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Downgrading W2K to XP Pro, help needed

B

Bozz

Senior member
I have a need to have XP Pro on my computer due to its fast user switching capability and for no other reason. I manage and administer a W2003 domain and a few hundred XP Pro workstations at work so I'm pretty competant with it, however I dislike many features and would like to know if they can be made to look like Windows 2000.

I will be doing a clean install of a slipstreamed copy of xpsp2, not an upgrade.

Firstly - I have a hotmail address and use outlook express as the interface. I would be using thunderbird if it could provide the same interface. Anyway, as microsoft has stopped new OE clients from connecting to hotmail, is there a way to copy the OE settings for hotmail from my 2000 pro workstation to the new XP machine?

Secondly - Can the Start > Search > Files and folders interface be carried over from W2k? I hate the bloated XP look, even if you switch it into advanced mode. I like the extremely simple, plain and efficient method that W2k does its searching.

Thirdly - Can Windows Media Player 6.4 somehow be installed on XP without the terrible bloated WMP7? On the same computer, WMP7 and newer versions take over 3 times as long to load compared to WMP6.4 with all the latest codec packs to make it as compatible?

Otherwise I think I have most other things sorted....
 
1. No, Microsoft is going to blocking OE and Outlook users from connecting to Hotmail at the server level, not at the client level. That means you'll probably be able set up Hotmail access in OE with your new install, and it will work until Microsoft decides to cut users off.

2. XP search in advanced mode looks and behaves just like 2000, AFAIK. What specifically don't you like?

3. XP SP2 includes WMP9. Version 9 actually loads pretty quickly for me, but if you don't like it, you can download Media Player Classic, which has a similar look-and-feel to the old WMP6.4 and supports all the latest codecs.
 
Originally posted by: bersl2
Originally posted by: Bozz
Firstly - I have a hotmail address and use outlook express as the interface. I would be using thunderbird if it could provide the same interface.
Click to expand...

Please elaborate.

BTW: Outlook Express theme for Thunderbird.
Click to expand...

I think he means that he can access his Hotmail account through OE, a feature that Thunderbird does not have.

The point is moot anyway as Microsoft is phasing out OE/Outlook Hotmail integration in the next few months.
 
Well damn about the OE & Hotmail phase out.... I just thought it was new accounts that were unable to connect or a new OE client was unable to connect....

re the search function, I just dislike the gfx of XP, w2k's plain and boring buttons are so much simpler and appear far less busy, i guess its just what i've been using for the past 5 years...

Will try wmp classic on a test box, cheers for that 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Bozz
re the search function, I just dislike the gfx of XP, w2k's plain and boring buttons are so much simpler and appear far less busy, i guess its just what i've been using for the past 5 years...
Click to expand...

Even with the Classic theme?
 
Thirdly - Can Windows Media Player 6.4 somehow be installed on XP without the terrible bloated WMP7? On the same computer, WMP7 and newer versions take over 3 times as long to load compared to WMP6.4 with all the latest codec packs to make it as compatible?
Click to expand...

Windows Media Player is there go to: C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player

look for a file called "mplayer2" thats windows media player 6.4 hides.

Just make a shortcut to where you want and your done 🙂

 
If you download and install Tweak UI
and click on 'Explorer', there's a box in the list that when ticked will 'Use Classic Search in Explorer'
That should set you back to the Windows 2000 style search.
 
canterwood, isn't that the identical to opening the local policy editor (gpedit.msi) and doing the same?
 
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