The second drive is where I keep everything but the operating system. The 4 partitions hold applications, data, Internet tools, and the last partition is for the swap file and the Windows temporary directory. By having a separate partition for the swap file and the temp files means they don't cause problems such as filling up the C: drive and crashing the system.

The first drive has nothing but operating system related files. Or files that Microsoft refuses to put anyplace but the first drive, C:\.

First do a cleanup of the hard drive. At a minimum delete all TMP files. Empty the Recycle Bin. 

Stop any actions you have going on with the Screen Saver. 

Close all running applications. This includes utilities that run in the background, such as virus protection programs.

It is a good idea to perform a Scandisk and Defrag of C:\ drive before you do the install. At a minimum this can find problems before you start the install.

While the Defrag is doing it's thing you can be reading the Quick Start Guide. I don't think you will learn anything but you never know. So many pages so little information. Sections worth review: Getting Help and Support (page 33) and Installing Windows Me on a clean Hard Disk (page 39.) 

The primary reason in moving the install files to the hard drive is that I no longer need to find and insert the CD into the CD-ROM whenever the OS requires these files (generally during some kind of system change.)

You will find the install files in the win9x directory on the CD. Insert the CD and from Windows Explorer Open the CD. Select and copy the directory win9x. Now you will need to decide where this directory will be placed on your hard drive. Once you have Paste to this location. I have put this directory into my Database partition under the root directory (E:\win9x)

Once I do the install from this new location the OS will never ask for the CD again but just get what it needs from E:\win9x.

note: There are utilities and other info that Windows Me doesn't initially install that you may need as you acquire more skill with the OS so don't lose the CD.

Another trick is to create a text file with a name equal to the Product Key that is on the back of the Windows Me CD package. I also write the key into the text file. I store this file in the same directory as the Windows Me install files. Now if I have to re-install Windows Me I have the install files and the Product Key within easy reach.

The install on my system took 1 hour. Times vary.

I wasn't paying to much attention during the install but I believe it will reboot your computer 3 times.

Once the install is complete and it reboots for the last time it will still be a few minutes before it is completely done setting up Windows Me.

My second problem was making a Dial-up connection with my ISP. Some times the ISP is busy and it will not log-on. I cancel and try again. When I did this it crashed. I couldn't dial with anything because the system thought something was using the modem. I had to restart the system. Even though it shutdown OK it still ran scandisk when I restarted the computer. note: Not the DOS Scandisk but a special version of the Windows Scandisk. After the restart I was able to start a Dial-up and cancel the operation without crashing the system. Why this problem? I don't know.

ps: I can repeat the Dial-up bug. Don't cancel when Dial-up is trying to verify username and password. It is Disconnecting but never does. It cannot disconnect (hang-up the modem?) 

In the Quick Start Guide it has instructions on transferring an existing Internet account to your new computer (page 17.) This is something you DO NOT need to do. This is just for someone who had to install Windows Me on a blank hard drive and needs to re-connect with their ISP.

could be problem: When I shutdown for the night after doing the install it didn't go all the way to the shutdown message. What I got was that little flashing cursor. When I started the computer in the morning Windows Me ran Scandisk. This problem has only happened once. This problem has been repaired.

could be problem: I auto-hide my taskbar. The problem I'm seeing is it will not appear when I move the mouse to the Taskbar zone. I have to use the Windows button on the keyboard to get the Taskbar to appear. It better not be enhancement.

this is not a problem: When you use Windows Me for the first time you will think that the OS is broken. I was banging, clicking, screaming, because everything was so slow respond. Much of that will disappear after a time. I think part of the problem is with the ICON cache. Windows Me may empty it when it installs. This means the first time an ICON is used it has to be loaded from disk. Once it is viewed it will go into cache and from then on it is loaded very quickly.

I keep getting warnings about some action I am taking could be dangerous and should I proceed. I know this is just Microsoft being conservative but for the average user this is going to be very confusing. Will they just cancel the action, such as downloading an mpeg movie, or continue. ps: I wasn't using Internet Explorer but Netscape when I got this warning.

Another time I was using the RealAudio player and got a warning that RealAudio wasn't the default for some types and should I make it the default. I had no idea what they were talking about.

where did it go? They moved things around. I don't know the extent of it but if you open My Computer you no longer have Printers and Dial-up Networking. You need to go to the Control Panel. What else is moved?

update: A few hours after writing this I went to the Windows Update page and download the Critical Updates. Still have all the problems.