Will using ME Upgrade endanger HD contents?

[bassvax]

Have no experience with upgrade packages...A co-workers Mother-in-law is a Digital video nut and has decided that she 'needs' ME to do her best work...I've preached the nightmare stories of Win ME already to no avail...seems she's already plunked down $90 for the upgrade at Best Buy (MS scores again)...anywhow, she wants to know if there is any real danger in losing her HD contents during this upgrade...concerned with her gigs and gigs of music she has downloaded mainly. I've recommended the multiple back up options like CDR, CDRW, Web Storage, adding a HD, using Norton Ghost, etc. The question she still asks is what happens during the upgrade and what are the chances of losing HD contents. She is currently running Win 98 SE I believe she has a HP from Best Buy, that's the limit of what I know about her System. So my question is the same as hers now...what actually happens during this type of OS upgrade and is the rest of the HD vulnerable to being overwritten. I believe she has a 20GB HD. Thanks http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Tango down!

[rond36]

I have upgraded from win 98 to win ME and back to 98 with no user data loss
the upgrade only replaces the windows operating system and alters some settings

[bassvax]

Thanks for yelling out Rond...this is what I thought, but she got that warning about 'backing-up' things and I was sure of the process. Thanks I will relay the info http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif

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Tango down!

[tjaymadison]

M$ always takes the CYA approach when giving upgrade instructions,
to make sure they are always safe from complaints. "We told you so."

Nevertheless, this is major 'shock' to the system, and there are
plenty of horror stories to be read.

For sure, back up irreplacable or critical info. If music is in that
category for her, then....?

Here's a free online storage site: www.whalemail.com (http://www.whalemail.com)
Still have to deal with her ISP connect speed tho.


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"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question."
-- Charles Babbage, mathematician, computer pioneer, analytical engine designer (1791-1871)
-- (Question: 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?')

"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand."
-- Homer Simpson

[mjc]

Also, her system is an HP...therefore it is not quite a standard install of Win98, HP like most other OEMs, adds tons of junk to the OS. And if something does go wrong she has to use the HP restore disk...which, by default, reformats the hard drive when restoring the OS (to factory fresh condition, and everything that wasn't on the system when shipped from the factory MUST be removed in order for the restore disk to work, memory and hard drives not withstanding). Oh yeah, HP only "supports" the OS shipped on the machine!

So to be on the safe side I'd say, yes, back it up...if it were my system and it were astandard install, I might chance it without the backup....

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[sea69]

deffinitely back up her music.

and as a person that also has allot of music ( 65 hours non stop -back to back no repeats)..) http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif...>>>>>>>>>> I would point out that one thing I always try to do is burn CD's of my songs, so in case of a computer failure of catastrophy....... I will still have it all to put on the next HD. (or wherever)

http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif

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sea1_69@hotmail.com

homepage (http://www.seanweb1.homestead.com/3.html)

;)~

[skhips]

Always Backup.

ME upgrade is actually a full version of ME it just wants to see certain files from 98 to know that you have already brought an O/S.

When upgrading to ME you will get the option to save 98 files so you can return at a latter date.

Every time I have this style upgrade at work we have ended up with a very unstable O/S, which is possibly where a lot of bad stories come from.

You are better to back up all your data,

Format your HDD and take this oppotunity to create partitions from your 98 boot disk in FDISK.

Install ME and when it wants you to show it a previous version put your 98 disk in the cdrom and point the dialgue box to it.

You will now have a Full Version of ME with no 98 files, much more stable and totaly legal, as long as you own both versions.


http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[bassvax]

Thanks again for all your replies...I know that I would have installed a full version of any OS I was using and that I wouldn't put ME on any system where I had any say in the matter. So, after I exhaustively preaching the same tone I hear here on the topic...I can only answer the question as to what happens during the install...Thanks SKHIPS for that bit of info...seems she went ahead with it and so far all is well...BUT you and I know that the nightmare has just begun http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif or it http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/frown.gif

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Tango down!