win 2000 new install freezes

Did a new install of win2000. Fdisked the hard drive then formatted it. Installed win 98se then upgraded it to win 2000. I only have an upgrade disk. The system worked fine in 98 but when I upgrade it freezes on startup right after loading the icons on the desktop. It will start in safe mode. When installing win 2000 it did not indicate any incompatibilities so I'm kind of stumped at this point. Any recommendations are welcome.

 

My first thoughts would be a driver issue. Video, NIC, something along that line. I don't know much about W2K myself.

 

You might want to try a clean install of 2K and use the 2K load process to wipe the existing partition and set up a new one. All the upgrade CDs I've ever heard of will simply want you at some point to put the 98 CD in as 'proof' that you have an OS to upgrade.

That being said, LDTate has probably pointed out the problem areas.

 

I had thought to try a clean install but from DOS the setup on the upgrade disk tells me it can not be run under dos. I will look and see if there is another install option that will run under DOS, does anyone have recommendation? I also thought about a driver any recommendation on how to track down which driver might be the culprit?

 

Can you boot to the Windows 2000 CD? That should be bootable and will overcome the problem of choosing a boot disk. Booting from CD is an option in the BIOS - usually in the second screen (advanced). Another option would be to create a boot disk in 98 - it's an option from Add/remove programs (if memory serves me right).

 

Went to basics reformated the hard disk and reinstalled the 98SE. It also froze, it had not done so. I booted in sfe mode and set the video adapter to the default and so far it seems to be working. I am going to do some more playing in 98 to make sure it all is stable then go back to 2000. Any recommendations for testing are most welcome. Thanks for all the advise to this point.

 

Hi robwhite...

Have you tried running the Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer to see if your hardware and Software is compatible?

Did you try what Newt suggested with installing Win2k from the install CD first then putting in the Win98 CD when the install asks for proof? When I upgraded my mother's PC from Win98se to WinXP Home I formated the HDD first then booted from the install CD...when the install wanted proof of Win98 I just poped out the WinXP CD, poped in the old Win98 CD, it then verified the "proof" then asked for the WinXP cd back... "Bob's your uncle ".

Windows 98 to Windows 2000 upgrade
Guide to Installing Windows 2000

 

I had not tried the analyzer, but as I said the program itself did not give any warning of incompatibillity. Since you said the install does the same thing I suspect that it would not have indicated a problem either. I will try the boot to the 98 disk next time I do the install on a machine and see if it lets me bypass the 98 install. I should get a check on the stability of changing the video to the default today and hope to report back that that was indeed my problem.

 

The setting for the video adapter seems to have been the problem. So far win 98se has been stable with the new settings. I am installing some other equipment and have installed a utility to read all the components. Once that is done and I know for sure I have all of the necessary drivers I will again do the 2000 upgrade. I will report back how that goes.