CHAPTER 3 · • Older applications that depend on file system filters such as disk tools, disk-quota applica-tions, and certain older antivirus programs should be removed because

Upgrading Windows

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90 Chapter 3 Upgrading Windows

Windows XP Upgrade InstallationsChapter 1, “Windows Version History,” introduced you to the various versions of Windows, past andpresent, and briefly mentioned the features of Windows XP. Large numbers of individuals and compa-nies still have older versions of Windows running on their computers. And even with Windows Vistaon the horizon, compared to these older versions, Windows XP still offers a user-friendly experienceand security functions that go far beyond its predecessors, including Windows 2000.

In Chapter 2, “Installing Windows,” we talked about baseline Windows XP installation concepts andfeatures as well as how to perform clean and professional installations of the XP operating system. Inthis chapter I cover how to perform an upgrade Windows XP installation, in which Windows XPreplaces a previous Windows OS without first removing all data from the system drive and startingfrom scratch.

An upgrade installation is most useful in cases where you have customized user settings that you wantto preserve. This option, however, does not always work flawlessly, especially if you are upgradingfrom an operating system other than Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Home Edition (toXP Pro) due to the differences in the Registry structure and the startup process.

Stability issues aside, if you allow Windows XP to back up the existing operating system during theupgrade you can later uninstall Windows XP and effectively revert your computer back to the state itwas in immediately preceding the Windows XP upgrade. The ability to uninstall is contingent on thedisk volume being FAT32 and not NTFS, that you have not created or deleted any disk volumes on thesystem, and that you do not delete any backup files created during the upgrade installation process.

Deciding Whether an Upgrade is WorthwhileMost individuals and companies acquire Windows XP installed on a new computer. However, a largeestablished base of existing computers running older versions of Windows is present in nearly allorganizations. Although nearly everyone would like to take advantage of the new capabilities ofWindows XP, upgrades are not always feasible. First and foremost, there is the significant cost of newsoftware and its licenses. In addition, you need to take into account the following:

■ Many older computers lack the hardware resources required to run Windows XP.

■ You cannot upgrade all operating systems directly to Windows XP.

■ Upgrading a large number of computers on a network involves a considerable investment intime and money.

■ Applications running on existing computers may not be compatible with Windows XP.

Available Upgrade PathsPossible upgrade paths for computers running older Windows operating systems depend on the oper-ating system currently installed as well as the version of Windows XP you plan to install. Table 3.1outlines the available upgrade paths.

Table 3.1 Available Windows XP Upgrade Paths

Upgrading to Windows XP Upgrading to Windows XP Operating System Home Edition Professional

Windows 98/Me Can upgrade directly. Can upgrade directly.

Windows NT 4.0 Workstation Cannot upgrade. You must perform Can upgrade directly.or Windows 2000 Professional a clean installation.

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Windows XP Home Edition – Can upgrade directly.

Windows 3.1x/95 Upgrade to Windows 98, and then Upgrade to Windows 98, andupgrade to Windows XP. then upgrade to Windows XP.

Windows NT 3.x Workstation Cannot upgrade. You must perform Upgrade to Windows NT 4.0, a clean installation. and then upgrade to Windows XP.

Windows NT/2000 Server Cannot upgrade. You must perform Cannot upgrade. You must a clean installation. perform a clean installation.

You should note that while dual upgrade paths described in Table 3.1 for Windows 3.1x/95/NT 3.xcomputers are theoretically possible, most computers running these older operating systems do nothave the required hardware for running Windows XP. Should you need to upgrade such an older com-puter to Windows XP, it is preferable to perform a clean installation of Windows XP as described inChapter 2 after you have upgraded the hardware to an appropriate level.

In addition, it is not possible to upgrade any non-Windows computers (Linux, UNIX, MS-DOS, OS/2,and so on) to Windows XP. You must perform a clean installation of Windows XP on thesecomputers.

Verifying System CompatibilityThe Windows XP compatibility tool enables you to create a compatibility report that identifies anyproblems with hardware or software on a computer that is to be upgraded to Windows XP. You canrun this compatibility tool from the Windows XP CD-ROM by following these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP (Home Edition or Professional) CD-ROM.

2. From the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, select the Check System Compatibilitylink.

3. Select the Check My System Automatically link.

TipYou can also test your computer’s Windows XP compatibility by opening a command prompt or the Run dialog box andtyping the following: d:\i386\WINNT32 /CHECKUPGRADEONLY (where d: is the drive containing the Windows XP CD-ROM).

