NT/2K/XP upgrade question

[Guest]

I have a user with a dual-boot WinNT/Win2K system. The Win2K partition needs
to be upgraded to XP to comply with our company's standards, but the user
needs to keep the NT partition. Usually, we reformat the hard drive before we
install XP. Will there be any problems with formatting the Win2K partiton and
loading XP on it while maintaining the NT partition?

Thanks,
Auschten

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I have a user with a dual-boot WinNT/Win2K system. The Win2K partition needs
to be upgraded to XP to comply with our company's standards, but the user
needs to keep the NT partition. Usually, we reformat the hard drive before we
install XP. Will there be any problems with formatting the Win2K partiton and
loading XP on it while maintaining the NT partition?

Thanks,
Auschten

As long as you leave the WinNT partition intact there won't
be any problem.

 

[Frankster]

I have a user with a dual-boot WinNT/Win2K system. The Win2K partition

needs
to be upgraded to XP to comply with our company's standards, but the user
needs to keep the NT partition. Usually, we reformat the hard drive before
we
install XP. Will there be any problems with formatting the Win2K partiton
and
loading XP on it while maintaining the NT partition?

Thanks,
Auschten

If maintaining the NT partition is vitally important to you, I would just
upgrade the W2K to XP.

Whether you risk losing it or not would probably depend on the technology
used for your dual boot scenario.

-Frank

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Auschten" <[email protected]>

| I have a user with a dual-boot WinNT/Win2K system. The Win2K partition needs
| to be upgraded to XP to comply with our company's standards, but the user
| needs to keep the NT partition. Usually, we reformat the hard drive before we
| install XP. Will there be any problems with formatting the Win2K partiton and
| loading XP on it while maintaining the NT partition?
|
| Thanks,
| Auschten

Wipe it !

Wipe it all. There is no reason to use a dual-boot in a corporate environemnet plus NT4 is
a dead OS and its use can compramise the resto of the corporate network.

Don't try to conform to the need of that user, have that user conform to the needs of the
corporate standards.

 

[Guest]

As much as I would love to do so, I cannot wipe the NT partition. This
computer is hooked up to sensitive equipment that runs off that NT partition,
and I cannot take the risk of ruining anything. Nor can I simply upgrade the
2K partition (or even just leave it alone since all computers on the network
HAVE to be XP); that one has to be wiped. We've run into way too many
problems with upgrades and will only do so in the most dire of circumstances.

It may, however, be better for this user to purchase a separate
computer--making this NT system a stand-alone lab computer and having a
second networked computer be the XP system. I think this would be the better
solution, especialy if the is any chance that the NT partition could be
damaged in any way. So, the question is: wipe/reload the 2K partition, or get
a second computer? Is there any chance that NT could become corrupt? There
are vital programs and data that cannot simply be restored from backup.

Thanks,
Auschten

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If the NT partition is vitual then it is equally vital that you
create an image of it on a separate hard disk and test it
***before*** loading another OS. Playing with a vital
system without having a proven backout path is suicidal.

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Auschten" <[email protected]>

| As much as I would love to do so, I cannot wipe the NT partition. This
| computer is hooked up to sensitive equipment that runs off that NT partition,
| and I cannot take the risk of ruining anything. Nor can I simply upgrade the
| 2K partition (or even just leave it alone since all computers on the network
| HAVE to be XP); that one has to be wiped. We've run into way too many
| problems with upgrades and will only do so in the most dire of circumstances.
|
| It may, however, be better for this user to purchase a separate
| computer--making this NT system a stand-alone lab computer and having a
| second networked computer be the XP system. I think this would be the better
| solution, especialy if the is any chance that the NT partition could be
| damaged in any way. So, the question is: wipe/reload the 2K partition, or get
| a second computer? Is there any chance that NT could become corrupt? There
| are vital programs and data that cannot simply be restored from backup.
|
| Thanks,
| Auschten

A separate computer running WinXP and the NT4 computer NOT bing hooked up to the network
would be a better way to go.

And you can delete the Win2K OS tree.

Are you using some sort of specialty HPIB, RS-422 or data acquisition hardware/software
combination that is certified on NT4 and not on WinXP ?

 

[Steve N.]

From: "Auschten" <[email protected]>

| I have a user with a dual-boot WinNT/Win2K system. The Win2K partition needs
| to be upgraded to XP to comply with our company's standards, but the user
| needs to keep the NT partition. Usually, we reformat the hard drive before we
| install XP. Will there be any problems with formatting the Win2K partiton and
| loading XP on it while maintaining the NT partition?
|
| Thanks,
| Auschten

Wipe it !

Wipe it all. There is no reason to use a dual-boot in a corporate environemnet

There is obviously a reason or the OP wouldn't have asked about it and
there's nothing wrong with dual booting in a corporate or other environment.

plus NT4 is
a dead OS

No it's not. Not officially supported by MS doesn't make an OS "dead".

and its use can compramise the resto of the corporate network.

I disagree. A properley configured and protected network should be able
support _any_ properly configured and protected OS.

Don't try to conform to the need of that user, have that user conform to the needs of the
corporate standards.

How do you know it is the user with the issue? You're jumping to
conclusions here Dave.

Steve N.

 

[Steve N.]

As much as I would love to do so, I cannot wipe the NT partition. This
computer is hooked up to sensitive equipment that runs off that NT partition,
and I cannot take the risk of ruining anything. Nor can I simply upgrade the
2K partition (or even just leave it alone since all computers on the network
HAVE to be XP); that one has to be wiped. We've run into way too many
problems with upgrades and will only do so in the most dire of circumstances.

It may, however, be better for this user to purchase a separate
computer--making this NT system a stand-alone lab computer and having a
second networked computer be the XP system. I think this would be the better
solution, especialy if the is any chance that the NT partition could be
damaged in any way. So, the question is: wipe/reload the 2K partition, or get
a second computer? Is there any chance that NT could become corrupt? There
are vital programs and data that cannot simply be restored from backup.

Thanks,
Auschten

If it is possible to purchase a 2nd PC with XP for network use then I
would definitely recommend doing so. Although XP upgrades are purported
to have gone very well for the most part (I have personally done none)
there is always a chance of something going wrong. So yes, to err on the
side of safety get a 2nd XP CD is the best possible choice IMO.

Steve N.

 

[Guest]

Frankly, I have no idea exactly what equipment is hooked up to this machine,
but thanks to everyone's responses, it has been decided that a second machine
will be purchased. Which is extremely good, cause I'm sick of doing upgrades!


Thanks all!
Auschten

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Steve N." <[email protected]>


| How do you know it is the user with the issue? You're jumping to
| conclusions here Dave.
|
| Steve N.

Its an assumption I'm willing to make

NT4 is a dead OS unless the company has a pre-paid subscription to Microsoft for security
patches.

 

[Guest]

I agree.

There is obviously a reason or the OP wouldn't have asked about it and
there's nothing wrong with dual booting in a corporate or other environment.



No it's not. Not officially supported by MS doesn't make an OS "dead".


I disagree. A properley configured and protected network should be able
support _any_ properly configured and protected OS.


How do you know it is the user with the issue? You're jumping to
conclusions here Dave.

Steve N.