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Windows 2000 FAQ
 If you've
got other questions about Windows 2000, please send
them along and I'll post the answers here. This FAQ is updated
regularly, so please check back.
Q: What is Windows
2000
?
A:
Windows
2000 is the next version of Windows NT, previously known as Windows NT 5.0. This means that the name
"Windows NT" is dead and that all new versions of Windows
going forward will be simply called "Windows." Likewise,
all new versions of Windows going forward--with the exception of a
new Consumer Windows (code-named "Millennium") that will replace Windows 98 in 2000--will be based
on the
32-bit Windows NT kernel, not the 16/32-bit DOS underpinnings of
Windows 95/98.
Another way to look
at it is this: the Windows family of operating systems will now use
dates for version numbers. So Windows 2000 comes after Windows
(19)98 (and NT 4.0). Future versions (Windows 2003, etc.) will use
the same type of names. The "2000" suffix denotes only the
version number, in the same way that cars have model years. The
product name is still Windows (not "Windows
2000," which also indicates the version number. There will not
be a "Windows 2000 2.0" for example... hopefully. You never can tell
when Microsoft marketing is in the driver's seat).
Q: So what happens to Windows NT Workstation (or Server, etc.)?
A:
Microsoft is using this
release to change the Windows NT/2000 lineup a bit. The
Workstation edition, for example, becomes Windows 2000 Professional.
Here is the complete list of Windows 2000 editions, courtesy of
Microsoft with my own annotations:
-
Windows 2000 Professional
(formerly Windows NT Workstation 5.0) will be the mainstream
Microsoft desktop operating system for
businesses of all sizes. Windows 2000 Professional will
deliver the easiest Windows-based environment yet, the highest
level of security, state-of-the-art features for
mobile users, industrial-strength reliability and better
performance (with two-way SMP) while lowering the total cost of
ownership through improved manageability.
Note
that Professional is NOT for consumers
: The next
Consumer Windows from Microsoft is due in 2000 and will be based
on the Windows 9x kernel, not the NT kernel used in Windows
2000. A future release of Windows 2000, code-named
"Whistler," will include a Consumer version however.
Whistler is due in 2001-2002: See my Whistler
FAQ for details.
-
Windows 2000 Server
(formerly Windows NT Server 5.0) will offer industry-leading
functionality and will support new systems with up to four-way
SMP (symmetrical multiprocessing, the ability to use more than
one microprocessor). Ideal for small to medium-sized enterprise
application deployments, Web servers, workgroups and branch
offices, this version of Windows 2000 is expected to be the most
popular server version.
-
Windows 2000 Advanced Server
(formerly Windows NT Server 5.0 Enterprise Edition) will be a
more powerful departmental and application server, and will also
provide rich networking operating system and Internet services.
Supporting new systems with up to eight-way SMP, this new product
offering is ideal for database-intensive work and integrates
clustering and load balancing support to provide excellent
system and application availability. Existing Windows NT Server
4.0 Enterprise Edition servers with up to eight-way SMP can
install this SKU, which is expected to be priced below today's
Windows NT Server Enterprise Edition product.
-
Windows
2000 Datacenter Server (new) will be the most powerful and
functional server operating system ever offered by Microsoft. It
supports up to 16-way SMP and up to 64 GB of physical memory. Like Windows 2000 Advanced
Server, it provides both clustering and load balancing services
as standard features. It is optimized for large data warehouses,
econometric analysis, large-scale simulations in science and
engineering, OLTP, and server consolidation projects.
The name "Workstation" was
replaced by "Professional" because this edition of the OS
is being used on many business client desktops, and is not relegated
to the workstation market.
Q: This name change seems kind of
strange. Why did they do this?
A:
Microsoft had been planning to
change the name of Windows NT for some time, though I don't believe that Northern Telecom's
trademark
of "NT" has anything to do with it: Rather, the desire to
leverage the Windows brand name was likely the guiding force. They
couldn't do it before because NT and 9x were too incompatible. I
always figured the change would come with the 6.0 release of NT
(when a consumer version of NT will replace Windows 9x in 2002 or
2003) but something made them change it early. I don't buy the logic
of "NT 5.0 is such a major release, it was the obvious
time." That's ridiculous, especially when you consider that the
"normal" version of Windows (Windows 98) is not going to
be upgraded at this time: That would have been the logical
time to change the name.
I stand by my original comment in WinInfo:
"This is what happens when you've got an army of marketing
dweebs with nothing to do."
On the other hand, one could argue
that the brand name "Windows" was more valuable than
"NT" or "Windows NT." I like the "NT"
separator, however, and reputation the NT name brought to those
operating systems. Windows isn't exactly known the world 'round for
its stability and reliability. Well, it will be now.
Q: Was Windows 2000 released?
Is it done?
