drives.
   Uncompress any DriveSpace or DoubleSpace volumes before upgrading to Windows Me. If you're unsure whether or not your hard disk is compressed, run ScanDisk, which will prompt you if it is. You cannot upgrade to Windows Me on a compressed hard disk.
5. Uninstall power management or disk management tools.
   If you are running power management or disk management tools provided by your computer manufacturer, you should uninstall these programs before you upgrade.
6. Shut down all applications, including anti-virus software.
   Close all programs and disconnect from the Internet before starting the installation process. Avoid using CTRL+ALT+DEL to end tasks at this time, as doing so may result in errors during the setup process.

Start the upgrade

1. Keep those old Windows disks handy.
   Find your current Windows installation disks or CD before upgrading. Windows Me may ask you to insert one of these disks to verify that you are a registered user of a previous Windows operating system.
2. Read the readme and release notes.
   Study the readme.txt files and any other setup documents located on the Windows Me CD-ROM for important information made available after the release of Windows Me.
3. Start your computer.
   Get your current operating system—Windows 95 or Windows 98—up and running, and then insert the Windows Me CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.
4. Follow the instructions.
   When your computer automatically detects the CD-ROM and asks if you would like to upgrade your computer to Windows Me, click Yes, then follow the instructions that appear.
5. Keep your old settings if you'd like.
   If you want to preserve your original preferences and settings from Windows 95 or Windows 98, allow Windows Me to install itself into the same directory in which Windows 95 or Windows 98 was previously installed. You will be prompted to do this during setup.
6. Create an emergency startup disk.
   When prompted by Windows Me Setup, create a Windows emergency startup disk. The Windows Me startup disk contains several useful MS-DOS utilities, including drivers that allow you to access your CD-ROM drive in case your hard drive becomes corrupted or if it fails.
7. Save system files.
   When prompted by Windows Setup, save your system files in case you need to return to your previous version of Windows.
8. Sit back and relax.
   As the Windows Me Setup progresses, it will automatically restart your computer when needed. Be sure not to add or remove any devices during the detection phase of setup, which occurs after the first reboot. Some models of computer may warn you that Windows Me is trying to modify your hard drive's boot sector, but this is a normal part of the installation procedure, and these changes must be accepted for Windows Me to install correctly.