4. The Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor dialog box enables you to download updated Setupfiles from the Microsoft website. If you have an Internet connection, you should choose the Yes,Download the Updated Setup Files option and click Next. Otherwise, select the No, Skip ThisStep and Continue Installing Windows option and then click Next.

5. If selected, the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor downloads updated Setup files and displaysa Restart option. Click this option and then select the Yes, Download the Updated Setup Filesoption again to proceed.

6. The Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor dialog box tracks the construction of the upgradecompatibility report. This will take a minute or two.

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Table 3.1 Continued

Upgrading to Windows XP Upgrading to Windows XP Operating System Home Edition Professional

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7. When this action is completed, the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor displays a list of itemsthat may not be compatible with Windows XP, as shown in Figure 3.1. If no incompatible itemsare found, it informs you of this fact.

8. To obtain additional information on any item, select it and click More Details. To save a copy ofthe compatibility report, click Save As, type the name of the file to be saved in the dialog boxthat appears, and then click Save. Click Finish to close the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor.

Figure 3.1 The report produced by the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor notifies you of any hardwareor software that may not work properly on Windows XP.

Items that may be included in the upgrade report shown in Figure 3.1 include the following:

■ Incompatible software that may require upgrade packs, or applications that are not compatiblewith the Control Panel in Windows XP. If you cannot obtain upgrades, you may need toremove the application using Control Panel Add/Remove Programs before upgrading toWindows XP. If you do not remove these applications, you may receive an error message whenupgrading to Windows XP. See Knowledge Base article 891891 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;891891) for more information.

■ Incompatible entries in MS-DOS files such as Autoexec.bat and Config.sys.

■ Plug and Play hardware devices that are incompatible with Windows XP Professional or requireadditional files.

NoteWhen run on Windows NT 4.0, the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor may not provide the option to downloadupgraded Setup files. If this happens, simply continue the earlier procedure from step 6.

Note that if you have not yet purchased Windows XP and are wondering whether your computer willsupport an upgrade, the Windows XP Upgrade Advisor is available from Microsoft athttp://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/upgrading/advisor.mspx.

Upgrade ScenariosAfter you have run the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor and ascertained that you want to per-form an upgrade installation of Windows XP, you are ready to proceed. The following sections look atupgrading computers running Windows 98 and Windows 2000 to Windows XP; upgrading of aWindows NT 4.0 computer is similar.

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Before Upgrading to Windows XPAfter you are satisfied that an upgrade is worthwhile, you should perform several additional prelimi-nary tasks. The following tasks are suggested, and depend on the current operating system on thecomputer:

■ Back up your data before upgrading, in case something goes wrong during the upgrade. The eas-iest way to perform the backup is to simply copy the data folders to another disk or computerbecause the Windows 98/Me backup and restore utilities are not compatible with those inWindows XP.

■ Check the availability of BIOS upgrades from the BIOS manufacturer’s website. If upgrades areavailable, you should install them before upgrading your computer. Otherwise, machines witholder BIOS versions may not shut down or restart properly. Furthermore, if the computer is notAdvanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI)-compatible, you may need a BIOS upgrade.

■ Turn off power management features so that they do not activate during upgrade. You can dothis from the Power Options applet in Control Panel.

■ Use an antivirus program that has been updated with the most recent antivirus signatures toscan the computer to ensure that the computer is free of viruses. In addition, use another pro-gram such as the Microsoft AntiSpyware Program (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx; this utility requires Windows 2000 or later) or a third-party toolto scan for and remove malicious software such as spyware, adware, and rootkits. After you havecompleted this task, remove or disable these programs because antivirus programs can interferewith the upgrade process.

■ Ensure that all hardware is listed in the Windows Catalog. You can use Device Manager on aWindows 98/Me/2000 computer or Windows NT Diagnostics on a Windows NT 4.0 computer toprint out a list of all hardware components. Also check with hardware manufacturer websitesfor updated device drivers.

■ If you have used programs such as DriveSpace or DoubleSpace to compress partitions on com-puters running Windows 98 or Windows Me, you should decompress these partitions beforeupgrading to Windows XP, and then remove the compression utilities. On the other hand, it isnot necessary to decompress files or folders on Windows NT or Windows 2000 computers thathave been compressed using Windows NT/2000 NTFS compression.

