Chapter 1 -- Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional

Chapter 1

About This Chapter

As with most versions of Microsoft Windows, there are a variety of ways to install Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional. Which method you use depends on the configuration of your environment and your goals for setup. The methods in this chapter are presented from the simplest configuration (a standalone workstation installing from the CD-ROM) to more complex environments (Windows 2000 Professsional being installed remotely on multiple computers) with other configurations also being addressed.

This chapter starts with installing Windows 2000 Professional from a CD-ROM and then moves into installation from the network. Troubleshooting setup is then discussed before moving into automating the installation.

Automating setup makes installing Windows 2000 Professional on a large number of computers much easier. The chapter introduces the various methods of automating the installation of Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, such as using the Setup Manager or using disk duplication. It introduces the Windows 2000 System Preparation tool and Remote Installation Services (RIS). It also addresses the issues involved in upgrading previous versions of Windows to Windows 2000 Professional and installing service packs.

Before You Begin

To complete the exercises in this chapter, you must have the following:

• A computer that meets or exceeds the minimum hardware requirements listed in the section "Hardware Requirements" in "About This Book"
• The Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM or, if your computer is connected to a network, access to a distribution server containing the Windows 2000 Professional installation files
• Four 3.5-inch floppy disks to create the Setup disks, if your computer is not configured with an El Torito-compatible CD-ROM drive, which allows you to boot off your Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM
• A blank, formatted 3.5-inch floppy disk