Install W2K over XP

[Jberlin]

Has anyone installed Windows 2000 Pro over XP? My
organization has standardized on Win2K and Dell, but Dell
is no longer offering 2K as an OS option (Or is making as
difficult as possible). The XP system will have NTFS file
system. I have a copy of 2K and I assume the Product ID
will be good for it. Are there any other issues I should
be aware of?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

One cannot install an older operating system over a newer
operating system...a "clean install" is required.

The Windows 2000 CD is bootable and contains all the tools necessary
to partition and format your drive. Follow this procedure and allow
Windows 2000 to partition and format your drive:

NOTE: It would be best to physically disconnect all your peripheral hardware
devices, except the monitor, mouse and keyboard, before installing W2K.

NOTE: If you have an internal Zip Drive installed, physically disconnect the
EIDE and power cable to it before proceeding, otherwise your main
hard drive may not be assigned the customary C: drive letter.
After installing Windows 2000, you may then reconnect it.

1. Open your BIOS and set your "CD Drive as the first bootable device".

===> Accessing Motherboard BIOS
===> http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm

2. Insert your Windows 2000 CD in the CD Drive and reboot your computer.
3. You'll see a message to boot to the CD....follow the instructions.
4. The setup menu will appear and you should elect to delete all the existing
Windows partitions, then create a new partition, then format the primary
partition (preferably NTFS) and proceed to install Windows 2000.

5. Clean Install Windows (same for Windows 2000)
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

[Courtesy of Michael Stevens, MS-MVP]

6. After Windows 2000 is installed, visit the Windows Update website
and download the available "Critical Updates", begining with SP4.

7. After installing the critical updates, be sure and visit the support website
of the manufacturer of the computer to download and install any
available Windows 2000 compatible drivers, such as video adapter
and audio drivers.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User

Be Smart! Protect Your PC!
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

----------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| Has anyone installed Windows 2000 Pro over XP? My
| organization has standardized on Win2K and Dell, but Dell
| is no longer offering 2K as an OS option (Or is making as
| difficult as possible). The XP system will have NTFS file
| system. I have a copy of 2K and I assume the Product ID
| will be good for it. Are there any other issues I should
| be aware of?

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Has anyone installed Windows 2000 Pro over XP? My
organization has standardized on Win2K and Dell, but Dell
is no longer offering 2K as an OS option (Or is making as
difficult as possible). The XP system will have NTFS file
system. I have a copy of 2K and I assume the Product ID
will be good for it. Are there any other issues I should
be aware of?

There is no "rollback" to Win2K. To replace WinXP with an earlier
OS, you'll have to boot from the appropriate boot disk, format the
hard drive, and install. There is no supported downgrade path or
technique. Additionally, there is no supported upgrade or downgrade
path to migrate between a workstation OS and a server OS, in either
direction. A clean installation is required.

Simply boot from the Win2K installation CD. You'll be offered the
opportunity to delete, create, and/or format the system partition as
part of the installation process. (You may need to re-arrange the
order of boot devices in the PC's BIOS to boot from the CD.)

--

Bruce Chambers

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