Clean Install Windows 2000

I purchased a used laptop with WinXP Pro installed. Tried using it for about 3 months and hate XP Pro. My laptop was purchased for home use only. I am connected to the net by dialup with a web accelerator and only have a printer and scanner attached - nothing else. The laptop is used primarily while traveling. I disabled all services I don't use and still hate how it performs. I would like to do a clean install of W2k. The install is not the problem. I have done this numerous times. Here's my question. Is there a specific order in which the computer should be updated after the clean install of the new OS? What I do first is go the the manufacturers website and download all their drivers I might need and then copy them onto a CD. After the install I am ready to install any driver that might be needed.

I have read articles that say the latest version of directx should be installed first followed by the video displayer adapter and media player 9. This is merely one example. What I would like to know is the best sequence in which to install drivers and updates.

Any tips or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Thanks Steve. Appreciate the info.

 

win 2000

Windows 2000 is a very good OS,But you will find it to be allot slower than XP.
Also when doing any kind of a new/fresh install you will have to get either
video drivers or sound or modem.. Steve is right though,First thing needed is
protection.. AKA: AntiVirus / firewall.. Win 2k is also allot slower at startup.
Windows 2000 can be found in std/pro and server versions. I have all of them,
and all xp versions as well,and too tell you the truth there not much of a difference between the two,besides all the eye candy that XP has, and that XP
is a bit faster.. XP is a little easier to set also..

 

Centurion - You threw me for a loop with your reply. I can't believe either XP Home or Pro is faster than Windows 2000. From what I have experienced with XP, it is a real resource hog. I have disabled all unnecessary services with both OS and felt W2k ran faster. I could be wrong. By the way, what is 2000 Std? I have only heard of 2000 Pro. Would W2k Std be the equivalent of XP Home? In other words is Std a slimmer version than Pro? Thanks.

 

win 2000 / xp

the std version is like XP home, But in XP you 4 too 5 versions.
Home/Pro/corporate/and student.. there is also a gold version.
Windows 2000 and 2003 server is almost the same,except win 2k3 is a step up from Xp.. I have a version of win 2k3 running as a desktop,Not a server.
Also you can shrink any version of win 2k and XP down to what you want.
but you will have to email me for that info...

 

Celan install Windows 2000

First step is you have to wipe out windows .
Windows XO ( or Bill) will not allow you to go backwards to a previous version of windows.
If you have a diskette drive you can start with a Windows 98 disc.
If you do not have access to one

www.bootdisc.com

If the drive is fat32 file format you can just reformat at the a: prompt.
If it is ntsf which is the default of xp you will have to fdisk and delete the partition . Reboot . Either create the partition with fdisk ( partitions of you wish) or let the windows install do it.
If you want fat32 as a file format then format the drive with the window 98 command prompt ( format c; of course)
Install windows 2000. Either with your choice of fat32 or ntsf.
It usually seems that windows 2000 does not install the video drivers on the laptops i work on.
However it will install the basic video driver.
It will work in a limited fashion ( will give you 16 bit color only).
Then you install the more current drivers.
You may want to install a more up to date copy of direct X as you ask.
However there is no need unless you need it for your particular laptop video card unless your video card demands it or certain games demand it.
You will needlessly saddle your system and degrade performance.
Windows 98 era computers would slow to a crawl with a direct X 8 uprade and once in it was impossible to take out.
Some video cards ( more currentNvidia i think ) have to have direct x 8.2 installed. Once you install a more current driver on reboot the screen is black.
Installing direct x 8.1 is necessary then.
You can get older less demanding versions of direct x at

www.oldversions.com

You did not identify your laptop.
In some cases such as HP/Compaq they have a good online scan system.
Otherwise try the manufacturer. Other sources are www.driverguide.com
A very good service that scans your hard drive and finds almost all of the drivers is

www.drivershq.com

Sometimes with laptops it can be difficult to figure out the video card chipset installed if you cannot find the driver on a site etc. Two programs- belarc and if it is an older laptop hunt out aida32 to diagnose the model.
Hope this helps. The basics are install Windows 2000 first.

 

I already have all necessary drivers downloaded and copied to a CD. My laptop is a Dell Latitude C640. If I have XP Pro installed and want to install W2k, Can't I wipe out the HD of XP using the W2k install disc? I thought I could. If I can't, I have a Win98SE boot disk. Thanks.

 

No

No the Windows 2000 disc will pop up the install and tell you that a newer version of winows is installed ... end of story.
You either have to reformat the drive if possible ( fat32) , fdisk or even do a more destructive process ( bootdisk.com).
Then install Windows 2000 fresh and update the drivers.

 

We are getting off the subject here, but a Win98SE boot disc will work. Purchased a cheap floppy drive that plugs into a USB port and works fine. Set the BIOS to boot from the floppy drive first, insert floppy disc, and reboot. With the Win98SE temp files loaded you can run fdisk or format c: from the a: prompt. When done, change BIOS to boot from CD drive, insert W2k CD, and reboot. The system now boots from the W2K CD and the fresh install of W2k begins.

 

I have all the info I need. Took your suggestions and will give it a shot. Thanks for your help. This thread can now be closed.