Windows Me: installation and setup

Here is how to set up Windows Millennium Edition, known as Windows Me, on an old computer, and what to do before and after. It suits people restoring old hardware or running older software.

What you need

• Your own Windows Me disc and product key, from a copy you legally own. Microsoft no longer sells it. Do not download disc images from websites.
• Reference sources list a Pentium 150 MHz processor, 32 MB of memory and about 320 MB of free disk space as the minimum, with a CD or DVD drive and a floppy drive. More memory and a faster processor make it far more usable.
• A blank floppy disk for a startup disk.
• Drivers for your devices from the maker of the computer or device.

Microsoft sold Windows Me as a full version and as an upgrade for Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition. The upgrade version needs one of those already installed.

Upgrade from Windows 95 or 98

1. Close all programs. If Setup warns that virus protection is running, follow its message, and turn the protection back on as soon as Setup finishes.
2. Run ScanDisk from Start then Programs then Accessories then System Tools then ScanDisk and let it check your drive. This finds disk errors before Setup begins.
3. Put the Windows Me CD in the drive. If Setup does not start by itself, select Start, then Run, type d:\setup and select OK. Replace d: with your CD drive's letter.
4. Accept the license agreement and enter the product key from your box or certificate.
5. Follow the prompts and choose the folder and options offered. The defaults suit most computers.
6. Wait while Setup copies files and restarts. Do not press keys or switch off the computer while it works. It can take a long time on slow hardware.
7. After a restart, Setup may keep setting up hardware before the desktop is ready. Let it finish.

Install on a blank or reformatted disk

The Me full version needs a disk with a file system it can use. Windows Me supports FAT16 and FAT32, and does not support NTFS. Starting from a blank disk usually means starting from a floppy startup disk, preparing the disk, and then running setup from the CD. Preparing a disk erases it.

Your computer maker may supply a recovery disc that sets up Windows Me for you. Use that disc first if you have one. It is made for your hardware.

Check that it worked

1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties. The General tab names Windows Millennium Edition and shows memory.
2. Select the Device Manager tab. A yellow mark on a device means it needs a driver from its maker.
3. Make a startup disk: open Start then Settings then Control Panel then Add/Remove Programs, select the Startup Disk tab, and follow the prompts with a blank floppy. Label it.

Windows Me has no product activation. You enter the key once, during Setup. For programs, drivers and fixes, see Windows Me: installing programs and drivers, and fixing common problems.

What is different from Windows 98

• Microsoft added System Restore to roll the software configuration back to an earlier time when things worked.
• System File Protection stops critical system files being overwritten.
• The Home Networking Wizard helps find and connect to shared resources.
• Windows Me has no real DOS mode, unlike earlier versions. A startup floppy still starts to a command prompt.

If something goes wrong

• Setup stops or restarts repeatedly. Remove nonessential devices and try again. Too much memory can also cause trouble: Windows Me was designed for up to 512 MB, and above about 1.5 GB it may restart repeatedly.
• The display is coarse. Install the display driver from the computer or card maker.
• A device is not recognized. See the next guide for Device Manager steps.

Frequently asked questions