Chapter 13

A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PCFifth Edition

Chapter 13

Understanding and Installing Windows 2000 and Windows NT

2A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition

You Will Learn… About Windows NT/2000/XP architecture

How to install Windows 2000 Professional

How to install hardware and applications with Windows 2000

How to install and support Windows NT Workstation


Windows NT/2000/XP ArchitectureWindows NT Introduced a new file system – NTFS – that is

also used by Windows 2000/XPWindows 2000 Culmination of evolution of Microsoft OSs

from 16-bit DOS OS to a true 32-bit, module-oriented OS

Includes four operating systems (Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server)

Windows XP Additional support for multimedia, PnP, and legacy software


Windows NT/2000/XP Modes


User Mode Processor mode in which programs:

Have only limited access to system information Can access hardware only through other OS

services

Used by several subsystems Windows tools run primarily in user mode Applications relate by way of the Win32

subsystem


Programs Interacting with Subsystems


Kernel Mode Processor mode in which programs have

extensive access to system information and hardware

Used by two main components

HAL (hardware abstraction layer)

Executive services


Networking Features Workgroups

Domains

Native mode and mixed mode(Windows 2000)

Active Directory (Windows 2000)


Workgroups Logical groups of computers and users that

share resources

Each computer maintains a list of users and their rights on that particular PC

Use peer-to-peer networking model


A Windows Workgroup


Domains Groups of networked computers that share a

centralized directory database of user account information and security

Use client/server model

Have a domain controller which stores and controls the SAM database (user, group, and computer accounts)


A Windows Domain


Windows NT/2000/XP Logon Default administrator account

Has the most privileges and rights

Can create user accounts and assign them rights


How Windows NT/2000/XP Manages Hard Drives


A Choice of File Systems


A Choice of File Systems (continued) FAT uses three components to manage data on

a logical drive FAT Directories Data files

NTFS uses a database called the master file table (MFT) as its core component


Master File Table (MFT)


Advantages of NTFS over FAT Recoverable Supports encryption and disk quotas (Windows

2000/XP only) Supports compression, mirroring drives, and

large volume drives Provides added security when booting from

floppy disks Uses smaller cluster sizes


Advantages of FAT over NTFS Less overhead; best for hard drives < 500 MB

Backward-compatibility with Windows 9x and DOS OSs

Allows booting from a DOS or Windows 9x startup disk to access the drive


Installing Windows 2000 Professional Clean install

Overwrites all information from previous OS installations

Upgrade installation

Can be installed to be dual-booted with another OS


Planning the Installation Verify minimum requirements

At least 650 MB free space on hard drive At least 64 MB of RAM 133-MHz Pentium-compatible CPU or higher

Select file system (NTFS, FAT16, or FAT32) Use the Microsoft Web site to verify

components for Windows 2000: computer, peripheral hardware devices, and software


Installing Windows 2000 on Networked Computers Consider where Windows 2000 installation

files are stored Convenience of putting them in the \i386 directory

on a file server (distribution server) Options for installation

Unattended installation Drive imaging (disk cloning)

Know how to configure to access the network


Upgrade or Clean Install? Clean install, erasing existing installations

Fresh start Must reinstall applications software and restore data

from backups Upgrading existing operating system

Applications, data, most OS settings are carried forward

Installation is faster Creating a dual boot

Not recommended between Windows 2000 andWindows NT


Planning an Upgrade from Windows 9x to Windows 2000

Considerations

Registries are incompatible

Run Check Upgrade Only mode of Windows 2000 Setup to check for compatibility


Planning an Upgrade from Windows 9x to Windows 2000 (continued) Hardware compatibility

Windows 2000 does not import drivers from Windows 9x

Windows 2000 deletes all Windows 9x system files and replaces them with Windows 2000 system files


Planning an Upgrade from Windows 9x to Windows 2000 (continued) Software compatibility

Windows 9x applications store registry data differently and may rely on APIs specific to Windows 9x


Planning an Upgrade from Windows NT to Windows 2000 Considerations

If using NTFS, Setup automatically upgrades to Windows 2000 version of NTFS

If using FAT16 or Windows NT with third-party software that allows Windows NT to use FAT32, Setup asks whether you want to upgrade to NTFS


