Member Avatar for aprils280zx

I was getting an error that said stmgr error in stmgr.dll and would not let me log on or anything else past it so I bought Windows xpUpgrade because my Windows Me came preinstalled no cd. Now the upgrade cd says cant find previouse version of windows

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A concise, practical plan to protect data and get past the installer check mentioned by . and pointed out the detection problem; below are safe, concrete next steps and options that were not spelled out in the replies.

  • Back up user files first. If Windows will not boot, boot from a Linux live USB (Ubuntu, etc.), BartPE/WinPE or a rescue CD and copy the entire profile folders (Documents and Settings, Desktop, Outlook/Thunderbird data) to an external drive. If that is not possible, remove the hard drive and connect it to another PC with a USB adapter/dock to copy files.
  • Try non-destructive repairs before reinstalling. On boot press F8 and try Last Known Good Configuration or Safe Mode (or Safe Mode with Command Prompt) and run a disk check (chkdsk /r or the equivalent scandisk utility from an MS-DOS boot floppy) to repair file system errors that can block setup detection.
  • Look for a manufacturer recovery option. Many OEM systems include a hidden recovery partition or offer a restoration CD you can order — this restores the factory image but will erase personal data, so only use it after backups.
  • If the XP Upgrade media refuses to find a qualifying installation, realistic options are: restore the original ME image (OEM/recovery CD) so the upgrade sees it, or perform a clean install with a full (non-upgrade) XP retail disc. Purchasing or obtaining the correct recovery media from the PC maker is often the cleanest route.
  • If hardware problems are suspected (clicks, repeated boot failures), run a vendor hard-drive diagnostic or check SMART status before reinstalling.

Cautions: any recovery/restore step that reimages the drive will delete user files—backups are mandatory. If unsure about any step, using a USB drive to copy critical data first is the highest-priority action.

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Member Avatar for alc6379

It's possible you have some file corruption that causes the XP Upgrade not to recognize your installation. Your only option is going to be to find an ME CD that you can use temporarily to insert in the machine when the XP installer asks to look at one.

Member Avatar for jbennet

If your instaillation is corrupt there is an option to show the XP installer your ME cdrom (even if its an oem version). this worked on my fujitsu siemens recently

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