New Installations of Windows Me

If you're currently running one of the following operating systems (which do not support upgrading to Windows Me), the only way to install Windows Me onto your computer is through a new installation, or "clean install":

• Windows 3.1
• Windows 2000
• Windows NT® 4.0

So what is a clean install, and what do you need to know about it? First of all, "clean install" is the common term for installing an operating system—in this case Windows Me—on a formatted hard disk. Doing so completely refreshes operating system files and settings. In addition to it being the only option if you want to move from one of the operating systems above, it is the only way to install Windows Me for a "dual-boot" configuration with another operating system.

New Installation vs. Upgrade

During a new installation, Setup installs Windows Me into a new folder. With this clean install, you avoid inheriting any problems that may have existed in the previous configuration. However, the procedure requires reformatting your hard disk. In all, you will need to back up your data, install Windows Me, reinstall your applications, and then reload your data from backup.

You should perform a new installation if any of the following are true:

• Your hard drive is blank (that is, no operating system is installed on it).
• Your current operating system does not support an upgrade to Windows Me. (In other words, it's one of the operating systems listed above.)
• You already have an operating system installed, but prefer to do a new installation of Windows Me.
• You want to create a dual-boot configuration with Windows Me and an operating system such as Windows 2000 (be sure to install Windows Me first).

An upgrade, by contrast, replaces existing Windows files but preserves your existing settings and applications. You must be using a previous version of Windows that supports upgrading, such as Windows 95 and Windows 98.

Upgrade if you want to do the following:

• Replace your previous Windows operating system with Windows Me.
• Keep your existing files and preferences.
• Save the time and trouble of formatting your hard drive and reinstalling your software.

If you conclude that an upgrade is your best choice, please refer to Installation & Setup Checklist for detailed information on how to upgrade your system.