over-install Win2k?

I’ve scouted around a bit on this subject, and didn’t really find anything directly on point, so I’m going to risk posting this question:

Can I overinstall Win2K Pro on top of itself without destroying settings and files like Win 98?

I don’t really know Win2K, even if someone could point me to an article on the subject, I would much appreciate it!

TIA - maureen

 

AFAIK an install of 2K over an existing install of 2K will wipe the original. Not like 98 where you can install over the existing to fix some problems.

However, the 2K repair console does allow you to fix lots of things so you probably don't need the reinstall.

What's broke?

 

Hi Newt, thanks for such a quick response!

This is a friend’s computer, and I have only been able to work on it as I’m traveling through town the last few months, back and forth between So California and Santa Fe. So it’s been real hit and miss. The problem has developed about 6 months ago "“ each time she copies to the clipboard in IExplorer and Outlook Exp, the program crashes.

Thus far, I have purchased my own copy of Win2k, created the 4 floppies, but wasn’t able to proceed with a repair "“ I forget what the problem was right now, but I think I only found an option to install, not repair, and I didn’t want to proceed any further for fear of losing her info. So, I went out and got her a burner and installed that, so we could copy off her data. That’s as far as I got last time.

I won’t be sitting at that machine until next Tuesday. I plan to copy off her data, and then have a go at the 2000 problem.

However, as I read some of the articles today in the BBS when I did my research, it appears that I ought to be able to set the bios to boot from the CDRom, and then put the Win2K disk in there, and run the repair/install from there? Is there something I should know?

Must admit, I have really appreciated the recovery console in XP and Me. There must be something like that in 2k, but I haven’t lived with that OS on a daily basis yet. Is it located in system tools? or will it present itself as an option when I boot from the CDRom?

Any suggestions?

 

I believe that you can do an on-top installation of Win2K, it's not exactly obvious or intuitive to find out how it's done, though.

Once you've booted from the CD (or the disks, but the CD's much easier) you eventually get to the screen where you can choose to repair or install, you do NOT choose repair here, but choose install. One or two screens further on you should be told that the installer has found an existing installation of Windows 2000 and asked if you want to repair that.
If you go with that option the installer will delete and reinstall most of the system files, but keep user settings and info about installed software.
This does mean that any updates and hotfixes previously installed will need to be reinstalled.

Remember that if the HDD is mounted on a ATA-100 or 133 controller you will probably need the driver for the controller on a floppy disk for the installer to access the HDD.

I hope this wasn't too unclear, it's taken from memory, but I've used this method to get more than one not too damaged system back in working order... if the damage is more extensive I've found it easier and faster to just do a complete reinstall.

P.S. I believe that if you choose repair on the first screen mentioned above you will then be asked whether to repair via the recovery console or do an automatic repair.

Besides it's apparently possible to get the recovery console to show up in the boot menu when starting up the computer... read an article about it some months back...

 

Hi Laage! Good information! After I save her info, I am going to try it. I do have a question though:

Do you mean a controller other than the system’s chipset with the primary and secondary IDE controller? Are you talking about a controller CARD or SCSI?

Please help me translate your warning here. I'm not sure I understand it, I "ve never seen a driver for a hard drive...

thanks. maureen

 

Most modern motherboards today have a built-in ATA-100 HDD Controller chip (think of it as an updated IDE standard with faster transfer rates) and some of these chips need a driver (the Promise chip for instance) in order for Windows 2000 to recognize it - and subsequently the HDD mounted on it.

The easiest way to tell if you need drivers for the controller is to start the Win2K installation and keep going till you get to the install section, if it says that it's found an existing version of Win2K you don't need drivers, if on the other hand says that there are no HDD's to install to, you do need drivers .

You should be aware that if you need the drivers you will have to have them on a floppy disc as that's the only media the installation will accept - and the driver need to be at the root of the disc, not in a folder.

I think most ATA-100 IDE controllers have blue IDE sockets on the motherboard.

And a little trivia: Some ATA-100/133 controllers show up as SCSI controllers in device manager even though they're just spiced up IDE controllers.

 

There's been some good advice about recovery etc but my thought is this:

If these probs only occur in IE and OE (which are intrinsically the same thing) have you tried service packing to SP2 if its 5.5 ?

If yes, have you considered IE6 as its rock solid nowadays

If downloads are a problem IE6 can be found on all kinds of cover disks from mags etc

Of course you may have done all of this already, if so then I'm sorry to have insulted you ! ?

 

THANK YOU, Laage, everything went so smoothly. I changed the boot order in the Bios and booted from the CD. It worked exactly as you said, finding an existing version of Win2k so I did not have to load drivers for a HDD. Not only were all the settings preserved, but the problem is actually now corrected. Can’t tell you what a good feeling it was first to see that wallpaper of hers load, then the quick launch bar start adding programs, and finally going into Outlook Exp and watching the clipboard perform without a crash. As I began to breathe again, I sure thought a lot of nice things about you! She is delighted and I am relieved! thanks so much. Is it okay to leave the boot order for CD, HD0 and Floppy?

Andy "“ I didn’t see your post until I had already done the install/repair and arrived back in CA. How would I know if it had been upgraded with SP2? if it had been, I’m wondering if the repair overwrote the SP, but it didn’t seem that we’d lost anything "“ not anything of value. Appreciate your thoughts though, no insult at all - I never thought of it, I don't know Win2K yet. Certainly these were safer options worth trying before risking the extreme of over-writing the OS "“but thanks to Laage, that option turned out to be safe and painless while fixing the problem.

Cheers everybody! Thanks again, Laage. Regards "“

maureen

 

Just as a followup, if you had SP 2, or SP 1 for that matter, you will not be able to tell after doing an over the top install, because this esssentially reverts your system to a clean or pre SP version of the system (but with user settings preserved).

What I would recommend you to do is to download the latest SP, that's SP 3 which just came out this week or last, and install... as you may know the SP's are cumulative so any fixes from 1 and 2 are included in 3.

Once SP 3 is installed you might want to run WindowsUpdate to check for any hotfixes released after the SP, that way you are certain the machine is as up to date as possible.

 

Hi Maureen,

Try this if you suspect any corrupted files in win2000.Put your win2k CD in and close the start up window(you don't have to but it's just one less thing running).Then start/run and type "sfc /scannow" Make sure there is a space after sfc.It works in WinXP also.This will restore the windows configuration files only.

 

Thanks guys! I'll research out the SP3 and mention it to my friend next time I'm through Phx, Laage.

Zipp, where were you at the beginning of this thread, man? I keep notes on my monster headache problems for future reference, this will be one of them. Looks like such a simple fix.

ciao! maureen