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Windows 2000 migration

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by pc_essentials

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Ok here we go again but this time I would like to not migrate into a new XP system. I have used the XP cd to backup files & settings and would REALLY like to not put XP on the system and put everything back into a fresh install of Windows 2000 ... Is there a way to do this and how??? Is there a way to make W2K think your on a new or old pc to do this task?

11 replies

by bfilmfan

Place the Windows 2000 CD in the drive.

Remove all partitions on the hard disk.

Proceed to install Windows 2000.

by pc_essentials

Delete all partitions? No way! To many programs on the drive. Thats not the problem anyway. I can wipe the WINNT folder and reinstall 2000 with no problems. Restoring the profile into 2000 is. Theres only the backup utility to get ready for a new system using the XP CD (the new or old computer option which you get in XP is not there in 2000 to restore) . As I said, I have not found any utils to do the same task by putting everything back as it was into 2000, only XP.. I'm trying to eliminate re-installing every application and all of the YEARS of programs & personal settings. btw, the backup is on a seperate partition on the same 40gb hdd which consists of 1.7GB of files & settings!

by cg it

well you can't transfer applications to a fresh installation. to many shared DLLs and to many APIs.

you can load up W2K, install applications then copy over folders, files, favorites, whatnot but why bother. Just leave em in the other partition and when you launch like Word just file open and browse to find em.

by pc_essentials

Ok maybe I'm not explaining what I want correctly. Bottom line, I do NOT want WINTENDO XP! In theory, if your able to do it from 2000 to XP then to me its not impossible to do right back to the original OS. Granted a new install of W2K deletes the WINNT folder and my docs ect. so applications will need to be re-installed but the "PERSONAL FILES & SETTINGS" will be there after you install your apps and run the (insert utility/hack/whatever needed)wizard like in XP but for Windows 2000.

If there is such a utility then there should be only 3 steps
1. Fresh 2000 install (Which has been done)
2. Install applications wanted back (Which are aready there but the API's and DLL's are not as CG IT mentioned)
3. Restore util for "Windows 2000" from the backup.
4. Tada?

I'm not a writer but if there is no such thing then I think someone should consider writing this util for others who do not like XP and want to stick with 2000. (For now)

by bfilmfan

Are you saying that you had Windows 2000, you migrated to Windows XP and now you want to migrate back to Windows 2000?

If so, there is no backwards migration path without a reinstall. This is why the README files with Windows XP (and a lot of other products) advise you to install the new OS in its own partition.

Even with your updated commentary, I can't tell exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish.

by pc_essentials

Thank you for your quick replies guys!

My scenario:
Customer has spyware, infections blah blah blah.. The system is very SLOW ... He uses a lot of CAD and imaging developement software and years of data and settings for each application including hardware such as a plotter, big scanner & wide carriage printer. Replacing the software is easy. The settings are not and would be VERY time consuming to put things just how he had it. Using software like that eats enough system resources and the whole reason we want to keep 2000.

I used the transfer files & settings option from the XP cd and backed up those settings. Now all I want is to restore the same settings from 2000 into the newly installed 2000 which still has all folders and stuff of the original programs (I didnt wipe anything other than what Microsoft wanted). Running the XP util on the CD only gives me backup options when running it in 2000. In XP's system tools you have the "new computer" or "old computer" options and thats what I'm looking for to do the same task, not in XP but in Windows 2000. There is no backwards anything. I backup from 2000 using the files & settings util. Shouldnt I be able to restore to it??? If I wanted XP then I would install it, re-install the apps then run the restore, simple. But its not the OS we want! Not so simple. Not to mention I'm using a copy of my own XP JUST for the util on it .. Why should he have to purchase XP (And the Pro version is needed which is twice as much!)for what started out to be a basic "tune up" ???

Are we on the same page now? I hope this isnt getting to confusing! Its such a simple task but I'm finding out that isnt the case anymore. Microsoft? ---> Sure you can back your 2000 stuff up with our nifty XP util but you need to BUY our newer OS to restore it???? The ONLY purpose XP is even in on the picture is 2000 doesnt have the "files & settings" backup option for user profiles.

by bschmidt

I used to be a PC tech and one of our clients was a local engineering firm that used AutoCAD for EVERYTHING. They had their PCs reloaded regularly, and 9 times out of 10 I was the tech that did it. Trust me, there's no easy way to do it. Besides if the spyware/infections are that bad, a clean load is going to be better (if my understanding is correct that you're just reinstalling W2K over itself without format). Not knowing exactly what programs you're talking about...there's about 1 thing I can think of to try. Copy the Program Files folders (and any other folder instances) for the software you want to "keep", format the machine, reinstall software and copy those saved folders back in their correct places. Try it on a dummy machine first to see if it works. It works more often than you might think, but it's still a long shot...

by bschmidt

I used to be a PC tech and one of our clients was a local engineering firm that used AutoCAD for EVERYTHING. They had their PCs reloaded regularly, and 9 times out of 10 I was the tech that did it. Trust me, there's no easy way to do it. Besides if the spyware/infections are that bad, a clean load is going to be better (if my understanding is correct that you're just reinstalling W2K over itself without format). Not knowing exactly what programs you're talking about...there's about 1 thing I can think of to try. Copy the Program Files folders (and any other folder instances) for the software you want to "keep", format the machine, reinstall software and copy those saved folders back in their correct places. Try it on a dummy machine first to see if it works. It works more often than you might think, but it's still a long shot...

by pc_essentials

lol .. You'll have that! Anyway, the job is about done and I pretty much did everything you said already BUT had to do it on XP to use the restore option for the files & settings (plus tosses folders ect into his new profile from the old one). We have discussed the matter already and he's all good about it and understands things just simply need to be re-installed. Not how I wanted it but hey .. Thats microsoft for ya! Sure would be nice to have that option in 2000 because I know plenty (including myself) that do not like XP! Its nothing more than a memory hog IMHO and who needs pretty bell & whistles when "functional" suits my needs! At any rate this has been another wonderful experience with Micro$oft Wintendo and I'm still hoping someone will come up will a util I'm looking for. Thanks for all your suggestions and help!

btw, I will post here when and IF I do ever find what I'm looking for to share with the rest of you guru's!

This case is closed! ---> For now ;o)

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