This section covers some tasks (we like to call them "challenges") that you may need to perform with Windows 2000. If you don't find the task or problem you're looking for here, don't panic; check the Microsoft Windows 2000 Knowledge Base—the definitive source for information on problems with Windows 2000.
Occasionally you might find yourself adding a second processor to a dualprocessor-capable system. The procedure for doing this is a little different in Windows 2000 than it was in Windows NT 4, so we'll walk you through it. Upgrading from a single-processor Windows 2000 system to a multiprocessor system is actually a fairly major change for Windows 2000, causing Windows 2000 to change its entire hardware abstraction layer (HAL). Thus, it is very important that you don't muck around when choosing a HAL. Stick with the one Windows picks, because if you choose an incompatible HAL, the only way to recover is to perform a clean install of Windows 2000. After installing your additional processor, use the following procedure to switch HALs from uniprocessor to multiprocessor:
Figure 37-6. The Computer Management console.
Yes, there may be times when you want to uninstall Windows 2000. Perhaps you've had a system failure and performed a parallel installation, leaving you with an unwanted Windows 2000 installation. Or maybe you've decided that you'd rather have the raw power of MS-DOS 4 again. (If you have, get help—fast!) Whatever the reason, here's how to remove Windows 2000:
Alternately, you can leave the Windows 2000 boot sector intact and simply edit the Boot.ini file to remove the Windows 2000 installation you're uninstalling, set the default to the desired operating system, and optionally set the timeout to 0 to boot the default operating system without displaying the Boot menu.
CAUTION
Uninstalling Windows 2000 isn't a consumer-level process like that offered by some Microsoft operating systems in the past. If you've upgraded to Windows 2000, you're out of luck if you want to switch back to the old operating system. Fortunately, few of us will ever feel the need to uninstall Windows 2000, making the inconvenience manageable.