■ If the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Advisor tool has identified software applications as beingincompatible with Windows XP, upgrade or remove these programs. Software manufacturersmay have released upgrade packs or newer versions that enable older programs to work properlywith Windows XP, and with Windows XP SP2 in particular. You should note the following itemsin particular:

• Older applications that depend on file system filters such as disk tools, disk-quota applica-tions, and certain older antivirus programs should be removed because they cannot workproperly on Windows XP.

• Some older applications may contain drivers that overwrite Windows XP system files.Windows XP forbids such activity because it would damage the Windows installation. Youmay need to obtain and install migration dynamic link libraries (DLLs) for such software.Contact the software distributor for upgrade packs containing these DLLs.

• Network client software for other networks cannot be upgraded for use with Windows XP.You need to obtain new versions for this software. An upgrade for Novell’s Client32 isincluded on the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM.

• Custom power-management tools have been supplanted in Windows XP by AdvancedPower Management (APM) and ACPI. You should remove these tools.

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• Custom solutions for PnP-usage with Windows NT should be removed because WindowsXP supports full PnP functionality.

• Other third-party software items such as fault-tolerant disk options, uninterruptible powersupply software, and certain network clients and services should be upgraded or removed.

• It may be possible to run certain older applications in compatibility mode after you haveupgraded to Windows XP; see Chapter 12, “Windows Troubleshooting,” for further details.

■ Ensure that the latest service pack is installed on your computer. In particular, Windows NT 4.0computers must be running at least SP5 and preferably SP6a.

■ Ensure that no unnecessary programs are running when you are ready to begin the upgrade.Access the Task Manager or the Windows 98/Me Close Program dialog box, and close any pro-grams that should not be running.

■ Windows XP does not support volume sets or stripe sets created on basic disk volumes inWindows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000. If you are upgrading a Windows NT 4.0 computer that con-tains volume sets or stripe sets, you should back up their contents and delete them beforeupgrading. If you are upgrading a Windows 2000 computer, convert the disks containing thesevolumes to dynamic storage. For more information on disk volumes in Windows XP, refer toChapter 5, “Managing Windows.”

NoteBecause Windows XP is more architecturally similar to Windows NT/2000 than to Windows 98/Me, you generallyhave fewer application compatibility problems when upgrading a Windows NT or 2000 computer to Windows XP, rela-tive to Windows 98/Me.

TipKeyboards, mice, and legacy PnP devices are especially prone to hardware compatibility problems. Some keyboards andmice do not work after an upgrade. One way to prevent this kind of trouble is to check with the vendor for the latest dri-vers or try installing generic device drivers before upgrading. If Windows XP drivers are not available, Windows 2000drivers may work.

Upgrading a Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 ComputerAfter you have ensured that your computer meets all hardware requirements for Windows XPProfessional and that you have performed all required preliminary tasks, you are ready to perform theactual upgrade. Remember that you cannot upgrade a computer running Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 toWindows XP Home Edition; you must upgrade to Windows XP Professional. In addition, you cannotupgrade a computer running a server version; you must perform a fresh install.

NoteMicrosoft also makes an upgrade version of the Windows XP CD-ROM. Use of this version is nearly identical to the proce-dure displayed here, except that the option for New Installation (Advanced) is not present.

To upgrade a Windows 2000 Professional computer to Windows XP Professional with SP2, follow thisprocedure. Note that an upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 Workstation proceeds in a similar manner:

1. Insert the slipstreamed Windows XP/SP2 CD-ROM.

2. If the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen does not appear, double-click the CD-ROMdrive in Windows Explorer and then double-click the Setup icon.

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NoteYou can also upgrade by accessing the installation files from a distribution share located on a server on the network. Todo so, use My Network Places (or Network Neighborhood in Windows NT 4.0) to map a drive to the distribution share.Then open the Run dialog box and type x:\i386\winnt32.exe, where x is the drive letter you used when mapping tothe distribution share.

3. On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Install Windows XP.

4. The Welcome to Windows Setup dialog box (see Figure 3.2) provides a choice of installationtype. Select Upgrade (Recommended) to begin the upgrade, and then click Next. You wouldselect New Installation (Advanced) to completely replace your current version of Windows or tocreate a dual-boot system.

5. The License Agreement screen appears. Read the license agreement, click I Accept ThisAgreement, and then click Next.

6. The Your Product Key screen appears. Type the 25-character alphanumeric product key and thenclick Next.

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Figure 3.2 The Welcome to Windows Setup screen provides a choice between upgrading to Windows XPand performing a new installation.

