Installing Windows Me

The procedure for installing Windows Me onto a new PC is as follows:
Switch on the PC and put the Windows Me CD into the CD-ROM. Press the reset button on the PC and allow it to boot.
The PC should boot to the CD-ROM, if not check your motherboard manual to enable 'Boot to CD-ROM' in its BIOS settings.
From the next menu, select Start Windows Me setup from the CD-ROM
The system will load some basic software to enable it to install
At the blue Windows Me Setup screen, press ENTER to continue.
The system will check the HDD to determine if/how it is configured
Select Configure unallocated space (recommended) and press ENTER
The system will 'Partition' the hard disk such that it can prepare it for storing data
If prompted, select Yes, enable large disk support and press ENTER
This enables the system to use the maximum space possible on the hard disk
At the Setup will restart now screen, press ENTER or wait and the system will automatically reboot
Phase One of the installation is complete and the system needs to reboot to continue...
From the menu, select Start Windows Me setup from the CD-ROM again
The system will 'format' the HDD. This is the process of clearing the hard disk and preparing it to store data. This can take some considerable time depending on the size of the HDD
At the Setup will perform a routine check on your system screen, press ENTER
A diagnostic program called Scandisk will run and check the HDD for any errors/damage. Again, this may take some time depending on HDD size. Note: Cancelling this will prevent the installation of Window Me
At the Windows Me Setup screen, click the Next button at the lower right of the screen using the mouse (or if no mouse is installed, press TAB until the Next is highlighted with dotted lines and press ENTER
Windows Me will install its 'wizard' software to guide you through the installation
At the Select the directory where you want to install Windows Me screen, click or TAB to the C:\WINDOWS line such that a black dot appears to the left hand side (this indicates that this option is selected and is known as a 'Radio button'
This will make the system put all its important files into an area on the hard disk labelled 'windows'
The Preparing directory screen will appear
The system will now check the HDD for any existing software and make sure that there is enough space on your HDD
At the Setup Wizard screen, click to select Typical, then click the Next button
By selecting 'Typical', you are asking for a default installation of Windows Me. This should suit most people and other options can be configured later if required.
Select Install the most common components (recommended) and click Next
Again, this indicates that you require a standard installation...
At the Country/Region screen, select your country/location from the list and click Next. This is a long list that cannot be displayed all at once. Use the scroll bar at the right hand side to see more countries if yours is not immediately visible.
Knowing your location helps Windows to configure itself correctly
At the Establishing your time zone screen, select your location's time-zone from the list and click Next.
It is important that the system clock is as accurate as possible.
At the Insert disk screen, follow the instructions to create a startup disk then click OK
It is possible to skip this step, but it can be useful to have a startup disk in case the system will not boot at some point in the future.
Once the disk has been created, click OK to continue setup
Remember to remove the floppy disk from the drive.
At the Ready to begin copying files screen, click Finish to continue setup
The system has all the information it needs and will now install the Windows Me software. This may take some time depending on the overall speed of your system.
Once completed, Remove the Windows Me CD from the CD-ROM and click the Reboot button or wait for the timer
The system reboots.
This time, allow the system to boot to the HDD. A Windows Me logo screen should appear as it loads
The CD is removed to force the system to boot to the HDD. If this produces an error, configure the BIOS settings to boot to the HDD first
A Setting up hardware message box will be displayed
The system is now attempting to configure its software for your particular hardware setup
At the User information screen, type in your name and company name (if appropriate) into the boxes. Place the Windows Me CD back into the CD-ROM. Click Next
The Windows CD is required for further installation tasks and must be ready in the CD-ROM
Read the License Agreement statement and click I accept the agreement then click Next
The software will not allow the install to continue if you do not agree to the statement
Locate your Windows Me Product Key (usually on the back of the CD case) and type it in. Then click Next
Take special care to ensure that the numbers/letters are typed in exactly the same as your Product Key
Click Finish to complete the installation and reboot again to complete the configuration
Rebooting is necessary for the system to amend or update its important files which cannot be changed while they are in use
Windows will finish off its hardware configurations, and may even reboot once more before displaying the Introduction screen
Windows Me is now completely installed on your PC.