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- -----------------------------------------
- Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
- Help for Emergency Startup Disk
- -----------------------------------------
-
- (c) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 2000
-
-
- This document provides complementary or late-breaking
- information to supplement the Windows Millennium Edition
- (Windows ME) documentation.
-
- To close this Help file, press ALT-F-X.
-
- --------
- CONTENTS
- --------
-
- SUMMARY
- If Windows ME Starts Only in Safe Mode
-
- TYPES OF WINDOWS ME INSTALLATION MEDIA AND METHODS
- Windows Millennium Edition (Retail Version)
- Windows Millennium Edition (Upgrade Version)
- How Windows ME Upgrade Setup Searches for Previous Versions
- Clean Installations
- OEM Versions of Windows ME
-
- IF WINDOWS ME DOES NOT START IN SAFE MODE
- Using ScanDisk to check your hard disk
- Using Windows Registry Checker
-
- IF SETUP STOPS AND WINDOWS ME WILL NOT START IN SAFE MODE
- A Note on Anti-Virus Software
- Setup Stops Responding During Hardware Detection
-
- UNINSTALLING WINDOWS ME
-
- INSTALLING WINDOWS ME WITH WINDOWS NT OR WINDOWS 2000
-
- INSTALLING WINDOWS ME ON A NEW HARD DISK
-
-
- =======
- SUMMARY
- =======
-
- If you have problems setting up or starting Windows ME, try
- starting your computer in Safe Mode before trying the steps
- outlined in this document.
-
- If you can start in Safe Mode, see the Windows Millennium Edition
- Safe Mode Troubleshooter on the Safe Mode warning page. In Safe
- Mode, you can use Windows Troubleshooting tools, such as System
- Restore, which are not available from this Startup disk.
-
- To start Windows in Safe Mode:
-
- 1. Remove the Startup disk, and then restart your computer.
-
- 2. As soon as the computer restarts, press and hold down the
- CTRL key until the Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
- Startup Menu appears.
-
- 3. On the Startup menu, choose Safe Mode (option 3).
-
- 4. Follow the steps in the Safe Mode Troubleshooter.
-
- If Windows ME Starts Only in Safe Mode
- --------------------------------------
- If you have followed the steps outlined in the Safe Mode
- Troubleshooter and are still unable to start Windows normally,
- do the following:
-
- 1. Close this Help file.
-
- 2. At the command prompt, type:
- scanreg /restore
- and then press ENTER.
-
- 3. Select the most recent backup date, and then choose Restore.
-
-
- If you try these steps and still cannot start normally:
-
- 1. Restart your computer by using the Windows ME Startup disk,
- select option 1 on the Startup menu, and then press ENTER.
-
- 2. Close the Help file.
-
- 3. Try to reinstall Windows ME by following the instructions on
- your screen.
-
- **********
- IMPORTANT: If you have installed software that came with your
- hard disk, be sure to read the documentation that describes how
- to start your computer by using a floppy disk.
- **********
-
- ==================================================
- TYPES OF WINDOWS ME INSTALLATION MEDIA AND METHODS
- ==================================================
-
- The following section describes the versions of Windows ME and
- their installation requirements.
-
- Windows Millennium Edition (Retail Version)
- -------------------------------------------
- This does not require a prior version of Microsoft Windows.
-
- Windows Millennium Edition (Upgrade Version)
- --------------------------------------------
- Setup requires an existing copy of Microsoft Windows 95 or
- Windows 98.
-
- How Windows ME Upgrade Setup Searches for Previous Versions
- -----------------------------------------------------------
- Setup searches your computer to find a qualifying product to
- upgrade. If Setup is unable to find a previous version of
- Windows on your computer, Setup prompts you to insert the
- previous version's media to confirm your eligibility for the
- upgrade. This media can be a CD-ROM, floppy disks, or a folder
- on the hard disk that contains setup files. If you supply
- floppy disks, Setup may prompt you for multiple disks.
