Any surprises when installing Windows 2000 Professional?

[chucky2]

I'm going to be switching from Windows NT 4.0 Workstation SP6a to Windows 2000 Professional this Sunday, and I'd thought that getting some feedback from people who've been there would be a good idea.

Are there any special steps I need to take when installing?
Install the VIA 4-in-1 Drivers? Which ones?
Should I install with ACPI enabled or disabled?
Should I install DirectX 8 or keep DirectX 7?

Feel free to add answers to any questions I haven't thought of.

I'm using a MVP3 chipset, G400, 256 SDRAM, 15GB Quantum LM+, CD-ROM, TDK velcoCD 12x, and a SBLive! Value.

In advance: I really appreciate the feedback!!!

Chuck

 

[Noriaki]

Don't do an upgrade install, do a clean install. Mine went flawlessly.



<< Install the VIA 4-in-1 Drivers? Which ones? >>

Yes, I'd use the newest ones


<< Should I install with ACPI enabled or disabled? >>

I like ACPI, it pretty much eliminates IRQs problems. Alot of people say that it hurts performance, but I just don't see it. At 800x600 Max Quality in Quake3, Win98SE is about 1.5fps faster than my Win2k with ACPI install (using a TBird 850 with a V5-5500 and 256MB of RAM). Unless ACPI gives you some specific problems I'd leave it on.


<< Should I install DirectX 8 or keep DirectX 7? >>

Don't really matter, I use DX8, but until games that use DX8 show up it really makes very little difference. I'd use DX8 just to get it out of the way.

If you have an auxillary IDE controller (PCI card, like a Promise Ultra100 or whatever) remember Windows 2k considers them SCSI devices so you have to press F6 at the beginning of Setup to install drivers for it.

That's about it....I did a clean install of Win2k and it was very easy...

 

[nEoTeChMaN]

One surprise you'll come across is that windows 2000 use waaaaaay more memory than NT workstation.

I went back to Windows NT because it was faster.

 

[chucky2]

Thanks for the replies Noriaki and nEoTeChMaN!

Noriaki- OK, since I should install the VIA 4-in-1's, which parts of them should I install? For example, does the AGP patch need to be installed in Windows 2000, or was that only for Win9x?

I wasn't even aware that ACPI was rumored to slow systems down. I was more concerned about it taking up an IRQ.

nEoTeChMaN- Do you think 256MB or SDRAM, 2MB of L3 cache, and the K6-2+ at 600 will be adequate?

I just thought of another general question:

Since I have an VIA MVP3 chipset, should USB be Enabled or Disabled in the BIOS?

Thanks again everyone for all your help!

Chuck

 

[Noriaki]

<< OK, since I should install the VIA 4-in-1's, which parts of them should I install? For example, does the AGP patch need to be installed in Windows 2000, or was that only for Win9x? >>

I have an AMD north bridge and a Via south bridge....AMD specifically has a separate AGP MiniPort for Win2k, so I imagine you'll want Via's as well. The newest beta IDE drivers work for Win2k, but the current release ones don't. I'm pretty sure if you just grab the package it will only install what it should under Win2k



<< I wasn't even aware that ACPI was rumored to slow systems down. I was more concerned about it taking up an IRQ. >>

Yeah it uses an IRQ for ACPI, but in Win98SE you'll use an ACPI for IRQ (if you enable it) and then 4 more for PCI subsystems. In Win2k you use one for ACPI and one for your PCI subsystem. So you actually save an IRQ or 3 The ACPI IRQ can be shared if you run out, but you won't.

 

[nortexoid]

noriaki, try running 3dmark or vulpine's GLmark without the AMD AGP drivers installed...
especially in win98

i had slightly over 500....i installed the driver - 2200...
quite a difference indeed...

anyway, chuky - u'll have enough resources to easily run win2k..

 

[marcio]

<<One surprise you'll come across is that windows 2000 use waaaaaay more memory than NT workstation.

I went back to Windows NT because it was faster. >>

No, it isn't. At least not with 256MB of RAM which is what chucky2 has.

 

[John]

Since NT cannot use USB or DX7/8, 2K is a more viable option for most people.

 

[chucky2]

Thanks again Noriaki!

Also, thanks to nortexoid, marcio, and John.


OK, so definitely install the AGP patch from VIA.

I'm wondering if ACPI just doesn't work very well on MVP3 chipsets in general. Between a California Graphics Photon 100HC, a few FIC VA-503+'s, and 3 Tyan S1598C2's, I've never had great (good, but not great) success with ACPI under Windows 98FE and 98SE. I guess I'll give it a go under Windows 2000 and if it doesn't work, just turn it off and then re-install.

I'm glad that you'all think that I've got enough system to run Windows 2000. I was getting worried that with a Super-7 system I would be SOL.

Again, Thanks for all the help!!!

Chuck

P.S. Of course, if anyone else has suggestions/comments, then please post away!

 

[Noriaki]

nortexoid: Maybe I muddled my wording a bit...I meant to say yes you definately want the AGP MiniPort driver installed.

You'll be fine with 256MB that's what I have and I run Win2k as my gaming OS and I don't think it's slow.

 

[chucky2]

Noriaki- Well, as far as gaming performance, I think mine will be slow unless I'm playing a real old game.

Check out my computers stats in my sig.....Yes, that is sad. But the cause is good: I'm holding out for dual AMD's and DDR (and hopefully the G800).

Thanks!

Chuck

 

[Suppafly]

if it detects your acpi keep it.. and upgrade to directx 8 and down the service pack and current updates and the 128 bit update and the ie 5.5 update.. id leave the media player alone unless you like the bloated mediaplayer 7

 

[Zero]

Yes...there was a suprise...it installed without a hitch! REally wierd.

Zero

 

[dcdomain]

You'll want the Via 4.29 drivers, otherwise you might get some scsi errors on your ide drives. I had a bad time with ACPI, but in your case, install it as ACPI first, if you have problems, you don't need to reinstall, just follow these steps to turn it off: http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/007674.html

 

[chucky2]

Thanks Suppafly, Zero, and dcdomain!

It looks like I'll try it with ACPI enabled, and if that doesn't work, I'll use the link provided by dcdomain to go non-ACPI.

Thanks everyone for your time and help!

I'll post back here Sunday and let everyone know how it went.

Thanks again!

Chuck

 

[chucky2]

Just an update (sorry it took so long!):

Well, UPS screwed up the order very bad. So in the end, I ended up having them return to sender and having the vendor credit my card back.

I'll try again this summer when I have time for USP's constant mistakes.

Thanks to all who posted with the help!!!

Chuck