I want to install Windows 2000 on a Windows ME machine...how do I do it ?

[Stoneislander]

Hello gents,

I need some help. I have an IBM Netvista machine/pc and want to install Windows 2000. Do I need to uninstall ME before doing so ?

If someone can give me exact details of what and how I do it I would be grateful.

You can email me at {email addy removed for your security: mucks} if this helps...

Thanks for your time.
Chris

 

[muckshifter]

I wouldn't bother ...

But this may help ...

http://www.tweak3d.net/articles/win2kdualboot/

 

[Stoneislander]

thanks

but why don't you think its worth uninstalling ME before installing Win 2000 ?

 

[floppybootstomp]

If it were me, I'd lose ME and go Win 2K.

Boot from the Win 2K CD and during the installation process format the hard disk, ignoring any warning about overwriting another Windows operating system.

I'd personally format in NTFS but the option to format in FAT 32 is there should you so wish.

ME was/is the most accident prone/useless OS MS ever foisted upon us. In my opinion

 

[muckshifter]

but why don't you think its worth uninstalling ME before installing Win 2000 ?

I just wouldn't bother dual-booting ... though Floppy does not particularly like ME, I found no bother with it.

Same as any other OS ... know what it is capable off ... ME has a bad reputation.

Win 2000 (NT) is a very stable OS, and with the right 'updates' can even play games ... but was primarily designed for business.

What PC have you ... ?

 

[Stoneislander]

FLOPPYBOOTSTOMP - You say boot from the CD. How do I ensure that I can do this ? Do I just put the CD in and reboot the machine ? Will it automatically pick up the CD rom or do I have to make changes prior to this happening ? I am a novice and need exact user friendly instructions...

 

[Stoneislander]

MUCKSHIFTER - All i know is that its an IBM P111-866 machine. I just need the easiest and user friendliest way of doing this without cocking it up...lol

 

[floppybootstomp]

FLOPPYBOOTSTOMP - You say boot from the CD. How do I ensure that I can do this ? Do I just put the CD in and reboot the machine ? Will it automatically pick up the CD rom or do I have to make changes prior to this happening ? I am a novice and need exact user friendly instructions...

Ah, ok, sorry, you need to go into the bios and find the section named 'Boot Options' 'Boot priority' or similar and then set first boot device to CD/DVD.

You can usually enter the Bios at boot by pressing either of the 'del' keys then use the keyboard to navigate. The Bios screen usually displays navigation instructions.

If in doubt how to enter and navigate Bios, consult your user manual or post here again

Once you've selected first boot option to CD (and saved bios settings, usually by pressing F10 key), put in the Win 2K CD, shut machine down, then turn it on again. Keep an eye on the screen, it may say 'press any key to boot from CD' or it may just boot straight into Win 2K setup.

Once you've started the installation process you'll be given the option to format whole disk prior to installation.

And once you've installed, make sure to get all Service packs and updates from Microsoft.

 

[muckshifter]

Nope Not That Way ...

Sorry Floppy but NOT with Win 2000 ... it will overwrite the MBR and no more Win ME (which is not a failing really )


No ... in this instant you need ME installed first.

Then just pop the Win 2000 CD in the drive and it will auto-start.

Now here is the tough bit ...

It will ask if you want install, you need to say yest BUT if you don't do it correctly it will also wipe out ME ... it is a very long time ago sisnce I have done this but you have to be very carefully with what happens on the screen ... but you DO need to do it this way.

Sorry, memory is failing on something I did 5 years ago.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Sorry Floppy but NOT with Win 2000 ... it will overwrite the MBR and no more Win ME (which is not a failing really )

Well, what I suggested was the whole idea really.

Advice I offered was NOT about dual booting but losing ME altogether.

In which case the advice I offered was sound.

If Stoneislander wants dual boot and to retain ME, then yes, by all means I'd say look at the link you provided and follow that root.

My suggestion was lose ME altogether.

I mean why, why would anybody want to retain ME when they have a copy of Win 2K?

