Verifying Hardware Compatibility


With your driver signing policies firmly in place, you are ready to move on to the next step in the hardware installation process: verifying hardware compatibility with Windows 2000. It may seem like a trivial matter given that most hardware is Plug and Play compatible, but it is still important to make sure that the hardware you want to place into your Windows 2000 computer is recognized by Microsoft as a Windows 2000 compatible device. Before you purchase new hardware (or attempt to install Windows 2000 on a new machine), you should take the time to ensure that it is compatible with Windows 2000. This can be done in one of two ways:

  • Check the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL). This is the preferred method to verify hardware compatibility as the HCL changes weekly and is updated as Microsoft certifies additional hardware items for use with Windows 2000.

  • Run winnt32.exe with the /checkupgradeonly switch, which checks for compatibility with existing hardware before installing Windows 2000.

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Command switches are somewhat difficult to remember, but are important to learn nonetheless. Doing so will make your day-to-day operations easier and improve your chances on passing this exam.


The Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)

The Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) is Microsoft's published list of hardware components that have been fully tested with Windows 2000. Items that are listed in the HCL are guaranteed to function with Windows 2000. If you want to ensure that all your hardware components will function properly under Windows 2000, you should consult the current version of the HCL, which can be found on the Internet at http://www.microsoft.com/hcl/.

Although thousands of products can be found on the HCL (meaning that the Microsoft WHQL has tested them and found them to function with Windows 2000), not every piece of hardware in existence is compatible. This is especially true if the hardware is either very old or very new. If the hardware manufacturer has a suitable Windows 2000 driver available for that device, it should function satisfactorily in Windows 2000. However, any future problems that you encounter with the device should be addressed to the hardware manufacturer, not Microsoft.

Once you're at the HCL Web site, finding your hardware is a fairly simple process. You just need to know what type of hardware you're looking for, such as video adapters, and search on that. Alternatively, if you know a model number, such as Matrox G450, then you can search for that specifically .

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If you have two components that are both on the HCL, that doesn't necessarily mean that they have been tested together. That is, although each device is approved independently on the HCL, there may be conflicts between the devices that can cause errors.


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The HCL for Windows 2000 DataCenter Server is located in a different location than the rest of the HCL. It can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/datacenter/hcl/. Windows 2000 DataCenter is sold only by purchasing a packaged solution, which includes the hardware, DataCenter software, and the services to test and install the solution. It is sold only through approved vendors who can provide these capabilities. Details are available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/datacenter/howtobuy/purchasing/oems.asp.


Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer

Using the HCL is convenient for small amounts of hardware, but what do you do when you want to analyze the hardware contents of an entire computer? That's where the second method available to you comes into play. The Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer , although arguably not as up-to-date as the HCL, can be used to determine the compatibility of hardware in an existing computer on which you want to install Windows 2000. The Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer is run from the command prompt as follows :

  1. Open a command prompt by typing cmd in the Run box (Start, Run), and then click OK.

  2. From the command prompt, run the Readiness Analyzer by typing X :\i386\winnt32 /checkupgradeonly and pressing Enter, where X is the location of the Windows 2000 setup files.

  3. The analysis output window appears when the Readiness Analyzer has finished. You can quickly determine if any incompatible hardware devices exist in the computer.

  4. Should you need to, you can save the results of the Readiness Analyzer to a text file. Click Finish when you are done to close the Readiness Analyzer window.

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During the installation of Windows 2000, an Upgrade report may be presented to you. This report provides information about hardware and other items that are incompatible with Windows 2000. More information can be found in KB# Q228213 at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q228213.


The last major step to installing and configuring hardware devices in Windows 2000 is to actually install and configure the device. That is the topic of the next section.



MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram2 (Exam 70-215)
MCSE Windows 2000 Server Exam Cram 2 (Exam Cram 70-215)
ISBN: 0789728737
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 155

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