Migrate to Win2K platform: Question

[Askitis]

Is there a painless way of installing Win2K over an existing Win98SE system without having to reformat the hard drive?

 

[NickM]

painless?
without having to reformat ?
I would rather not recommend this way of looking for pain...
or trouble.

 

[lperryii]

Not in my experience.
I recommend reformatting and installing Win2k with a clean slate. If you want to contemplate a Dual Boot, then put a second Hard Drive in the system and install Win2k on it. Win2k will install a boot manager when you do this so that you can Dual Boot.

You can also just repartition your existing hard drive and install Win9x on one partition and Win2k on the Other.

 

[Askitis]

I understand. Thanks for answering my question guys.
Since dual boot doesn't realy interest me, a clean slate install is the way to go. In which case, I'll have to discover very clever and nifty ways of backingUP current data and system settings so that it doesn't take days to recover.

 

[lperryii]

Do you have a 2nd Hard Drive?

 

[Askitis]

>>Do you have a 2nd Hard Drive? <<

YES.
The PC is currently running on a fairly new drive (with Win98SE) and the old drive is still inside also with Win98SE, but that drive is physically disconnected. (as a backup way for booting up the system incase of a severe mechanical failure or a thorough virus attack.

 

[lperryii]

Good. I would backup your data to the Secondary Drive (the one you have disconnected.)

Then you can reformat and install W2k to your primary HD.

Oh one other thing, download current drivers for everything before installing W2k, it will save you from doing it later and possibly from running into a snag.

 

[Askitis]

Wouldn't it be still necessary to reinstall all the applications from scratch as well as reconfigure their settings so as to run the same as they are now?
Also, I do not know if any software utility would allow me to migrate applications from drive to drive since the two drives have incompatible OS (They will do it for Win98 towards WinMe but not towards Win2K or WinNT).

Thus, I'll probably choose to leave the old drive as is. It seams to be the same amound of work; since I already have backUPs of all data files on CDs.

Nonetheless, I do thank you for that suggestion.

I am wondering however, if WinXP Home Edition would require a clean slate install as well (upgading from Win98). And whether WinXP will be more stable than Win2K?

 

[NickM]

You cant upgrade Win2000 Pro from Win/98/ME gotta start clean. All programs also. There's no such thing like an utility to migrate, and you don't need it for Win2000.
What you can use: user, address book backup, data backup to restore them after new programs installation.

Win95, Win95, Win98, WinMe are different versions of Windows95, the same code. You can do upgrade (migrate) from Win9/x to WinMe.

Win2000 is an evolution from WinNT, and Win2000 is the most stable, reliable of Windows (if you install it properly without any mess from previous installs).
Don't invent anything, follow the standard procedure on Win2000 install if you want to have it working.

The same about WinXP. It's a new OS. New clean install is <b>always</b> better, faster, more reliable than any upgrade. And is always strongly recommended.

Even for already installed operating systems, after long period of time a clean reinstall is recommended. Any OS tends to aging, accumulating of garbage, slowing down.

OK, go with Win2000 or WinXP clean install (w/o or with dual boot) on a formatted NTFS disk/partition and happy computing!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by NickM on 08/19/01 01:07 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[Askitis]

>> Don't invent anything, follow the standard procedure on Win2000 install if you want to have it working.

Thanks for this warning Nick! I do have the tendency to try and cut corners from time to time. It apears that I MUST refrain this time.

Clean Install it will be.

 

[NickM]

>>"I do have the tendency to try and cut corners from time to time."

- that's very good. There'll be much opportunities for that with your Win2000.

>> "It apears that I MUST refrain this time."

- not all "this time", just at the moment when you deside on how to install. Man..., I didn't mean that, I'm sorry, how could I... I shouldn't have to say in such manner.

Happy computing!

 

[Askitis]

Nick, don't worry, I know what you ment.
After all, this thread is in context to the installation process.