Hello, I have a 9yr old Compaq Armada with a Windows ME operating System. It has 5.58MG Hard Drive with I think 1.86mg free.

Because it is constantly choking, freeing, rebooting itself amongst other problems, someone informed me that WINDOWS ME is a system with too many problems that needs too much memory to run and that why Microsoft churned out WINDOWS XP so quickly.

This sounds like the best solution to my undying problems without actually buying a new computer. So heres the questions;

How do I update my Windows System to XP or better?
Can my old computer support an even newer Windows?
Do I have to buy a Windows pack or can I borrow a mates installation cds?
Will I lose all my files and settings and software...ie should I make some back up cds?
How do I take off my old Windows in order to put on the new one?

Can any of this be done? Or should I just give it in to an expert?


Thanks so much for the help!! So very much appreciated!!

You said it is a 9 year old system. My system from 1997 was pretty high end at the time, a PII 266MHz processor with 32MB RAM and a 6GB harddrive.

I use it for occasional testing, but for the most part expect XP to choke on this system as well. You may be able to do some slow web surfing, but it will be very slow.

If you decide to procede, be sure to start from scratch. Don't try to do an in place upgrade. You will only compound your problems...

I cannot see the advantage of upgrading here but here are the recommended XP requirements

300 MHz CPU *
128 MB of RAM *
1.5 GB of available hard disk space *
Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution video adapter with at least 8 MB of video RAM and monitor
CD-ROM or DVD drive
Network adapter
Sound card and speakers
Keyboard and Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device

I would not even consider putting XP on that old of a computer. Instead try using Windows 98SE. Win 98 will only take up around 600 MB of space instead of the over 2 gigs of XP and most of the programs you can find for Win 98 run well on the laptops. Win 98 software is not that hard to find with lot still on Ebay and similar places.

SRX660