If we're talking gaming then maybe Win XP should be considered.

Win ME is a flawed and dated OS, it needs binning.

In my opinion

 

[muckshifter]

... and to really use ME and 2000 on the same PC, you really need to have two partitions. ME will wan't to use FAT32 but 2000 will use FAT16 or maybe NTFS?

Now you see why I was reluctent to say too much.

1. I can't remember, & 2. if you don't do it right ... poof ... no more ME.

 

[muckshifter]

Well, what I suggested was the whole idea really.

Advice I offered was NOT about dual booting but losing ME altogether.

In which case the advice I offered was sound.

If Stoneislander wants dual boot and to retain ME, then yes, by all means I'd say look at the link you provided and follow that root.

My suggestion was lose ME altogether.

I mean why, why would anybody want to retain ME when they have a copy of Win 2K?

If we're talking gaming then maybe Win XP should be considered.

Win ME is a flawed and dated OS, it needs binning.

In my opinion

Oh, right

me not read all, me go stand in corner ...


I agree ... one or the other NOT both.

 

[floppybootstomp]

... and to really use ME and 2000 on the same PC, you really need to have two partitions. ME will wan't to use FAT32 but 2000 will use FAT16 or maybe NTFS?

Now you see why I was reluctent to say too much.

1. I can't remember, & 2. if you don't do it right ... poof ... no more ME.

A new partition will have to be created, yes.

This can be done with software such as Partition Manager 8 or as I recall can be done within Win 2K setup, but that's a little trickier.

If you're going to create a partition, you'll get the option to choose format. I think NTFS is best for Win 2K but it will install to a FAT 32 partition.

Once a seperate partition has been created and Win 2K installed to it, MS actually makes it fairly foolproof to set up a dual boot.

But as I said earlier, who in their right mind would want to keep ME?

 

[Stoneislander]

Hello gents, well what can I say. You have both given me invaluable options to undertake this quest. If I do it right then I will save myself £40 which is what one local company said they would charge me for doing this. If I get it wrong it could cost me a fortune in putting it right, but I feel I have the power and knowledge now to go out and command £50k a year as an IT consultant...lol

I really do appreciate you efforts and help and if its ok with you both, if I get stuck or make a mess of it can I come and bend your ears...????

Thanks again
Chris

 

[muckshifter]

You can bend our ears all you like ... that old sod is going on a short holiday and this old sod can't remember. Mind you, that PC you have is older than us both.



We both recommend just installing Win 2000, on its own, by itself ... if you you have 'work' on the PC at the moment you need to keep, then back it up.

 

[glohworm]

There's a program called "System Commander", v 8.1, which allows one to install 4 or more OS's on the same primary partition. It also allows those of us who are using XP to boot easily into "True DOS" mode, which is really great for updating firmware, etc.

Gareth

 

[glohworm]

Oh, and by the way, I still keep Win Me simply because I have an old HP all-in-one printer that I've loved from the getgo and HP never bothered to update the drivers for XP.

Gareth

 

[Stoneislander]

Help

Hi gents,

I have rebooted my machione with ME on it into Dos and changed the primary sequence to boot from CD and it started doing the install, now its come up with a screen which says:

Setup could not read the CD you inserted, or the CD is not from Windows NT 3.51 or Windows NT 4.0

Please insert yout Windows NT 4.0, NT 3.51, 98 0r 95 CD into the CD drive.

Well, I don't have any of these Cd's as its an ME machine and on this machine I don't have a CD to boot into ME, its all copied onto the Ghost part of the hard drive so it copies it from there.

What do I do now ?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Do you have your Win 2K CD in the drive when you switch the machine on?

That's not DOS where you changed boot priority, that would be the motherboard's BIOS.

Well at least I hope it was.

I'm not quite sure what's going on here to be honest but if machine is set to boot from CD drive and your Win 2K CD is in the CD drive, it should boot from it.

 

[Stoneislander]

I made the changes to boot from CD and it does to a point, but I have been told to reformat the whole hard drive, but I don't know how to do that !?!??!