# Loading Windows98 over WindowsME **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233 "2002-08-23T13:42:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/1 "2002-08-23T13:42:35Z")
I am being given an HP Pavillion computer. All I know about it at this time is that it has WindowsME. Is it possible/advisable to load Windows98 onto this machine without causing a lot of problems? If I would be better served by wiping the hard drive clean and starting from scratch, will someone point me to a tutorial on how to do that? Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/2 "2002-08-23T13:51:26Z")
Why do you want to load 98 over ME? Is it because you want to run some particular kind of software that only runs under 98? ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/3 "2002-08-23T14:01:34Z")
**DDG,** Iwant this HP computer to have the same OS as my other three, although I don’t have a logical reason for it. I guess personal preference would fit. ---
**Author:** ![Rhapsody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9de0a6/32.png) [@Rhapsody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhapsody)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/4 "2002-08-23T14:54:30Z")
if you are at all considering networking the 3 together leave ME on it and it will be extrememly easy to set up. Otherwise you can instll over the ME but you will want to boot from a floppy, delete [win.com](http://win.com) from the windows directory and install. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/5 "2002-08-23T14:58:54Z")
I’ve had both 98 and ME and I like ME much better, is why I wondered. Sorry I’m not enough of a computer geek to be able to exactly answer your question, but out of my personal experience dealing with computers, I’d say “better not even try to install an Old Windows over a New Windows”. Upgrading from Old to New generally works okay, because the New Windows has usually been instructed by Microsoft how to communicate with the Old Windows, but just try to tell a New Windows that it has to defer to an Old Windows, and watch the fur fly and the gonzo error messages pile up. I don’t think it’s possible, although I’ve never tried it. If I really were going to try to downgrade my 'puter to an older Windows, I’d definitely go with the “nuke the hard drive” option and start from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/6 "2002-08-23T14:59:51Z")
If you try it, Me should give you a message that it won’t install over an old version, at least thats what I get. Why do it? Me is just Se updated which is just 98 updated, more or less… ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2002, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loading-windows98-over-windowsme/125233/7 "2002-08-23T15:06:22Z")
I have just learned that I will not be getting the computer after all, so the question is moot. If a mod wants to close this thread, okay by me.