I have Windows XP installed on my desktop but I really prefer Windows 2000. XP will not allow me to overwrite XP with 2000, does anyone know how to do it?? I have the 2K CD but no floppy drive on the computer.

Boot from the CD. If it doesn't happen automatically, go into BIOS and change the boot order.

Cali, Windows XP WILL NOT allow me to overwrite it with an older version of Windows, smart marketing by Microsoft which confirms just how shifty they really are and why we hate them!!

It will not allow me to format the drive so I can start again either...

Edited February 24, 200818 yr by Niloc

You have to do a "clean" installation, which means that you need to install everything new. Best way to do so ist to bbot from the CD, delete the existing Partition, create a new one and install W2K on that now "virgin" harddisk.

You can also install W2K as new OS in an different location but you need to re-install all application software as well. So a "clean" install is only real solution.

Cheers.

PS: Your nifty utility you was send to me is on TV Download already with Credit to you. Thanks for that in name of ThaiVisa.

No, Win2K WILL NOT ALLOW me to either format drive C: OR install an earlier operating system it simply figures out what I wanr to do and zaps me!!

I even tried re installing XP hoping I could interrupt the process after I have formatted C: but no deal...

What I need is a format program that will ignore bloody Windows and do what I want!!

No, Win2K WILL NOT ALLOW me to either format drive C: OR install an earlier operating system it simply figures out what I wanr to do and zaps me!!

I even tried re installing XP hoping I could interrupt the process after I have formatted C: but no deal...

What I need is a format program that will ignore bloody Windows and do what I want!!

If you use a legit, unmodified version of Windows 2000 on an original CD, there isn't any problem.

You need to boot from that CD just accept the first few screens by hitting Enter and if it comes to that windows after it searches for a previous version of Windows, you'll get the option to mark and delete the existing partition by pressing a key and follow up the screen instruction. After that you can create a new partition and install windows 2000 on that one.

If you have problem to do so, you do something wrong or you use an not-legit CD!

Cheers.

Edit: forgot to mention that in the BIOS the Write Protection for the MBR (Master Boot Record) must be disabled if that function is in your BIOS!

No, my Win2K installation requires 4 floppy discs to kick it off, I have use it for at least 10 years and i t has always worked...

I gave up and am re-installing XP

Does anyone know how to stop WinXP scrolling furiously when in any window or text editor??

No, my Win2K installation requires 4 floppy discs to kick it off, I have use it for at least 10 years

So please tell us how long Windows 2000 has been out.

No, my Win2K installation requires 4 floppy discs to kick it off, I have use it for at least 10 years

So please tell us how long Windows 2000 has been out.

He isn't known what he's talking about!

At least 10 Years and 4 Floppies and didn't boot from CD and can't format the HDD and and and!!

Better not start to thinking or ask any more! Know already enough!

Cheers.

Floppy drive 10USD at the most floppy cable a couple of bucks. 5-15 minutes with a screwdriver, change the bios settings problem solved.

Err......

If i may chip in.... because i had that same problem a longer time ago, wanting to install W2K on a machine that had XP on it. I also booted from the CD, all nice and fine, but when i wanted to format the HDD it went checking it and came back with "There is a newer version of Windows installed and setup can not format this disk".

Likewise with the XP CD - it formatted just fine but left some traces there because i too interrupted the process right after giving the newly formatted drive a label, then tried to continue with the W2K CD - same effect, "There is a newer version of Windows installed and setup can not continue".

I too had to use a floppy (w98 startup floppy) to format the drive again using DOS, THEN i could run W2K setup.

To the OP: Is that computer in question a desktop or a laptop? If desktop, just get a floppy drive (250 Baht max) and a ribbon cable for it (20 Baht), open your computer, look on the mainboard where the floppy cable fits in, connect it there, connect a power lead as well and get your Windows installed. After it's done you can remove the floppy again.

Best regards.....

Thanh

If you're still stuck PM me, I can help.

When installing W2K you need to delete the partition first. Do not just try to format it. Delete it. Then you can recreate the partition, and format it.

Got an older IBM Thinkpad for repair, not defect but very slow because the thing had 96 MB Ram and Windows XP installed.

Ram was upgradeable to 128 Mb max so little gain there so installed win2000 with Sp4 and yes had to format the drive. After install the notebook was much faster but that was no surprise. In my humble opinion is Win 2000 the best operating system that MS ever has built.

I've built (and rebuilt) possibly thousands of PC's over the last 15 years or so, i think the OP is a little confused. Yes hes probably correct that it wont let him format the drive (never actually tried that myself) so he HAS to delete the partition and create a new one.

(This is from memory, so might not be strictly accurate)

Goto your BIOS (probably F11 or DEL key as the computer goes through its bootup sequence - but before the windows logo appears)

Find the screen that deals with BOOT ORDER

Set it to boot from CD 1st, C: Drive 2nd - its probably set to either Floppy 1st or C: Drive 1st

Insert the Win 2000 CD

Reboot

When prompted, press Y (do the prompt do you want to boot from CD)

When asked which partition to install Win2k on, there should be some options to delete the old partition

after the old partition is deleted, there should be an option to create a new partition.

