I have a question about installing Win2k. Currently I'm running ME which was probably a bad choice at the time, but it's done. I want to upgrade to Win2K. I've heard that it's best to clean install 2K, but I don't want to lose all my current data formatting my drive. I was told I could install it over ME and that I could then dual boot from that point. Then I could slowly remove ME. Is this a sound idea? It sounds a little flakey to me. Any Ideas?

well you could do either personally i helped someone install xp over me and to find out that we did not have the modem driver unistalled xp (we did not reinstall ME just used the unistall in xp)than upgraded to 2000 over the existing ME without a problem. SOmetimes you do have problems though its generally better to do a clean install but usually u wont have a lot of trouble just upgrading you can also dual boot if you want i would use partition magic to create another partition and install it to it

I'd suggest you not upgrade. I upgraded Win2000 over Win98 and found most of the software from Win98 wouldn't work using Win2000 due to driver conflicts. Choose the complete install but don't change your hard drive. Leave it as a FAT32 or FAT16 partition. Win2000 prefers to use the NTFS partition standard but that will require reformatting and you'll loose everything. Afterwards, you'll have the option to boot using either Win ME or Win2000.

Thats what I would do. You will need a copy of partiion magic to split your drive then install win2k on one partition,(you can format in ntfs and win2k will still see ME), then drag and drop what you need into win2k and then delete ME. ME sucks.

2k is not a supported upgrade path of windows me as 2k was released prior to windows me. Ive read posts where some claim they have done it succesfully. If you make this choice you should back up all data to removable disk incase an error occurs. Invest in a CD writer,ZIPdisk or additional HD for backing up large amounts of data so that you may choose the preferred clean install option.

Notes: W2K will not install to fat32 partition that was created/formated via ME; seems to be an M$ acknowledged 'bug'. There is no 'true upgrade' path from ME to W2K (M$...); but a dual-boot option is possible. ************** The (ME) fat32 bug 'may' prevent you installing W2K alongside ME in current C: partition; not having gone that route I can't say for sure; some seem to get it OK, some not... It's worth a shot - the ME fat32 bug notwithstanding? ************** First - if possible - back up data etc... then you just run W2K set-up (CD boot/4 floppies - whichever?) and point it to install to C: - alongside ME (if it will let you...); it will deposit/install its boot/start-up files there as well as its system files etc. Providing it does go in OK and give a dual-boot, you can then set default OS to boot to W2K, leaving time to boot to at least 10secs. (even better stay with the default 30secs); locate/delete (via W2K Explorer) ME folder; also the ME Swap-file; also the ME boot/start-up files. Defrag drive afterwards. Another appproach - circumvents the ME bug... Use PM7x or similar util to create a partition (extended) for W2K. Format it as fat32 using either a '98 boot-disk or the PM (or similar) utils. Then run W2K setup and point it to the 'new' partition. It will deposit/install its boot/start-up files into C: (ME) Primary partition. You will have a dual-boot. You can also reformat it as ntfs if you wish during W2K setup. Do NOT attempt to reformat C: as ntfs... There are advantages to the dual-boot - some apps. etc. will not run well (if at all) under W2K. But if you wish to lose ME entirely after creating a dual-boot, then it's not a difficult routine to go. Basically follow the outline just above when ME and W2K are installed into the same partition; but be careful again NOT to delete the W2K boot/start-up files... System Commander offers similar options to PM7x, and there are freebie utils around that may also allow them? Freebies: http://www.osloader.com http://www.xosl.org Ensure you have ALL required drivers for W2K before starting out. And again - as Jack advises - back-up data first! Once you have W2K installed OK, make the eERD for it; keep current/safe. Post back if you want more details?

Get partition magic and resize the partition.... then you can copy all the stuff you dont wanna lose to yer second partition....