Hi all, I'm trying to install win xp Home edition on win 98. I have only one option, that is "install win xp". I don't have the other option "upgrade to win xp". Any way, when the installation program starts copying system files, it gives me error messages about not being able to copy certain files. A friend of mine has advised me to save all important data, then format drive C and install win xp from DOS. Is this a good idea? If not what is the alternative? If so, how can this be done from DOS, as I know so little about typing orders in DOS. Thanks a lot

There is NO DOS in XP. Suggest you do a clean install. Boot from the cd and follow the menu to the install menu, format and create a new ntfs partition. You will have to reinstall everything. Activate your firewall first to avoid the msblaster and sasser worm, then update XP from the website. Long process, but worth it. See XpUser's post 106168, left side, message find.

Thank you Per for your fast reply. Actually win 98 has DOS Prompt key or maybe When win 98 starts to run, we can interrupt it by pressing "delete" or "F8" or something I'm not sure. Forgive my ignorance! Any way, I'm ready to do what you have told me, but I still have win 98 running on that computer and not win xp yet, which I would like to install. So what do you think? Thanks nadia

I tried to give you a long procedure but was bumped off. See Xp Users post 106168. Left side. message find. Please do a clean install so you don't have to come back here. LOL!Any questions postback. I will keep this post for a couple days.

Hello again Per, Thank you so much for your patience, but I believe I haven't made myself clear enough or maybe I should post in win 98 forum. I've read the message you indicated and I know how to do most of it, I've done it a couple of times before. The problem is that I don't know how to format the driver the right way I mean. I was told that formatting driver C, for example, while Windows are running by right-clicking the mouse is not effective and keeps the errors and formatting has to be done from DOS. So Can I boot from CD and run Win xp Install CD and from there can I format the driver or maybe the system files errors would stop? Is that what you were telling me in the first reply? As I have win 98 still installed do you think I better post in its forum? Many thanks again nadia

Hi Per, It's me again )) Thank you I found my answer in the message thread you showed me (Xp Users post 106168). I posted a small question there though. Thank you so much

Hi, I still have the same problem I'm afraid. I managed to format drive C. I used F8 and chose "Command prompt only" and from there I formatted drive C. Then I rebooted the computer from Win xp CD and started installing win xp on drive C, but it got stuck again with the same errors "cannot copy some system files". I even tried skipping the first file but it continued giving me the same error message. Now my question is that, before setup program starts copying system files, it gives the option to format the partition I used to install win on it. It gives the following options: Format the partition using the NTFS file system (quick) Format the partition using the FAT file system (quick) Format the partition using the NTFS file system Format the partition using the FAT file system Convert the partition to NTFS Leave the current file system intact (no changes) So shall I go for it? format drive C and with which system? Would that resolve the problem of error in copying system files? Thanks a lot