Install Vista over 2000

[mommio2]

Hello, I have to install Windows Vista Business over Windows 2000 on
several school computers, then roll it back to XP. Do I need to remove the
2000 first? Need advice on the easiest way to accomplish this, please.
Thanks!

 

[Malke]

Hello, I have to install Windows Vista Business over Windows 2000 on
several school computers, then roll it back to XP. Do I need to remove
the
2000 first? Need advice on the easiest way to accomplish this, please.
Thanks!

I'm sorry but this doesn't make any sense. You can't roll Vista back to XP.
It would have to be a clean install. It is unlikely that computers designed
for Windows 2000 can support Vista anyway.

Do a clean install of XP since this is what you want anyway.

Malke

 

[Rick Rogers]

Hi,

Vista doesn't install over (upgrade) Win2000, it creates a new install and
moves the existing OS files to a windows.old folder on the root of the
drive.

To "roll back" to XP, you will need to delete (not just format) the existing
system and rebuild it from XP setup in order to install XP. This will cause
the loss of all data currently on that volume. XP cannot install to a
Vista-created volume, though it can read/write to one.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
Vote for my shoe: http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

 

[mommio2]

OK, sorry...I said it wrong. I have to install Vista Business on some Win
2000 machines. It is the version of Vista that you can make emulate Win XP.
That's what I meant by "roll back". Not sure if I said that correctly, but
what we will end up with is a computer that looks and acts like XP. I am
not sure how this works, as I have never done it before. I guess I just
need to know if I have to uninstall anything first before I begin. Thanks.

 

[Malke]

OK, sorry...I said it wrong. I have to install Vista Business on some Win
2000 machines. It is the version of Vista that you can make emulate Win
XP.
That's what I meant by "roll back". Not sure if I said that correctly,
but
what we will end up with is a computer that looks and acts like XP. I am
not sure how this works, as I have never done it before. I guess I just
need to know if I have to uninstall anything first before I begin.
Thanks.

There is no version of Vista that you can "make emulate Win XP". You may be
thinking of the capability of some versions of the upcoming Windows 7 to
include a "Windows XP Mode" but this mode is only supported on specific
hardware. There is no way that processors in machines designed for Win2k
will meet those requirements. Again, it is very unlikely in general that
computers designed to run Windows 2000 will support Vista. Either simply
upgrade those computers to XP - which is certainly still available - or
purchase new computers running whatever operating system you need.

I don't mean to hurt your feelings in any way, but based on your posts you
would be best served by having a local computer tech/consultant come
on-site to help you figure out what you need. This will not be someone from
a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place.

Malke

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Mommio2.

You need to figure out and then tell us:

(a) Where are you now? Make and model of computers, including any
modifications that may have been made, especially in hard drive and other
peripheral configuration. It may or may not matter what Windows version is
on there now, but tell us anyhow.

(b) See below.

(c) Where do you want to end up? Which Windows version? And it would
help if you tell us exactly what you want to do with the computers so that
we can help you configure the new Windows properly.

When you tell us (a) and (c), we probably can help you fill in (b), how to
get from here to there.

It sounds like you might also need to tell us (d) what resource constraints
you must deal with. Limited budget? Already have Vista Business and trying
to "make it work" to fit your situation so that you don't have to buy WinXP?
Maybe your hardware won't run Vista but will run WinXP? It's hard for us or
anybody to help you unless we know your resources, your goals and your
constraints.

I agree with Malke: "Do a clean install of XP since this is what you want
anyway."

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8064.0206) in Win7 Ultimate x64 RC 7100