Need to install windows NT over XP

Jassen M. West · 08-14-2003, 01:40 PM

ok, the computer came with Windows XP Home, everything is running fine until i find out that the current version of our software for business tracking and quoting won't run on XP at all. We would upgrade to their new version that does run on XP but we've been told to wait because the bugs aren't all worked out yet. So, i need to get rid of XP and install NT. I can't seem to get rid of XP though. How do i fdisk or format if i can't get to DOS? I thought about running a dual OS system but XP doesn't want to do that for me either. can anyone help??

thanks

Rob Gillespie · 08-14-2003, 01:51 PM

You could run a dual-boot but you'd need to have NT installed first.

There are third party apps out there that would let you dual-boot without removing XP. I'm not familiar with them so others will have to advise.

You can get a dos boot floppy from www.bootdisk.com

Joel Mack · 08-14-2003, 02:13 PM

Boot from the NT CD-ROM and when you get to the option to blow away the partition(s) and reformat, do it.

Francois Caron · 08-14-2003, 02:52 PM

Jassen, I'm surprised you have a piece of software that doesn't work properly under Windows XP, especially something that supposedly wouldn't require any special system resources to run properly (accounting packages are usually low-tech). Was there any specific reason given why it wouldn't work? Also, have you tried running the software in Windows NT compatibility mode (if you could install the software at all)?

If you're going to install Windows NT on a large hard drive, you might need to create bootable installation floppies with the upgraded ATAPI.SYS driver, and possibly another upgraded file (can't remember). Without these updated files, Windows NT may not see the hard drive properly and fail to create your main partition.

JamesHl · 08-14-2003, 06:45 PM

I've been through this recently and am in fact still dealing with, and I can honestly say that you need to upgrade your software, not downgrade your o/s, because you will just hurt yourself in the long run. I don't know if you're in a position to make this decision, but my advice stands.

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Jassen M. West · 08-15-2003, 08:44 AM

Ok,, i decided to keep XP on the computer. now the next problem it setting it up to talk to a Windows NT server. I added the user to the server and now i was going to add the computer but it wants me to make a floppy disk on the server that i will then install on the computer. The problem is that the disk it creates is only good for Windows 95 and Windows NT....argggh..lol. what to do now. i'm trying to look it up using google but no luck so far.

thanks again

JamesHl · 08-15-2003, 10:09 AM

What are you trying to do? Add it to a domain? You should be able to do that without any floppy disks or anything.

Jassen M. West · 08-15-2003, 10:29 AM

James- right now we have a server running windows NT there are 6 pc's that are connected to it. Every morning those 6 people log into the server with their pc's so they can access programs and the internet. i ran the cat5. i just want to add one more so he can operate just like the other 6. This system was setup before i got here though. i know there is a signal coming through because i can access the internet now that the cat 5 is connected. i just can't seem to get him to show up when i try and find it on the server. Also the server has Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server installed on it.
thanks

JamesHl · 08-15-2003, 10:49 AM

Yeah, that sounds like a domain. What you'll want to do on the xp computer is go to control panel, system, go to the computer name tab and use 'network id' to setup the computer on the domain. I would check and make sure this is the case, but if everyone is logging into an nt computer that is a server, I'm pretty sure this is what's going on.

Jassen M. West · 08-15-2003, 11:55 AM

Thanks for the help james, i was about to start losing my hair. i did what you said and after i click the Computer Name tab i click Change and then i click More, the NetBIOS computer name reads NETWORKID. There is a blank box labeled Primary DNS suffix of this computer on that same window that has the NetBIOS name. What else do i have to change. Sorry for all the questions, i appreciate the help.

JamesHl · 08-15-2003, 02:52 PM

Name the computer whatever you want to name it, don't worry about the primary dns suffix unless the thing also runs a website (and even then you really don't have to worry about it). Just change the thing from workgroup to domain and put in the name of the domain.