Win 2000 Installation

[sourboy]

Some of you may already know from other threads, but I have a computer I am working on that needs to be reformatted. Unfortunately, the recovery discs failed and the Tech Support said "well there's one thing I can do for you, refund your money for the call."

Gee, thanks.

So now it's been decided that the computer will be manually reformatted, and have a new OS installed (Win 2000). Now I've only done this once, and it was with Win 98. My question is, are there any unusual things that need to be done with the Win 2000 O/S (I've never used it) that aren't on the old 98/95 versions?

My process is as follows:

1) do a 'format c:'
2) use boot disk (gotta still find/create one) to set up reading of CD-Rom
3) use Win 2000 CD & follow setup instructions (hopefully they are standard)

like I said, I've only done this once...kinda worried since it's not my computer.

Thanks for any input.

 

[Turner]

We used to use Win2k at work, until we went with WinXPPro. The Win2k discs we had could boot off the floppy. I'm not sure how old your system is, but the bios should be able to boot from the CD. I would try that first, to save some time. If you can boot the Win2k disc, then all's good. Otherwise, I'd do like you asked.

 

[Grisu]

as turner said, the win2k cd-rom is a bootable cd. you should be able to boot directly from it.

additionally, you don't really need to do a format c: first, you can hav your discs formatted in the setup process (you'd propably want to format the disc in ntfs-format anyway).

other than that, the installation process is pretty similar to win98 (just easier IIRC).

don't worry you can't really break anything (except the data, but that will be gone anyway once you format the disc). the worst thing that can happen is that you end up with a non-running-os in which case you'd have to start over again

 

[Jeratain]

Like Turner said, you can boot from the CD so you don't even need to bother with the floppy boot disk (but this only applies if your motherboard/BIOS is recent enough to include that feature. What you would do is enter your BIOS and change the boot order for devices. Instead of floppy, put CDROM as your primary boot source, then stick the Win2k disk in your CD ROM. Save and exit the BIOS. Your computer should prompt you to load from the CD. Then the setup screen should load.

In the Win2k and XP setup you can format, partition, and edit current partitions. So you don't need to use fdisk or the DOS format program if you don't want to. I recommend setting up an extra partition on your drive.

Also, it's a good idea to use the NTFS format for stability and security. However keep in mind that FAT and FAT32 formats will have issues communicating with an NTFS file system. So if you have other computers. (you can still network them and whatnot).

The setup is pretty self-explanatory after you get past the initial blue screen setup. Make sure once you have installed the OS you immediately download the service packs and updates, otherwise your computer will be at great risk.

EDIT: Kaeptn beat me to it

 

[sourboy]

Why do you imply that I wouldn't need to do a reformat?

The computer is maybe a year old, it's running Win ME, but is loaded with spyware, trojan ad pops, and I'm sure a virus or two - meaning a "format c:" is a must. The recovery CD is not working, and so it was decided that Win2000 will be installed after a reformat. Are you saying if I boot off the Win2000 CD that it will have the option of reformatting at that time?

 

[Jeratain]

Originally posted by sourboy
Are you saying if I boot off the Win2000 CD that it will have the option of reformatting at that time?

Yes. We never said don't reformat It will allow you to create/delete partitions, and format them. As said earlier, you are better off using an NTFS file system.

 

[Duke Togo]

I've been using Windows 2000 since the day it was released, and I can't say enough good things about it. Reformatting with NTFS is the way to go. Just plop in the disc, and follow the screen prompts. Of course, that is taking for granted the fact that your computer supports booting from CD...

 

[Pongui]

Originally posted by Jeratain
What you would do is enter your BIOS and change the boot order for devices. Instead of floppy, put CDROM as your primary boot source

I would check that CD-ROM is on the boot list before deciding a floppy is necessary. It needn't be first in order, though, and playing with the list only gives you one more thing to forget about. The new owner may never guess why the CD drive spins a while on every bootup! If possible, just confirm the sequence HD, floppy, CD.

 

[Duke Togo]

A HD, Floppy, CD sequence wouldn't work, because his HD would boot first, bringing him to Windows 98 instead of the Win2000 installation menu. CD has to be before HD.

 

[Pongui]

Sure it would work if he formats his HD. Bye-bye boot sector.

In the rare event he'd ever need to bypass a bootable OS on the HD (virus removal) he could then change the order in BIOS. Never had to do that myself.

Oh.

I see. We want to make a NTFS primary partition, available only through the Win2000 CD. Good advice guys!

Do remember to set the order back, else you waste time every bootup just searching drives.

 

[Duke Togo]

Yes, the format happens during the installation process. Only way that is going to happen is to have the CD Boot before the HD.

 

[sourboy]

so change BIOS to hit the CD-ROM before HD and It will install Win2000 & prompt me for a reformat in the process - then after it's done change BIOS boot order back to normal?

 

[Duke Togo]

Yes, and if you like. Mine is default Floppy, CD, HD. I wquld tend to think most are set up that way these days.

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by sourboy
so change BIOS to hit the CD-ROM before HD and It will install Win2000 & prompt me for a reformat in the process - then after it's done change BIOS boot order back to normal?

Or even leave it that way. As long as you don't have a bootable disk in the CD, it will bypass the CD and go for the HD. But it will stall on the floppy if there isn't a bootable floppy in the floppy drive.