-
- Clean Installations
- -------------------
- You can use the Windows ME Upgrade to install Windows ME on a
- computer that does not have a prior version of Windows installed,
- such as after formatting your hard disk. This is commonly called
- a "clean install."
-
- Because the compliance check process is unable to find evidence
- of a prior version, Setup prompts you to insert your previous
- version media to confirm your eligibility for the upgrade. This
- media can be a CD-ROM, floppy disks, or a folder on the hard disk
- that contains setup files. If you supply floppy disks, Setup may
- prompt you for multiple disks.
-
- For more information about how to install Windows ME on a
- computer that has no previous operating system, see "How To
- Install Windows Millennium Edition Onto a New Hard Disk"
- referenced at the end of this document.
-
- OEM versions of Windows ME
- --------------------------
- An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version of Windows ME
- is a special release product made available for computer
- Manufacturers. OEMs can customize these versions of Windows ME
- specifically for their hardware and software.
-
- The Setup procedures and requirements outlined in this document
- may be different if you have an OEM version of Windows ME. For
- more information, read the documentation that came with your
- computer or contact your computer manufacturer.
-
-
- =========================================
- IF WINDOWS ME DOES NOT START IN SAFE MODE
- =========================================
-
- Any of the following conditions can cause Windows ME not to start
- in Safe Mode:
-
- - Your computer is infected with a virus. Run up-to-date anti-
- virus software to check for a virus and clean your computer if
- necessary.
-
- - Your computer's CMOS settings are not correct. Check your
- computer's CMOS settings to make sure they are correct. Note
- that you may need to contact the computer manufacturer to
- verify these settings.
-
- - There is a hardware failure. Note that you may need to contact
- the computer manufacturer for more information about your
- hardware.
-
- - There is an error on your computer's hard disk. See "Using
- ScanDisk to check your hard disk."
-
- - There is an error in the Windows registry. See "Using the
- Windows Registry Checker."
-
- Using ScanDisk to Check Your Hard Disk
- --------------------------------------
- If you suspect there may be file corruption or other problems
- with your hard disk(s), run ScanDisk to check for and repair
- errors.
-
- To check all your hard disks for errors:
-
- 1. At the command prompt, type:
-
- scandisk /all
-
- 2. Press ENTER.
-
- To perform a full surface scan of your hard disk(s) for maximum
- protection against data loss:
-
- 1. At the command prompt, type:
-
- scandisk /all /surface
-
- 2. Press ENTER.
-
- Using Windows Registry Checker
- ------------------------------
- If you are still unable to start Windows ME in Safe Mode, run
- the Windows Registry Checker (Scanreg.exe) tool, as there may
- be a problem with the system registry.
-
- To start the Windows Registry Checker:
-
- 1. At the command prompt, type:
-
- scanreg /restore
-
- 2. Press ENTER.
-
- Scanreg may not be available if Windows ME has not been
- successfully installed on your computer.
-
-
- =========================================================
- IF SETUP STOPS AND WINDOWS ME WILL NOT START IN SAFE MODE
- =========================================================
-
- The following section explains what you can do to recover from
- a failed Windows Setup. For more information about other Setup
- problems, see the Setup.txt file in the Win9X folder of your
- Windows ME CD.
-
- If you encounter any of these error messages while running Setup:
-
- - Invalid system disk
-
- - Incorrect MS-DOS version
-
- - Missing or corrupted Command.com
-
- it is likely that your computer's startup drive needs updated
- system files. Certain CMOS settings or anti-virus software can
- prevent Windows Setup from installing the correct system files
- on your computer.
-
- To replace your system files:
-
- 1. Restart your computer by using the Windows ME Startup Disk,
- selecting option 1 on the Startup menu, and then pressing
- ENTER.
-
- 2. Close the Help file.
-
- 3. Follow the instructions on the screen to run Setup.
