i want to upgrade an existing windows ME computer to XP.

whould i be best doing a clean install or just upgrade.

i have nothing worth anything on the ME computer as all my stuff is either on disc or on an external hard drive.

my question is. which is easier to do? which do you reccomend?

A clean install would be best. They are equally easy to do.

An upgrade CD is less expensive but you can still do a clean install with it. The only difference between an upgrade CD and a full version CD is the upgrade will ask for proof of a previous windows version.

If you just run an upgrade/repair install then the XP disk will see ME and write over it.

If you run a clean install with an upgrade CD you will need a ME disk or any previous disk e.g. '98 for proof of previous version.

Here is a good guide to both choices:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/index.html

thanks,
i think a clean install is needed.

i get a few winsock errors, and the pc is 4-5 years old and has spent 1-2 of those years without a firewall or anti virus. which i now know is a bad thing to do.