OS swap

[redalert]

I am currently running on Windows Me but I have a copy of Win 2k Pro that I'd like to check out. What do I need to do to erase ME and load Win 2k Pro? What steps need to be taken. Thanks for the info.

[Hpro]

Hi,
insert the Win2K cdrom change the bootsequence to cdrom then let win2k setup copy it files - when asked where you like to install then just let win2k overwrite WinMe - Using this option you will loose all DATA on the drive - if you select to format the drive - which I would advice you to do, because there will alway some files of WinMe be left - and as we all know WinMe isn't that what it supposed to be..so be sure to backup all your personal files first to whatever medium you may have handy..

Then also format to NTFS instead of using FAT32 - Win2k runs alot smoother on NTFS than using FAT32..

BTW.. you can also create a dual boot if you like to do that on the very same partition (takes up about 700 Mb disk space)- which I personally wouldn't do - because it can sometime become very confusing.. this will be only possible if you are using FAT32 because otherwise WinMe will not boot anymore..then Win2K's Bootloader will add WinMe to it's Boot.ini automatically and you will have the choice to boot to either OS..

[redalert]

Originally posted by Hpro Hi, insert the Win2K cdrom change the bootsequence to cdrom then let win2k setup copy it files - when asked where you like to install then just let win2k overwrite WinMe - Using this option you will loose all DATA on the drive - if you select to format the drive - which I would advice you to do, because there will alway some files of WinMe be left - and as we all know WinMe isn't that what it supposed to be..so be sure to backup all your personal files first to whatever medium you may have handy.. Then also format to NTFS instead of using FAT32 - Win2k runs alot smoother on NTFS than using FAT32.. BTW.. you can also create a dual boot if you like to do that on the very same partition (takes up about 700 Mb disk space)- which I personally wouldn't do - because it can sometime become very confusing.. this will be only possible if you are using FAT32 because otherwise WinMe will not boot anymore..then Win2K's Bootloader will add WinMe to it's Boot.ini automatically and you will have the choice to boot to either OS..

Thanks for the info. I am pretty heavy into gaming and I've read that Windows 2000 is crappy when it comes to playing the latest games. Is this true? What would make this so? Is there anything that could be done about it? I mean assuming 2000 is more stable which is cool since I like to tweak anything and everything, it'll be useless if I can't play Deus Ex.

[Hpro]

There are some games which will not run on win2k - but don't ask me which ones since I'm not a gamer.. the most important thing is that you install directx 8.0 for Win2k since the original Win2k comes with Directx 7.0 and there is a small bug in it - that some of the games can't access DirectX 7.0 and also can't install it or find it so the game will exit without you being able to install or run it.. This directX 8.0 can take care of very easy and so I would like to say it is worth to try..

One more thing be sure to have at least 128 Mb RAM on the machine..

If you like to go really sure that you can use almost every game then wait a little bit and get WindowsXP because it has backward compatibility mode which goes back as far as Win95.. The minus of WinXP is that the OS takes up 950 Mb Disk Space -..and also that System Requirements are rather high - I'm running BETA 2 on a P-Pro overclocked to 240 Mhz and only 64 MBram - and can say it does a good job.. The reason that I run it on the pro instead of one of the other faster machines I have is because all other Systems having already two or more OS on them ..

[mosquito]

You also have the compatibility mode option in Win2K when you apply Service Pack 2. But it usually only helps you when the application does a check for an os.

[redalert]

I just switched my OS from ME to 2000 and I wanted to install DirectX 8.0 but the Microsoft website lists that DirectX 8.0 is only compatible with 95, 98, and ME. Does this mean I cannot have DirectX 8.0!? Is there posiblly a version for 2000?

[mosquito]

Yes, there is a specific version for windows 2000, download it here

[mairving]

BTW.. you can also create a dual boot if you like to do that on the very same partition

Personal opinion is that if you are going to dual boot systems, put each OS on a separate partition. Things will go much better that way. For one, if you put your programs in C:/program files, you will be in for a great deal of confusion.

[glc]

Well - here's my suggestion.

Use Partition Magic to bust up your drive into 2 partitions. Install Win2K on the D drive using FAT32. This will keep your ME installation intact and usable. The Win2K bootloader will allow you to dual boot, and if both partitions are FAT32, both operating systems can see both partitions. There is no reason to use NTFS unless security is a concern - which on a home machine is no big deal.

You will also be able to use all your apps already installed in ME with 2K as long as you reinstall them in 2K to the same location (C:\whatever).

[Xayd]

Deus Ex is an Unreal Engine game. Unreal/Unreal Tournament actually run better and smoother under Win2k than they do under 98. You should be fine with Deus Ex .

Just be sure to download Direct X 8.0a and the latest drivers for your vid card, and everything should work fine. The only problem I had was the mouse sensitivity in Direct X apps is much higher in Win2k, so lower the mouse sensitivity in game accordingly.

Xayd

[mairving]

Actually if you did a scheme like this.

• C: Windows 98/ME
• D: Windows 2000
• E: Programs - as glc said, you can install most programs in the same place for both OS's. Some programs are only made for one or the other. In those cases you will have to install two separate instances of the same program. But if all you would use 98/ME for is games, then you really don't want all your other apps there either. I used to dual-boot everything but it comes down to a point where you use one OS about 98% of the time so what is the point. Make sure that you use PartitionMagic 6.0 as it is the only one that will work with 2000/ME.

[redalert]

Thanks for the info boys. I deciced to just go with one OS that being 2000 for now. If not for a Promise controller driver the whole procedure would have gone without a hitch. I formated the drive and installed 2000 on NTFS then installed the latest drivers for everything. So far I'm pretty impressed. I installed DirectX 8.0 and then tried High Heat 2002, which says you need 95,98, or Me to play. So far so good. I'll try this OS out for now and see how it works for all my games. If I run into a problem then I'll consider a dual boot environment. As always thanks for the help.


P.S. Go Sixers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[glc]

Note that if you are going to dual boot 2000 and 98/ME and use the 2000 boot manager, 98/ME must be installed first, on C.

[Floppyman]

Hey glc,

I have had win2k and win98se dual boot for a while. I used to have win2k on C: and win98se on D:. First time I installed win2k first and then win98se, which was a mistake, win98se wrote over the MBR and there went win2k. But I've heard you can then boot from the win2k cd and use the repair option, which then would fix the MBR and you could boot into win2k and change the boot settings, getting your dual boot prompt at startup then. Does this work?

Also, I've had times where I've reinstalled win98 which was on D:,and left win2k on C:, and win98se didn't write over the MBR after the reinstall, the dual boot menu popped up right away. Could this be because win98 left some of its file on C:, where win2k was installed. I'm guessing that if I would have wiped out C: as well it would have overwritten the MBR again, if I had reinstalled win2k first and then win98se. So therefore if you have to reinstall win98, wouldn't it be better to have win2k on C:, and then if you wiped out win2k on C: and reinstalled it, you would have a dual boot menu right away, since win98 is already there? Or does it not work that way, because win98 would keep files on C: (which then would also get wiped out if you were reinstalling win2k)?