Install and Enjoy

I've built (and rebuilt) possibly thousands of PC's over the last 15 years or so, i think the OP is a little confused.

I've installed and reinstalled MS operating systems over 750,000 times in the last 15 years. It can be done.

I cheated though, I was a lab manager at Microsoft and I used automated tools to install them on around 700 computers in the lab, sometimes turning them over 3 times a day.

...... In my humble opinion is Win 2000 the best operating system that MS ever has built.

got to agree with you there...

...... In my humble opinion is Win 2000 the best operating system that MS ever has built.

got to agree with you there...

Try Win2K3 server, excellent OS. What XP should have been.

...... In my humble opinion is Win 2000 the best operating system that MS ever has built.

got to agree with you there...

oops ... sorry for double post...

OP again, I managed to use another PC with a floppy drive. I got W2K on OK after reducing the partition from the drive's 90 gig to 50 gig.

Now my problem is I get the 'blue screen of death' after Windows boots, the message is "INACCESSABLE BOOT DEVICE". Back on the machine with the floppy there is no problem, just on my main desktop.

The only difference between the two computers is that one is an AMD dual (the one with the problem) and the other is just a standard computer. The nessage goes on about checking for viruses etc but no suggestions waht it might be.

I am simply plugging and unplugging HD and power. The machine works perfectly when I put the Linux/WinXP drive back on, just the Win2K drive giving the problem...

Any Ideas??

Hi

That most likely means a knackered (i.e. screwed) file system. I had that exact same situation YESTERDAY with an XP machine (and it was an Intel powered one - as if that had any relevance).

There the situation was - son of owner used computer, everything fine, shut down in the evening and next morning - kaputt. Upon turning the computer on, Windows XP started to boot (splash screen with "caterpillar" came up), then - BSOD with error "unmountable boot device".

Attempting to boot in "safe mode" brought the same result, and even booting into "recovery console" brought the exact same BSOD.

I then booted from the Windows XP CD trying to get a recovery console from there (as written EVERYWHERE "at first screen, select option "r" to repair" - strangely i NEVER saw this option ANYWHERE!!) and when i tried to re-install Windows on the second partition it refused, stating that "drive c: is not formatted or the file system is corrupted and needs to be formatted first".

I ended up deleting partition c: and re-creating it, Windows then installed just fine on it - the HDD is ok.

That particular computer was never connected to the internet so it is rather unlikely that the fault was caused by a virus or botched XP update, as the computer was only used by a 7-year old to play games on it.

So your W2K install likely suffered the same kind of fault. Since it is a "virgin" installation, you are not losing any data when installing again - just try that (now you should be able to do it without any problem by booting from the W2K CD).

Best regards....

Thanh

OP again, I managed to use another PC with a floppy drive. I got W2K on OK after reducing the partition from the drive's 90 gig to 50 gig.

Now my problem is I get the 'blue screen of death' after Windows boots, the message is "INACCESSABLE BOOT DEVICE". Back on the machine with the floppy there is no problem, just on my main desktop.

The only difference between the two computers is that one is an AMD dual (the one with the problem) and the other is just a standard computer. The nessage goes on about checking for viruses etc but no suggestions waht it might be.

I am simply plugging and unplugging HD and power. The machine works perfectly when I put the Linux/WinXP drive back on, just the Win2K drive giving the problem...

Any Ideas??

Did the system ever boot into windows? If not, you're likely missing the controller for your hard drive. Does it use SATA or a RAID card by chance? If SATA, I think you'll need to use a "SP4 streamline install CD", it's just like the normal Win2K CD except all the SP4 files have already been added. If it's just a RAID controller you'll need to have a floppy with the driver ready to go when you see this screen during the install:

As veazer mentioned, it's a driver related problem, (Innacessible boot device means that windows in unable to locate the system folder)

there is another way to fix that without drivers though (But this is only for Sata disks and with "NO" Raid array) : By changing a setting in the bios, many bioses have different ways to handle stata drives usually there is 3 modes :

1) Raid (but if your drive is in this mode don't do anything !)

2) Native: (SATA or AHCI) depending on the bios

3) Pata compatible: ATA or IDE depending on the bios too

So if your bios is in SATA mode (or AHCI) put it to ATA (or IDE) and windows will not bother you with a driver and will load up normally, you will then be able to install specific SATA drivers later and switch back the bios to SATA (or AHCI)

Edited March 6, 200818 yr by Kyosuken

The machine which does not handle Win2K has SATA drives but the HD I am trying to use is an IDE.

I went into the BIOS and changed the only SATA setting (data spread spectrum) from 'enabled' to 'disabled' but that made no difference. I still get TBSOD!!

I considered reformatting and re-installing but to what end??

Hello

You mentioned that machine is AMD powered, yes? Please check if your mainboard is, by any chance, a ASUS K8N or one of it's derivatives with that Nforce... whatever chipset.

Because i have one of those and when i wanted to put in an additional HDD and decided on "going SATA" (main HDD's and ODD's are IDE) i was informed that any mainboard of that family can handle EITHER IDE OR SATA, but NOT BOTH at the same time!

That could be the problem in your case too.

Best regards.....

Thanh