several newbie questions

[tironsi]

First of all, I installed Win2k on a 2GB partition and when asked about the FS I chose FAT (the second time I installed it), thinking it would use FAT32, instead of NTFS. Is there a way during the install to pick FAT32? Is there a way to convert FAT to FAT32 without loss of data (don't want to go through the install ordeal for a fourth time)?
Speaking of FS, I noticed that when I used FAT boot time was at least 20 seconds shorter than when I used NTFS. Has anyone else noticed this or did my mind make it up?
Now, the first time I installed I used NTFS and while playing around I managed to use all but 7MB of the partition. I had the swap file set at default level. When I rebooted, Win2k would not load to the end. It would ask me to adjust the swap settings. Same thing happened when I tried safe mode. So I booted to console mode using the setup disks, and deleted some files. What a pain that was since you can only delete from the system directory, one file at a time.
Even after having deleted the files and having gained back about 150MB (I still had the ServicePack2 files and I also deleted that driver cab file) win2k could not load. So I tried the repair and previous configuration options but they didn't work either. I also got in a similar predicament when I changed the startup type of all the services to manual to see if it was really true that they didn't have to be automatic--damn ZDNET!!! (In this case the win2k would load but after a while svchost.exe and another service were taking 100% CPU cycles and I couldn't change the settings back to automatic) So here are some questions:

Are there any NTFS boot disks? I am not using NTFS again and Win9x boot disks will work but I'm just curious.
How should I have handled the above situations (after having gotten to the problems)?
Where does Win2k store those kind of settings? Are they all in the registry?
Is there an easy way to backup and restore the registry like in Win9x (meaning manually from a boot disk if necessary)? I know that the Backup utility will backup the registry, but it also backs up some other files and I wouldn't know how to restore from a boot disk anyway.

Whew...long post...if anyone has any answers/tips/insight to any of my questions I would greatly appreciate it


thanks

[Hpro]

Hi TI,
first off Win2k will store it's defaults in c:\winnt\system32\config there sre several files almost like in win98 for the registry but there isn't actually a restore option which lets you choose a backup as long you didn't made a copy of profile1 and saved it which can be done from within Control panel >System Properties > Hardware > Hardware Profiles..eventually Wickedlittleslavyboy can give you more Ideas ..
The Manual REPAIR Option will allow you to restore the BOOT FILES - SYSTEM FILES and also all Critical Files = STARTUP FILES for Windows to run - you will have a otpion to select what you like to restore.. Press R then M and then L when asked what you like to do..

To change Services back to Automatic this can be also done in Control Panel Administrative Tools > SERVICES >right click on any of the Services listed there and then select Properties and there you will have the option to change the startup of this services between Manual Automatic and disabled from the same window you can even STOP a Service from working..

Why are you booting the computer from Bootdisks? The Win2K Cdrom is a bootable cdrom and it will boot into NTFS as well as FAT or FAT32.. If you use Repair mode then be sure to use Manual mode and not Console mode - this is what I think you did - then also if your Pagefile was making you problems then a Chkdsk and enter will tell you what command line to use to repair the drive form within the "Console Repair Mode" because CHKDSK /F will not do the job when called from the Console Repair Mode.. CHKDSK will also search for strange registry entries and also take care of Corrupted PAGE FILE..as for the Page file is in the ROOT named Pagefile.sys and it is special hidden..

Running CHKDSK from within the Repair console Mode doesn't use the same switches as it will use from within Windows Command Prompt..

BTW the setup of Win2k is the most easy Setup I've ever come across...

About CNET GURUS - before Cnet changed to the new one Online Message Boards there where quite a few goot High Tech Guys solving problems and giving solutions but after the change I didn't found one of them leaving alot of wannabees out there.. Sorry this is the truth
Hope this helps

[tironsi]

>>Hi TI,
first off Win2k will store it's defaults in c:\winnt\system32\config there sre several files almost like in win98 for the registry but there isn't actually a restore option which lets you choose a backup as long you didn't made a copy of profile1 and saved it which can be done from within Control panel >System Properties > Hardware > Hardware Profiles..eventually Wickedlittleslavyboy can give you more Ideas .. <<

What settings does the hardware profile? I thought it just stored settings having to do with the hardware, so if you didn't add or remove any hardware it was not of much use to back up the profile.