-
- 4. Choose "Use Safe Recovery" if prompted.
-
- A Note on Anti-Virus Software
- -----------------------------
- If anti-virus programs are left running during Setup, they might
- prevent Setup from properly updating the system files.
-
- **********
- IMPORTANT: You might receive a warning message after the first
- restart during Setup, informing you that the Master Boot Record
- or other files have changed. If you see such a message, you MUST
- accept these changes or Setup may fail to update critical files
- that Windows ME uses to start your computer.
- **********
-
- Setup Stops Responding During Hardware Detection
- ------------------------------------------------
- If Setup stops responding while it is detecting the hardware in
- your computer, turn your computer off and wait a few seconds, and
- then turn it back on. You may need to do this several times.
- Choose Use "Safe Recovery" when Setup restarts. Setup could stop
- responding during several different detection modules and will
- skip areas it fails to complete successfully.
-
- **********
- IMPORTANT: Use the power switch to turn your computer completely
- off. Do not use the reset button or press CTRL+ALT+DEL to restart
- your computer.
- **********
-
- If Setup still fails to complete successfully, it may be
- necessary to start your computer in Safe Mode so that you can
- view the Help topics associated with hardware detection.
-
-
- =======================
- UNINSTALLING WINDOWS ME
- =======================
-
- If the above steps do not work, you can try to uninstall
- Windows ME and return to your previous version of Windows.
-
- To uninstall Windows ME, you must have chosen to save uninstall
- information during Windows ME Setup. The uninstall information
- is saved in the Winundo.dat and Winundo.ini files. If these
- files are deleted, you cannot uninstall Windows ME.
-
- **********
- IMPORTANT: You should not attempt to Uninstall Windows ME if
- the partition information for your hard disk or disks has
- changed since you last installed Windows ME successfully.
- Windows ME creates a backup copy of your partition information
- in the Suhdlog.dat file at the end of a successful installation,
- and Uninstal.exe restores the partition information listed in
- the Suhdlog.dat file to your hard disk during Uninstall. If the
- partition information on your hard disk or disks has changed
- since you last installed successfully (specifically, since the
- Suhdlog.dat file was created), then you might experience partial
- or complete data loss as a result of attempting to Uninstall
- Windows ME.
- **********
-
- To uninstall Windows ME:
-
- 1. Restart your computer using the Windows ME Startup Disk,
- selecting option 1 on the Startup menu, and then pressing
- ENTER.
-
- 2. Close the Help file.
-
- 3. At the command prompt, type each of the following lines,
- pressing ENTER after each line.
-
- smartdrv
- <drive>:
- cd\<windows>\command
- uninstal.exe
-
- NOTE: <drive> is the drive letter of the drive containing the
- Windows folder (the default is C). <windows> is the name of
- the Windows folder (the default is "Windows").
-
- 4. Type Y when you are prompted to continue.
- This process can take several minutes.
-
- NOTE: SmartDrive (Smartdrv.exe) is not required to run
- Uninstal.exe, but it can significantly speed up the process.
-
-
- =====================================================
- INSTALLING WINDOWS ME WITH WINDOWS NT OR WINDOWS 2000
- =====================================================
-
- You cannot install Windows ME over any version of Windows 2000
- or Windows NT, but they can exist together on a single system.
- However, for compatibility reasons, it is recommended that
- you install each to a separate hard disk or partition. If
- Windows NT is already installed, Windows ME Setup will add
- itself to the Windows NT boot menu to allow you to multi-boot
- between Windows ME and Windows NT.
-
-
- ========================================
- INSTALLING WINDOWS ME ON A NEW HARD DISK
- ========================================
-
- See the document "Installing Windows Millennium Edition to a
- New Hard Disk," located at <CD-ROM>:\Win9x\Cleanhd.Txt.
-
- You might also find the Setup readme useful. It is located at
- <CD-ROM>:\Win9X\Setup.txt.
-