Windows ME problem

cp1969 · Dec 18, 2006

Anyone an ME guru?

I've got a dual boot system--two hard drives, one with XP, the other with ME. The drive with ME on it does not recognize the one with XP (which is good) so the ME boot system has been what I let the kids use.

Problem: Ran Adaware and Spybot on the ME drive. Spybot ran OK, but Adaware hung up when deleting the files it found. Only thing I could do was power it down. Now, it won't go past the first Windows screen that comes up--I can't even boot into safe mode. Tried the Emergency Disc and it will boot up to DOS but that's it.

I can look the drive over (via Explorer) when booted in XP. I have run scan disk on it and it says the drive is OK.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

NoMo · Dec 18, 2006

If you have XP Pro or MCE, I'd scrap the Millenium install and let the kids play using a limited account within XP.

If you want to keep the less than robust ME environment, you may have to re-install/repair.

Have you scanned the ME drive for virii from the XP environment?

cp1969 · Dec 19, 2006

I have not scanned it for viruses; not sure how to do that. In fact, even though I said I'd run scandisk on it, now I'm not sure if I did because I sure can't figure out how to do it again.

Thanks.

Doc_Bob · Dec 19, 2006

WINME is not worth the trouble.
Bob

goaliedad · Dec 19, 2006

When they named Window ME the forgot the SS- should be MESS- scrap it and upgrade to XP- solved all kind of problems for me.

ByronBob · Dec 19, 2006

goaliedad said:
When they named Window ME the forgot the SS- should be MESS- scrap it and upgrade to XP- solved all kind of problems for me.

Same here. Our computer hung up to the point where we had to install XP to fix them. I would say upgrade too. You could add the kids on the login to have their own boot sequence and then give them limited access if you wish.

Tig · Dec 19, 2006

Just had to reload XP, very similar situation and the exact same symptoms. Call microsoft customer support they will try to help to repair it. You will need the install CD and the CD key.

cp1969 · Dec 20, 2006

I don't need to install XP on the E: drive...there would be no point. I can presently boot with XP and use E: for storage.

But that was not part of the original plan. There were advantages to being able to boot using ME. For some things, ME seemed faster and better suited than XP.

gemini5362 · Dec 20, 2006

Been a while since I used ME and my memory is not that good. I believe though that is sounds like you are having trouble with your config file. or autoexec.bat file. The spyware might have tried to erase one of them.
boot up in XP and then look in explorer on your E ( ?) drive if that is the one ME is on. see if it has a file called Config.exe or Autoexec.bat. if it does not have that is the problem. I dont think there is a prayer in the world of this working but since I dont know I will reccomend it. boot up in Xp and do a restore to a date earlier than the date you lost ME. I dont think the XP on the C drive is going to do a restore to the E drive but it might. let me know if that helps or not

cp1969 · Dec 21, 2006

From time to time, I have exported the registry to keep a known good copy. But if, while booted up with XP, I try to look at one of these copies using Regedit, it gives an alarm, asking, "Do you want to combine this with the current registry?" or something like that. Well, of course I don't want to do that lest I end up with the PC equivalent of The Fly.

I guess what I need to do is reinstall but I don't have the disk. All I have is a 'reinstall' disk--which crashes.