A: Yes, Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on
December 15, 1999. However, you won't see Windows 2000 in retail
stores until February 17, 2000. Companies such as Dell, Compaq, and
IBM will have Windows 2000 systems available for sale by January
2000 however.
Q: What are the hardware requirements for Windows 2000?
A: That depends on who you talk to. Microsoft lists the system
requirements like so:
-
Windows 2000
Professional: Pentium 133 or better with 64 MB RAM minimum.
-
Windows 2000
Server: Pentium 133 or better with 256 MB RAM minimum
recommended, though it will work with 128 MB.
-
Windows 2000
Advanced Server: Pentium 133 or better with 256 MB RAM minimum
recommended, though it will work with 128 MB.
However, my
recommendations look like this:
-
Windows 2000
Professional: Pentium II 300 or better with 128 MB RAM minimum.
-
Windows 2000
Server: Pentium II 300 or better with 128 MB RAM minimum (only
on a member server with minimal services). If you're running
Active Directory, I recommend at least 384 MB RAM to start.
-
Pentium II 300
or better with 256 MB RAM minimum (only on a member server with
minimal services). If you're running Active Directory, I
recommend at least 384 MB RAM to start.
These things vary
from machine to machine, of course. For desktop machines that are
used solely for Web and email access, 64 MB of RAM might be
acceptable. However, anyone that uses Office 2000 applications,
software development tools, games, or image-editing/multimedia
applications will need at least 128 MB of RAM.
For servers, memory requirements will vary significantly, depending
on the number of clients, the number and type of services running,
and how the server is used. Member ("standalone") servers
have less overhead than Active Directory domain controllers, for
example. You'll need more RAM to handle more clients, obviously. And
if you're running top-heavy server services such as SQL Server,
Exchange Server, or the other BackOffice apps, you'll need to plan
accordingly.
In all cases, the more RAM the better: Unlike Windows 98, Windows
2000 will take advantage of any RAM you can throw at it.
Q: What is the final build number of Windows 2000?
A: 2195. Not 2195.1. Not 2195.2. Just 2195.
Q: Now that the Windows 2000 beta is over, are you going to keep
updating this Web site?
A: Yup. I plan to use Windows 2000 for some time to come, so I'll be
updating the FAQ and Technology Showcases continuously for the next
few years at least. Also, I'll have reviews of Windows 2000
Professional and Server Family up sometime in early 2000. So if you
have any Windows 2000 questions, please send
them to me!
Q: It seems like Windows 2000 was in beta for a loooonnngggg
time? What took so long?
A: A variety of things. Microsoft tried to do too much with
Windows 2000 and, as a result, ended up with a mammoth product that
tries to be all things to all people. I've written an extensive
examination of the development of Windows 2000 in my reviews section
called The
Road to Gold: A look at the development of Windows 2000.
Q: I've got Windows 98. Can I upgrade to Windows 2000?
A: This question is extremely complex, believe it or not. In this
specific case, you can upgrade to Windows 2000 Professional.
However, you should check out my technology showcase Upgrading
to Windows 2000: What upgrades what? to find out the details.
This showcase discusses the various products that will upgrade to
various versions of Windows 2000.
Q: I've heard that Windows 2000 is more reliable and stable than
Windows 98. Should I upgrade?
NEW!
A: This question is much more complex than it appears at first
glance, so I've written a technology showcase that should help you
make that decision. Check out Which
Windows? and make an informed decision!
Q: I have a <hardware product>. Will it work with Windows
2000 (or, more commonly, how come it doesn't work in Windows 2000)?
A: Windows 2000 is much more picky about hardware devices that
Windows 9x, though the list of hardware that runs on this operating
system grows daily. You must check out the Windows
2000 Hardware Compatibility List (FTP) before installing Windows 2000.
DO NOT INSTALL WINDOWS 2000 WITHOUT FIRST CHECKING THE HCL! I
will not respond to requests about hardware that isn't on the HCL.
Microsoft also has an excellent Windows
Hardware Compatibility List Web site that's worth visiting. To
search for Windows 2000-specific hardware and software, please visit
Microsoft's
Hardware and Software Compatibility Web site.
Q: OK, I tried the HCL and the hardware isn't supported. Can I
use a Windows 9x or NT driver instead?
A: For the most part no: Some Windows 9x and NT 4.0 drivers will
actually work in Windows 2000, but most will not. Unless the
hardware you own is out of date, it will probably have a Windows
2000 driver soon. Remember, this operating system isn't even widely
available yet: Give it some time.
The other thing you might try is the excellent NT
Compatible Web site. This resource has information about getting
finicky hardware working in Windows 2000.
Q: I own a software package called <software>. Will this
run on Windows 2000?
A: Most Windows (9x and NT) software will run fine on Windows 2000, including
games. However, you should check to make sure
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