>>The Manual REPAIR Option will allow you to restore the BOOT FILES - SYSTEM FILES and also all Critical Files = STARTUP FILES for Windows to run - you will have a otpion to select what you like to restore.. Press R then M and then L when asked what you like to do.. <<

I had tried the restore options but they did not fix anything (I suppose since not much was corrupted--just some setting).

>>To change Services back to Automatic this can be also done in Control Panel Administrative Tools > SERVICES >right click on any of the Services listed there and then select Properties and there you will have the option to change the startup of this services between Manual Automatic and disabled from the same window you can even STOP a Service from working.. <<

Well, I know this but it would not allow me to change the settings because the CPU usage would go to 100% and I couldn't end them. In the case that I did manage to sneak a change in the setting, the program would either freeze or the setting would go back to manual.

>>Why are you booting the computer from Bootdisks? The Win2K Cdrom is a bootable cdrom and it will boot into NTFS as well as FAT or FAT32.. If you use Repair mode then be sure to use Manual mode and not Console mode<<

I naively thought that the floppies (since I made them after the install) would have stored the settings of my machine, would not load all sorts of drivers and would thus be faster. Plus, I have disabled the boot from cd option because from time to time I would leave the Mandrake CD which would go into the install (not that it would install anything but it was annoying). As I said, the repair option did not work, that's why I tried console. The console mode I suppose is supposed to protect prive data and settings and that's why it's so pitiful. The Win9x boot disks have a lot more functionality than the console mode.

>>BTW the setup of Win2k is the most easy Setup I've ever come across...<<

It's easy, it's just that it takes an hour on my crappy machine and it doesn't ask for all the settings in the beginning so you have to check up on it from time to time to make sure it's installing and not just waiting for input.

>>About CNET GURUS - before Cnet changed to the new one Online Message Boards there where quite a few goot High Tech Guys solving problems and giving solutions but after the change I didn't found one of them leaving alot of wannabees out there.. Sorry this is the truth<<

I don't have anything against the C|net gurus, I just saw an article on ZDnet saying that you could safely change the setting of the services to manual because if Windows needed a service it would just start it. Well, I took them at their word and tried it to the extreme (by changing all the services to see what would happen) and my computer choked on it. Maybe a faster computer can handle it. Have you tried changing them all to manual and see what happens?
My computer is a P166MMX with 64MB, a 2.5GB and a 10GB. I don't have any dough to buy a better one so I have to make do.

thanks for replying Chris, the info on the swap file is useful to know for another time,

tironsi

[WickedLittleSlaveBoy]

hey Tironsi, nice to see you.

let me see.....

Speaking of FS, I noticed that when I used FAT boot time was at least 20 seconds shorter than when I used NTFS. Has anyone else noticed this or did my mind make it up?

ok, I would say that you're probably right, but it doesn't have anything to do with one FS being better or worse than the other....the difference you're noticing is most likely the difference in cluster sizes. I believe FAT32 @ 2G uses a 4KB cluster size by default and NTFS uses a 512 byte cluster size by default(I think, my memory isn't so good, these days). read performance is better for large files at 4KB, because more information is being read with each disk read. you sacrifice storage space for speed, at the higher cluster sizes....NTFS handles higher cluster sizes, as well....but you have to format the drive previous to installation.

Are there any NTFS boot disks?

yes, but the good one isn't free. check out NTFS4DOS, it lets you access NTFS filesystems from DOS.

Is there an easy way to backup and restore the registry like in Win9x (meaning manually from a boot disk if necessary)?

yes, there is....but M$ is being stingy with it, so the only way you can get the utilities is to buy the resource kit.

the utilities are "regback.exe" and "regrest.exe"...basically, regback copies the components of the registry from \WINNT\system32\config and regrest copies them back. the only real benefit of doing it that way is that you can do it from a running system....otherwise, you could just do it manually from a DOS boot disk and achieve the same results.

email me when you get a chance, if you want.