Windows 2000 Basic

Q: When was Windows 2000 released?
A: Windows 2000 was released into stores February 17, 2000. Some computer manufacturers were selling computers preinstalled with Win2000 in January, however. 

Q: What Is Windows 2000?
A: Windows 2000 is the new name for Windows NT 5.0, the replacement for the current Windows NT 4.0. It employs the same core technologies as NT, but adds many new ones that were not previously available in NT, such as Plug-and-Play, support for USB devices, power management, DirectX 7.x, etc. It is not for consumers, but for businesses. 

Q: How many different versions of Windows 2000 will there be?
A: There are four:

• Windows 2000 Professional is the workstation edition of Windows 2000.

• Windows 2000 Server/Advanced Server is the server edition of Windows 2000, which is designed to serve small- to mid-sized businesses and workgroups. Server supports up to 4GB of physical RAM and up to 4 processors per computer. Advanced Server supports up to 8GB of RAM and 8 processors per computer.

• Windows 2000 Datacenter Server is designed for large businesses and computer clusters. Datacenter supports up to 32 processors per computer and up to 64GB of RAM, as well as built-in clustering and load-balancing features.

Q: Will Microsoft Windows 2000 be available in multiple languages?
A: Yes, Microsoft is releasing a MultiLanguage Version of Windows 2000. The operating system allows users to change the language of the user interface, choosing from any one of 24 languages. Menus, help files and dialog boxes can be switched to Japanese, for example, or Italian or Swedish. Plus, users can create, edit and print documents in hundreds of different languages. Users change the interface language by simply selecting Control Panel and then Regional Options. A drop-down box lists the languages available.

Q: How much will Windows 2000 cost?
A: The standalone version of Windows 2000 Professional will cost $319. Upgrades from Windows 95 or Windows 98 are $219. Upgrades from Windows NT Workstation 4.0 are $149.

Windows 2000 Server costs $1,199 and comes with ten client access licenses. Upgrading from an existing copy of NT Server is $599.

Windows 2000 Advanced Server costs $3,999 and comes with 25 client access licenses. Upgrading from an existing copy of Advanced Server is $1,999.

Q: What are the OEM prices for Windows 2000?
A: Windows 2000 3-Pack: $386.00
    Windows 2000 Server: $725.00

Q: Are they already working on the next Windows 2000 version?
A: Yes, Service Pack 1, Asteroid, will be released mid-2000.

Q: I have a Beta version of Windows 2000, can I upgrade?
A: Yes, Microsoft supports upgrades of Bet 3 or later to the final release of Windows 2000.

Q: What are the system requirements for Windows 2000?
A:

Windows 2000 Professional:

• 133 MHz or higher Pentium-compatible CPU.

• 64 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum; more memory generally improves responsiveness.

• 2 GB hard disk with a minimum of 1 GB of free space. (Additional free hard disk space is required if you are installing over a network.)

• Windows 2000 Professional supports single and dual CPU systems.

Windows 2000 Server:

• 133 MHz or higher Pentium-compatible CPU.

• 256 megabytes (MB) of RAM recommended minimum [128 MB minimum supported; 4 gigabytes (GB) maximum].

• 2 GB hard disk with a minimum of 1.0 GB free space. (Additional free hard disk space is required if you are installing over a network.)

• Windows 2000 Server supports up to four CPUs on one machine.

Windows 2000 Advanced Server:

• 133 MHz or higher Pentium-compatible CPU.

• 256 MB of RAM recommended minimum (128 MB minimum supported; 8 GB maximum.)

• 2 GB hard disk with a minimum of 1.0 GB free space. (Additional free hard disk space is required if you are installing over a network.)

• Windows 2000 Advanced Server supports up to eight CPUs on one machine.

Q: Can Windows 2000 Run DOS Applications?
A: Surprisingly yes, Microsoft has been improving the ability of Windows 2000 to run DOS applications.

Q: What is the final build number for Windows 2000?
A: 2195

Q: Is there a Service Pack release for Windows 2000 in the works?
A: Although it is unlikely that work has started on one yet, a Service Pack is set for release in about 6-7 months time.

Q: Should I upgrade to Windows 2000?
A: If you must upgrade today, choose NT5 on two conditions: You should have 32MB of RAM and your hardware, software and peripherals must support NT. Otherwise, choose Win98--particularly for games. If you can delay an upgrade decision until later this year, choose Win2000 on two conditions: You should have 64MB of RAM and a 166MHz processor, and your hardware, software and peripherals must support it. Otherwise, choose Win98.

