Results of Windows 2000 Professional Tests

By Mary Sue Hedrick

As the Windows 2000 Project Team and Technology Support Coordinators continue to test and discuss Windows 2000 Professional (Win2k Pro) and Server (Win2k Server), they are making discoveries that may be of interest to the campus at large. The most useful information surrounds the Win2k Pro operating system, the operating system which most departments running Windows 95, 98, or NT will eventually run on their systems.

For the last two months, the team has focused on testing the compatibility of Windows 2000 Professional with major campus administrative computing systems, such as Banner SIS, DaFis, and PPS. "We are confident that Windows 2000 Professional will work in our existing infrastructure," says Martha Cornejo, IT-Desktop. "However, there is still some work for us to do with integration issues, and steps each user should take before migrating to Windows 2000 Professional."

 
Steps for Smooth Transition
The switch to Windows 2000 Professional can be tricky. Review the following procedures for a smoother transition.

1. Check your system requirements by running the System Requirement, Hardware and Software Compatibility, and BIOS Compatibility checks available at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/upgrade/. NOTE: In the event your BIOS is not compatible, updates should be available on your computer manufacturer's Web site. For example, if you own a Dell Latitude notebook, there is a Dell Latitude Windows 2000 BIOS update available in the support pages under "Downloads." To ensure a successful installation, also check the most current hardware compatibility list at http://www.microsoft.com/hwtest/hcl to view hardware supported by Windows 2000.

2. Check the UC Davis Windows 2000 software compatibility test results at http://win2k.ucdavis.edu/Win2kMatrix.htm to ensure that any special software you are running is compatible with Win2k Pro. If you would like to add software to be tested, please email dsg-help@ucdavis.edu.

3. Ensure your computer has enough "guts" to handle the new operating system. The testers have found that a system with the following minimum hardware specifications should allow Professional to operate in an acceptable manner:
   • Pentium II 400Mhz.
   • 128MB of RAM; preferably more since Windows 2000 makes good use of extra RAM.
   • 6GB hard drive, with at least 1GB free space.
   • CD-ROM drive, VGA monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

4. Back up your entire system. Before doing so, make sure your backup system is compatible with Windows 2000. If you can, clone your system using Ghost or similar software so you can restore your system's previous OS fairly quickly in the event your Win2k Pro installation fails.

5. Go to the Control Panel, click on Network-->TCP/IP-->Properties, and write down all of your network settings. Also, write down the list of software on your computer, in case any piece fails.

6. Do a "clean" install of Professional. This requires that you allow the Windows 2000 installer to delete existing partitions before installing the program.

 
Known Compatibility Issues
The Windows 2000 Project team's testing has also found that administrative computing systems such as Banner, AIS, DESII and DaFIS may or may not automatically install on Windows 2000 Professional, potentially requiring the user to install the programs manually. The project team is working on updating the installers. If you encounter any problems with installation, call 757-8907 for assistance.

It is very important to check the compatibility of your system. Professional is unlikely to be compatible with much of the hardware and software you may be using.

"Everyone should keep in mind that many vendors have not come out with Windows 2000 compliant products yet, and products that are out might have been developed for the Windows 2000 Beta version, which could cause problems," Cornejo says. "It could be that the computer you bought in December is not compatible with Windows 2000 Professional. The best way to move to Windows 2000 Professional is to purchase a computer with Professional already on the system. That way, you are certain that the hardware and software are compatible."