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Windows XP upgrade from hell

ascottk

By ascottk
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ascottk

ascottk

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My windows 2000 drive was only 6 gigs & some audio software I would like to run (protools m-powered, adobe audition 2, max/msp) requires windows xp. I only had 400 mb left on that drive so I bought norton ghost 10 (with ghost 2003), an 80 gig hd, and windows xp pro upgrade ($99 academic price).

 

So I spent the entire day yesterday trying to move my win2000 install to the new drive <_<

After reading Dom's posts about using ghost 2003 instead of vers. 10, I tried it but it wouldn't work because the virtual drives were not defragmented :huh: I read defragmenting wasn't necessary on newer systems. Besides, I'd rather use applications on an operating system than maintaining the damn OS (what I like about macs are they need very little maintenance).

 

Then the formatting on the new drive wasn't done correctly (dynamic drive? I don't think so) so my cloned win2000 drive wouldn't boot. Eventually the format was done correctly so I recloned the drive after a few tries. But once a drive letter is assigned in windows then that drive letter/path sticks so I had to muck around with regedit to change the drive letters while I was booted into the old installation. Finally win2000 booted on the new drive after a full day's work :wacko: Now to upgrade to winxp but that had to wait until the next day.

 

Today I started upgrading to winxp. Should be easier than yesterday. Hell no! Apparently the install cd didn't like any of my cd drives, even my external usb2 dvd-rw! XP wasn't copying the install files very well so I had to restart the install. I ended up using my usb2 drive but it was rough.

 

Finally XP is installed but I had to update my nvidia drivers & my linksys NIC. XP wouldn't install the drivers because the NIC had the same name as a service or some crap. So I had to boot into troubleshooting mode & muck around with regedit again. XP finally installed the damn network driver so now I can activate windows :laugh: That's what windows users live for any more . . .

 

So now the protools demo & audition 2 are installed & working well (the dark mod is running too), so now I'm happy :)

_______________

 

Macs are so much easier to upgrade. Just use carbon copy cloner to move the system drive then choose that new disk to boot into. Easy. I did that a few times with the G3 b/w macs we have in the house & each time I had very little problems. Too bad my g3 isn't powerful enough or I wouldn't have bothered with the xp install.

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Domarius

Domarius

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Regarding the first bit - I wouldn't move installs...

 

Safest thing to do is format everything, make a partition for the system drive, install and set up the computer the way you want it (installing to the other partition) and just image the system drive.

 

I've since done this to my computer, my 2 brothers, my sisters, and one of my friends, and they all say their computers are like different computers, like they got an upgrade for free. Every time i start my computer its like 3 seconds on the WinXP startup screen, and recently my friend started getting more pop-ups than usual, so dump the system image, and 8 minute later its as good as new.

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Unstoppable

Unstoppable

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XP is worth the hastle. Sorry about your troubles. Here are some good things you can look forward to.

 

Easier internet sharing.

As soon as you plug stuff in windows xp recognizes it

Press the power button and it shuts itself off without danger. Sometimes it might hang but that has to do with a process in the background not being shut off because of slow computer or buggy program.

Free updates and security is pretty good with the lil firewall it brings.

Stability is pretty damned good. I can safely say I have not crashed due to it being windows xp fault. No blue screen of death no nothing for over a year or two.

 

You can only activate it a couple of times. However changes your video card or putting more ram might prompt the installation to want to activate. Have no fear! I was mad when this happend since I upgraded from an Nvidia to an ATI and added another stick of ram.

 

So I called Microsoft but kept my cool. Some Indian lady picked up (out sourcing), but she was very nice. She basically asked me my installation id and if I bought this copy. I said yea (a lil sarcastically) at Best Buy. I only changed my graphics card and put some more ram, don't know why it has to want me to activate again.

 

After that she just gave me my code quickly and I said wow thanks. So that was pretty freaking cool. :laugh:

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Crispy

Crispy

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Doing an "upgrade" on any version of Windows is just a pain. It invariably leaves crap behind and it's obviously not as well tested as clean installs. It's much better to back up, wipe the drive, and start over. That way you get the benefit of a clean install too. And backing up shouldn't be an added hassle, because you should be backing up before doing a major system upgrade anyway.

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OrbWeaver

OrbWeaver

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I've since done this to my computer, my 2 brothers, my sisters, and one of my friends

 

Wow, you installed Windows XP on your brothers, sisters and a friend? Do they run faster now?

 

Every time i start my computer its like 3 seconds on the WinXP startup screen,

 

That's because it shows the login screen quickly, and then does the rest of the startup stuff in the background after showing the desktop, making the computer run slowly for a couple of minutes. There is no real performance gain, it's just an illusion.

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Domarius

Domarius

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That's because it shows the login screen quickly, and then does the rest of the startup stuff in the background after showing the desktop, making the computer run slowly for a couple of minutes. There is no real performance gain, it's just an illusion.

No I'm talking about the performance difference by using my imaging system. All computers used XP before and after. The login screen is quicker than before, and the "delayed startup" stuff it does at the desktop also only lasts a few seconds.

Wow, you installed Windows XP on your brothers, sisters and a friend? Do they run faster now?

Oh yeah - before it was a bit flakey, but now everyone is compatible with each other and get along just fine :) also my ex never blue-screens on me anymore - years ago, the problems never stopped. Always complaining about "old drivers" and that I better upgrade some day. All we needed was a self-image change :)

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SneaksieDave

SneaksieDave

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After that she just gave me my code quickly and I said wow thanks. So that was pretty freaking cool.

Yep, you basically just call them and tell them (in a few more words) "give me a new key" and they do.

 

But just wait for the quickly approaching day where they don't support XP anymore...

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