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Dual boot - Windows 2000 is installed alongside another operating system (typically Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0) in a dual-boot scenario where the user is given a menu of OSes to choose from when the system boots up. Applications will need to be installed separately for Windows 2000, and the OS must be installed on a separate hard drive or partition from the existing OS.
Upgrade - Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 is upgraded to Windows 2000, effectively swapping the old operating system for the new one, but leaving most applications intact.
Hardware Requirements
Before deploying a new operating system, many are initially concerned with the minimum hardware requirements. This is one of the most frequently asked questions, yet it largely depends on the individual circumstances. For example, if your only need is to become acquainted with the user interface of Windows 2000 Server on your computer at home, you can feasibly install the operating system on a Pentium 133 with the minimal amount of RAM. Although this may serve your needs, using this system in a production environment would only serve at best as a space heater.
The hardware requirements for
Windows 2000 are rather steep, and it is highly recommended that you take into
account your plans for the system. For example, if you plan to use a Windows
2000 Server as domain controller supporting several thousand users, you will
likely want to exceed the listed requirements
Installing Windows
2000 Server
Installing Windows 2000 Server is relatively straightforward. However, you should
make a few decisions before you start the Setup process — in particular:
The partitions arrangement for the server's disk. You can set the entire disk
up as a single partition, or you can subdivide the disk into several smaller
partitions that are easier to manage.
The file system to use for each Windows 2000 volume. Windows 2000 Server supports
three file systems: NTSF, FAT, and FAT32. In most cases, you should create NTSF
volumes.
The name of the domain that the server belongs to and whether the server is
a domain controller.
The server's computer name.
The password for the administrator account.
After you start the Setup program, you simply follow the instructions that appear on the screen and provide any information that the Setup program requests. In most cases, the Setup program gives you default choices that allow you to create a functioning server.
One thing that isn't provided in Windows 2000 Setup is the ability to choose which optional components to install. This very basic feature is available during the install of Windows NT 4.0, Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 98 Second Edition: I have no idea why it was left out of Windows 2000 Professional. During the Windows 2000 beta, I repeatedly complained about this omission to Microsoft and they actually added this capability to Server and Advanced Server during the RC1 timeframe
Hard Disk Partitioning
If you are performing a new installation of Windows 2000, you will need to consider how you will partition your hard disks; an upgrade will not require this because an upgrade will use your already existing partitions. Partitioning allows you to divide your hard disk into one or more isolated sections that can be formatted for a particular file system such as FAT, FAT32, or NTFS.
If you do not already have a partitioning plan, it may be a good idea to seek out further information relative to your specific needs before performing Setup. If you plan to use multiple partitions, it is important that you allow enough room for the data that will be grouped on the individual partitions. For example, the requirements in Table 1.1 indicate that you need at least 900MB of disk space on the partition that will contain the system files. You should, however, plan for future growth and allow more space than what is needed at the time.
Choosing a File System
Before installing Windows 2000, you should also determine the type of file system you require (e.g., NTFS, FAT, FAT32). If you are familiar with previous versions of Windows NT, you may recall that NTFS is the preferred file system—even more so with Windows 2000
enough of that? Get a break with
some games