An attended installation simply means the installer is sitting in front of the machine. The install may be from a CD-ROM (individual machine) or a network server (quite likely going to multiple clients). The first and foremost aspect of the installation is hardware requirements.

1. Microsoft specifies the following minimum hardware requirements:

• 133-MHz Pentium or higher CPU.
• 64MB of RAM.
• 650MB of free hard disk space.

2. Run Winnt32 /checkupgradeonly before installation.

3. BIOS

1. In most installations, only Windows 2000 will be installed, which means there would be only one partition, called the boot partition.

2. Choosing a file system.

If only Windows 2000 will be installed, then NTFS (Windows NT File System) can stand as the sole file system. NTFS is the most desirable file system, for it is feature-rich.

• Active Directory One of Windows 2000’s most powerful features, it gives you a great deal of control over the system, the network, and the file organization, as well as security.

• Disk compression Folders, subfolders, and files may be compressed to free up disk space, access to files is slower.
• Disk quotas Used to assign disk space to users.
• File encryption Folders, subfolders, and files may be encrypted or decrypted automatically by Windows 2000.
• Security at the file and folder level Folder, subfolder and file access may be controlled by the administrator.

1. The two most important points to stress about this topic are:

• Most NT 3.51 and 4.0 applications are going to be compatible.
• Older, DOS-based Windows 95/98 applications are not going to be compatible.

2. A big difference in Windows 2000 is that it does not allow applications to access hardware directly; all calls must go through the OS. Make sure third-party software is not an issue, and review the bulleted points on page 84 if it is.

1. Installation from a CD-ROM is usually reserved for a single machine. You may want to tailor your coverage of this section, and the one that follows on the two types of installs, to your classroom environment.
2. The most effective way to teach the install is to use the exercises that accompany each Step. The exercises walk you, and students, through the process with a high level of detail. The following Steps comprise the install:

• Step 1: Run the Setup Program. Use Exercise 2-1 on page 86 and its illustrations.
• Step 2: Run the Setup Wizard. Use Exercise 2-2 on page 90 and its illustrations.
• Step 3: Install Windows 2000 Networking. Use Exercise 2-3 on page 92 and its illustrations.
• Step 4: Complete the Setup Program. Use Exercise 2-4 on page 94 and its illustrations.

1. Installation from the network occurs when there are multiple machines. As with the CD install, it makes the most sense to use the exercises in the text to teach this section. Note, however, that the procedures are essentially the same as with the CD, except as follows:

This section is concerned with upgrading – that is, replacing the existing OS – to Windows 2000. Explain that this means the prior OS is copied over, in its existing partition, with Windows 2000. Be sure to point out that the upgrade path for Windows NT requires the computer be running NT 3.51 or 4.0. Either Windows 95 or 98 may also be upgraded.

1. Microsoft provides the following information regarding upgrading Windows 95 or 98 on their web site, www.microsoft.com/windows2000/upgrade/path/win9x.asp

2. In certain situations, even if you are currently running Windows 95 or Windows 98, you may prefer to do a new installation (or "clean install"), rather than an upgrade to Windows 2000. By installing the operating system from scratch, you place the operating system in a known state and avoid migrating any problems that may have existed in the previous configuration. However, a new installation requires reformatting your hard disk, so you must back up your data, install Windows 2000, reinstall your applications, and then reload your data from backup.

3. You should upgrade if all of the following are true:

• You’re already using a previous version of Windows that supports upgrading.
• You want to replace your previous Windows operating system with Windows 2000.
• You want to maintain your existing user settings and files.

You should perform a new installation if any of the following are true:

• Your hard drive is blank (that is, you have no operating system installed on it).
• Your current operating system does not support an upgrade to Windows 2000.
• You have two partitions and want to create a dual-boot configuration with Windows 2000 and your current operating system. (Be sure to install Windows 2000 on a different partition than your current operating system.)

1. *Typically, dual-boot configurations are suitable for testing and evaluation; however, they are not recommended for long-term production use.

B. Networking Requirements

Network installation and configuration is critical in a network operating system such as Windows NT or Windows 2000. Explain that this also means it’s the area where students are likely to have the most difficulties. Certain settings need to be resolved in upgrading from NT to Windows 2000, specifically TCP/IP, DNS, and WINS. (TCP/IP is defined in Chapter 1; DNS and WINS are defined in this chapter’s Additional Terms.)

C. Applying Update Packs to Installed Software Applications

A. Resolving Common Problems

An install can fail for reasons unknown or because the installer made a mistake, or overlooked something. Careful planning and preparation, such as knowing the hardware requirements set forth at the beginning of this chapter and in the HCL, can help students avoid a failed install. However, regardless of the cause, a new install layers over the old one. Common causes for a failed install:

• Defective CD
• CD-ROM drive problems
• Domain controller settings
• Network settings