Another big problem

Hello, me again. Please, if you're multi talented and considering being generous enough to help me, could you answer my other problem first?

Right, I bought a new desktop off a friend who built it for me. It came with 98 OS installed. I then proceeded to try installing Office 2000 (not OS, just Office) on the first day I got it. You gotta have some programs on there, right? Anyway, I started getting the missing redir.dvx (I think that was it) messages every time I logged on. With a little research on 'tinternet I discovered what to do to 'fix' this problem although I suspect I've only fixed the symptom and not the cause of the overall problem.

Now, it seems whenever I try to do anything apart from look at the lovely icons on my desktop I get a fatal exception error or 5. It's usually fatal exception at 0E but not always, I had started to right them down but the list got so long I gave up. I can't download aything without this problem occurring. My ever so helpful and much less trusted friend told me it was because I had tried to install 2000 on there. I think he was under the misguided impression that it was 2000 OS I had tried to install not Office. He suggested slapping XP on there. I went and bought XP and tried it but I can't install it becuase the fatal exception nonsense keeps happening.

I've saved absolutely nothing to the PC and I reckon that my best option may be to reformat the hard drive and start all over again installing my brand spanking new and bloody expensive copy of XP. Two things, is this likely to help me in any way, or is there a better way? and, how in hell do I do it?

 

How about posting your hardware specs? Might be useful info.

 

When you say "XP", do you mean Windows XP or Office XP?

I Office, you may want to check the compatibility for Windows 98.

If Windows, than you should be able to boot off of the Windows XP CD and just upgrade or, preferably reformat the drive.

When starting the computer, look for a screen that says "Press Any Key to Install..." or something close to it.

Someone here may be able to post some pics or helpful links to abide by.

 

Office 2000 should work ok with Win98 (at least it does on my PC )

Do you have McAfee VirusScan installed by any chance?

 

No, I don't. Is it possible that he's buggered up when putting the PC together? Could it be conflicting hardware? I'm in no way casting aspersions but I really have literally done nothing except try to download Office 2000 onto Windows 98 OS and then everything went wrong. I haven't even installed the Blueyonder drivers to go online so I haven't picked anything up that way.

I don't have any anti-virus installed (yet). I'm gonna wipe the hard drive tomorrow and start afresh with XP OS. If I have the same problems I'm gonna hunt him down and politely ask him for an explanation.

This is a mare. Literally the first day of my full time freelance writing business and it all goes belly up on two PCs. What are the chances are that? I think I might get my money back off my mate and just buy a new Dell machine.