Trying to install Win2000 instead of XP

I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
do I get past this?

Really getting retro, are we? Unimpressed by Vista's WOW! ?

Make sure you can get Windows 2000 drivers from Dell or elsewhere for your
computer. Download them now, and burn them to a CD. Then download a copy of
DBAN and burn an ISO CD or create a floppy with DBAN. Run DBAN. It will wipe
the hard drive clean. Then the Windows 2000 install will not have XP as an
obstacle... Ben Myers

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 15:20:06 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
>hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
>Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
>running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
>do I get past this?

1) what model dell are you talking about? win2k can be problemtic on new
models so it is best to find out if win2k can be installed on your model
before you end up just wasting a ton of time.
2) do you get the described error message when you boot from the win2kcd?
put the win2k cd inthe cd drive and press f12 during post to get a boot
menu, then select cd, then 'strike any key to boot from the cd'. if you
have a late model dell with sata disk drives then you better have the disk
drivers available on cd, floppy, or usb drive..
good luck.


<> wrote in message
news:cb013b4f-d00f-411e-be59-...
>I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
> hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
> Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
> running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
> do I get past this?

On Dec 8, 1:26 am, "Christopher Muto" <m...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> 1) what model dell are you talking about? win2k can be problemtic on new
> models so it is best to find out if win2k can be installed on your model
> before you end up just wasting a ton of time.
> 2) do you get the described error message when you boot from the win2kcd?
> put the win2k cd inthe cd drive and press f12 during post to get a boot
> menu, then select cd, then 'strike any key to boot from the cd'. if you
> have a late model dell with sata disk drives then you better have the disk
> drivers available on cd, floppy, or usb drive..
> good luck.
>
> <docgor...@aol.com> wrote in message
>
> news:cb013b4f-d00f-411e-be59-...
>
>
>
> >I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
> > hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
> > Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
> > running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
> > do I get past this?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

The problem now is that on my setup menu, the cd rom lists as "not
installed". So on the boot menu, booting from the cd is not an option.
How do I fix this?
PS This Dell is over 3 years old. So hopefully it'll be alright with
Win2000

PS. The cd rom registers fine once windows xp kicks in and shows that
it's installed in the hardware directory

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 15:20:06 -0800 (PST), wrote:

>I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
>hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
>Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
>running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
>do I get past this?

If I were you, I'd dual-boot, but that's just me. Could try
re-formatting with the XP CD.

Careful. He may not have gotten the "restoration CD" (actually a full XP
install CD with some tiny Dell-specific changes) with his system. And the XP
CD alone is insufficient. He has a Dimension 4600, so he needs to install 5
sets of drivers after the basic XP install, starting with the Intel chipset
drivers. And did I mention the 300+MB of downloads from the Microbloat web
site to fix up all the security holes and other legendary software defects. And
that's after installing XP SP2. For an install CD with classic
not-ready-for-prime-time XP or XP SP1, I can't imagine how many MB... Ben Myers

On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:35:41 -0800, Paul Knudsen <>
wrote:

>On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 15:20:06 -0800 (PST), wrote:
>
>>I have a Dell that's currently running WinXP. I want to reformat the
>>hard drive, and run it on Win2000 instead. However, when I put the
>>Win2000 disc in, XP says it contains an older version than what's
>>running.. and disables the setup menu on the disc! How annoying. How
>>do I get past this?
>
>If I were you, I'd dual-boot, but that's just me. Could try
>re-formatting with the XP CD.

<> wrote in message
news:0cfc5934-a3ea-45c1-aaeb-...
> PS. The cd rom registers fine once windows xp kicks in and shows that
> it's installed in the hardware directory
>

ps. you still haven't bothered to mention what model you have. good luck.

Hi!

> PS. The cd rom registers fine once windows xp kicks in
> and shows that it's installed in the hardware directory

Go into system setup (F2 at startup in all likelihood) and enable the
IDE connector to which the CD-ROM drive is attached.

I've been able to pull that stunt on my Dim8300...disabling an IDE or
SATA port in the setup utility would prevent the computer from booting
from it, but Windows 2000 was more than happy to find and use things
attached to the "disabled" ports.

William