Does my computer need to be ACPI ready to run Windows 2000?
A. No, systems that are not ACPI ready will support and run Windows 2000 reliably. Such systems will continue to support power management and Plug and Play features offered today under Windows NT 4 and Windows 95/98. However, ACPI-compliant systems will support new advanced power management capabilities found in Windows 2000. To gain the complete manageability of Windows 2000, you will want to ensure that your hardware, BIOS and drivers support ACPI.

Q: What are some of the features for Windows 2000?
A: The features in Windows 2000 are great. Check out the features page for the full list of new features on Windows 2000 Professional and the features page for Windows 2000 Server.

Q: Will Windows 2000 be suitable for gaming?
A: Microsoft is still working on gaming compatibilities, but some gaming companies have already announced that their product is not Windows 2000 compatible. After Windows 2000 is released, your best chance is to read the System Requirements, most likely after Windows 2000 is released they will put Windows 2000 compatible or have the Designed for Windows 2000 logo. To find if your current game is Windows 2000 compatible you should contact the game's author regarding compatibility.

Q: Can I Upgrade From Windows 98 & Windows 98 Second Edition?
A: Yes

Q: What is the availability of Windows Media in Windows 2000?
A: Windows Media Services is a feature of Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server. Windows Media Player is a feature of Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Advanced Server.

not expected to ship for another year or more.

Q: Will America Online 4.0 and 5.0 work on Windows 2000?
A: FINALLY! YES!!! After millions of complaints, America Online 32-bit versions WORK with Windows 2000!

Q: What are Dynamic Disks?
A: Windows 2000 uses a new feature called Dynamic Disks, which introduces the concept of Disk Groups.

Disk Groups help you organize Dynamic Disks and help to prevent data loss. Windows 2000 allows only one Disk Group per computer (this may change.) Disk Groups can organize storage when you use Veritas LDM-Pro.

A Disk Group uses a name consisting of the computer name plus a suffix of Dg0. If you use LDM-Pro, the suffix can be incremental, such as Dg1 or Dg2. To view the name of your disk group, see the following registry entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\dmio\Boot Info\Primary Disk Group\Name

Q: Can I dual boot in Windows 2000?
A: You can configure your computer to start Windows 2000, Windows NT, and either Windows 95 or Windows 98. However, you cannot configure a computer to multiple boot Windows 95 and Windows 98. Both Windows 95 and Windows 98 use the same boot file. Therefore, multiple booting Windows 95 and Windows 98 at the same time is not supported.

Your installations are less prone to problems if you install Windows 95 or Windows 98 before you install Windows NT and Windows 2000. This order is recommended because sometimes Windows 95 or Windows 98 replaces a Windows 2000 or Windows NT boot sector with its own boot sector. Because a Windows 95 or Windows 98 boot sector identifies the partition as a FAT16 partition, Windows NT and Windows 2000 can no longer access NTFS volumes. To install Windows 95 or Windows 98 first, use the installation procedures provided with the Windows 95 or Windows 98 Companion CD-ROM.

If you want to multiple boot Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 95 or Windows 98, and MS-DOS, you should install MS-DOS first.

Q: What is the Windows 2000 Datacenter Program?
A: This new program is specifically designed to address the demanding requirements of enterprise customers and will include a joint support team with server vendors for single-point-of-contact support, rigorous system testing and qualification focused on the entire system vs. individual components, coordinated maintenance and change control for hardware and software updates, and new Microsoft Certified Support Center (MCSC) for Datacenter requirements.

Q: Will the Microsoft Digital Sound System 80 Software install on Windows 2000?
A: No, as mentioned on ActiveWin a long time ago, the Digital Sound System 80 has been discontinued by Microsoft, so as they tend to do, there will not be any new software coming out for it...so you are basically stuck with the speakers working in analog mode.

DirectX & Windows 2000

Q: What version of DirectX does Windows 2000 ship with?
A: Windows 2000 ships with a version of DirectX 7a.

Q: Will Windows 2000 users finally be able to update to each new version of DirectX as they are released, such as the upcoming DirectX 8?
A: Yes - all future versions of DirectX will install onto Windows 2000