Planning an Upgrade from Windows NT to Windows 2000 (continued)

Hardware compatibility

Most hardware and drivers will work

Check HCL on the Microsoft Web site or run Check Upgrade Only mode of Setup


Planning an Upgrade from Windows NT to Windows 2000 (continued) Software compatibility

Nearly all applications will run with some exceptions

• Antivirus software and third-party network software• Some disk management tools• Custom tools for power management• Custom solutions that are workarounds for

Windows NT not supporting PnP• Software to monitor and control a UPS


Steps to Install Windows 2000 Use Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe, both located in

the \i386 directory

Access CMOS setup and verify settings


Clean Installation If PC is capable of booting from a CD

Insert the CD and turn on the PC Setup Wizard appears

If PC does not boot from a CD and you have a clean, empty hard drive Create a set of Windows 2000 setup disks to boot

the PC and to begin installation Remaining installation is done from the CD


Clean Install When Hard Drive Has an OS Installed Process if you use Windows 9x and the PC

automatically detects a CD in the CD-ROM drive

Process if the PC does not automatically recognize a CD


Upgrade Installation Prepare for installation

Verify that all devices and applications are Windows 2000-compatible

Scan memory and hard drive for viruses

Back up critical system files and data files

Close all applications and disable virus-scanning software; decompress hard drive (if compressed)


Upgrade Installation (continued) Perform the upgrade

Insert CD; Setup Wizard runs

Report phase

Setup phase

• Text mode

• GUI mode


After Installation: Backing Up the System State Download and install all OS service packs,

updates, and patches Verify that all hardware works and install

additional devices Create user accounts Install additional Windows components and

applications Verify that the system functions properly and

backup the system state


Installing Hardware and Applications Under Windows 2000 Add New Hardware Wizard automatically

launches when new hardware is detected

Software is best installed from Add/Remove Programs icon of Control Panel


Installing Hardware

If device is PnP: If device is not PnP:Windows automatically: Identifies the device Determines and assigns

system resources Configures the device Loads device drivers Informs system of

configuration changes

Use Add/Remove Hardware applet in Control Panel (administrative privileges required)

May need to update device driver


Updating a Device Driver


Installing Applications Windows 2000 Add/Remove Programs utility

looks different and provides more options:

Change or remove presently installed programs

Add new programs from CD, floppy disk, or from Microsoft over the Internet

Add or remove Windows components


Installing Applications (continued)


Supporting Windows NT Different ways to install Windows NT

Troubleshooting the Windows NT boot process


Installing Windows NT as the Only OS Installation files are stored in the \i386 directory

on CD-ROM drive

If hard drive has no OS, boot from three start up disks; installation continues from CD

To perform an upgrade to Windows NT: Boot the OS

Execute Winnt.exe on the Windows NT CD


Troubleshooting theWindows NT Boot Process If Windows NT boot loader menu appears, use

Last Know Good configuration If unable to boot from hard drive, use three

boot disks; select option “To repair a damaged Windows NT version 4.0 installation”

Try reinstalling Windows NT in its current folder; tell Setup it is an upgrade

Move hard drive to another system that runs Windows NT (last resort if using NTFS)


Last Known Good Configuration A copy of hardware configuration from the

registry that is saved by the OS each time it boots and the first logon is made with no errors

Contained in the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE

Reverting to it causes loss of any changes made to hardware configuration since Last Known Good was saved


Windows NT Boot Disks Three disks required to hold enough of

Windows NT to boot

Format a disk using Windows NT Explorer


Creating Windows NT Boot Disks


The Windows NT Emergency Repair Disk (ERD) Contains information unique to the OS and

hard drive Can be used to fix a problem with the OS Enables restoration of Windows registry on the

hard drive, which contains all configuration information for Windows

Also includes information used to build a command window to run DOS-like commands


Files on the ERD


Using Boot Disks and the ERD to Recover from a Failed Boot

Boot disks to boot Windows NT

ERD to recover critical system files on hard drive


Using Boot Disks and the ERD to Recover from a Failed Boot (continued)


Summary Windows NT/2000/XP share the same basic

architecture and have similar characteristics

How to install Windows 2000 Professional

How to install hardware and software under Windows 2000

Windows NT installation and support

Documents

Chapter 13