7. The Get Updated Setup Files dialog box appears and enables you to use Dynamic Update toobtain updated Setup files. If you have an Internet connection, you should select Yes, Downloadthe Updated Setup Files. Otherwise, select No, Skip This Step and Continue Installing Windows.Click Next to continue.

8. Installation files are copied and the computer restarts. This takes up to a minute, and involvescopying of files to a separate folder on the computer’s hard drive. At this point, no change hasbeen made to the old operating system.

9. Press Enter to accept the default of Windows XP Professional Setup from the boot menu.

10. If prompted, insert the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM and press Enter. Then insert theWindows XP Professional Service Pack 2 CD-ROM and press Enter again. This may happen more

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than once. If informed that Setup cannot copy a file while the Windows XP Professional CD-ROM is in the drive, switch to the Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 CD-ROM andpress Enter.

11. Setup examines the computer’s disks, and text-mode file copying proceeds for 5 to 10 minutes,and then the computer reboots again.

12. Windows XP Setup obtains its additional setup parameters from the previous Windows NT/2000installation. This can take up to 40 minutes. You are asked for additional information only ifSetup cannot obtain a required piece of information. You may be prompted for the original CD-ROM as described in step 10.

13. When installation has completed, the computer reboots and displays the Welcome to MicrosoftWindows screen. Click Next.

14. The Help Protect Your PC screen (see Figure 3.3) enables you to turn on Automatic Updates,which enables the operating system to check for updates on a regular basis. You should selectthe Help Protect My PC by turning on Automatic Updates Now option. Then click Next.

Figure 3.3 The Help protect your PC screen enables you to turn on Automatic Updates.

15. The Let’s Activate Windows page appears and prompts you to perform Windows ProductActivation (WPA). The options available and the procedure for performing WPA were discussedin Chapter 2.

16. Similar to the option presented during an original installation, enter your name and the namesof any other users in the Who Will Use This Computer? page. You might not see this pagewhen upgrading from Windows 2000 Professional. Click Next and then click Finish.

17. The logon page appears. Click your username to begin.

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NoteWhen you upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 to Windows XP, user files and documents are stored in theC:\WINNT\Profiles\%username% folder for each user, rather than in the Windows XP default of C:\Documents and Settings\%username%. Unlike a new installation of Windows XP, the default desktop containsicons for My Documents, My Computer, and My Network Places.

Upgrading a Windows 98 ComputerAs with a Windows NT 4.0 or 2000 computer, once you have performed all preliminary steps, you areready to proceed with upgrading to Windows XP, either Home Edition or Professional. Upgrading acomputer running Windows Me is similar. Perform the following steps:

1. Insert the slipstreamed Windows XP/SP2 CD-ROM (or access a distribution share as describedpreviously).

2. If the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen does not appear, double-click the CD-ROMdrive in Windows Explorer and then double-click the Setup icon.

3. On the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen, click Install Windows XP.

4. As with Windows NT or 2000, the Welcome to Windows Setup page (refer to Figure 3.2) offers achoice of upgrading or performing a new installation. To upgrade your computer, selectUpgrade (Recommended) and then click Next.

5. Accept the license agreement, and then click Next.

6. Type the Windows product key in the spaces provided, and then click Next.

7. Setup displays an Upgrade Report screen that informs you of possible compatibility issues withyour computer (see Figure 3.4). If you have performed a proper assessment of system compati-bility issues as described earlier in this chapter, you should not receive any additional warnings.Select the default of Show Me Hardware Issues and a Limited Set of Software Issues, and thenclick Next.

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Figure 3.4 When upgrading from Windows 98/Me, Windows XP Setup enables you to create an upgradereport.

8. The Get Updated Setup Files (see Figure 3.5) enables you to download the updated Setup filesfrom the Microsoft website. If you have an Internet connection, you should select this option.Otherwise select the No option. Then click Next.

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Figure 3.5 The Get Updated Setup Files screen enables you to download updates to the Windows XPSetup files.

9. Setup copies the installation files and restarts the computer. Select the default of Windows XPProfessional (or Home Edition) Setup from the boot menu that is displayed. File copying contin-ues and the computer reboots again. Installation proceeds with the Setup program gatheringinformation from the previous Windows installation.

10. The computer reboots and displays the Welcome to Microsoft Windows screen. Click Next andfollow the same instructions as provided in steps 13 to 15 of the procedure for upgradingWindows NT.

11. After you have entered the names of users, the Password Creation dialog box asks for passwordsfor new Windows XP accounts. Type and confirm a password for these accounts, and then clickOK. Each of the listed accounts receives the same password, which you can later change fromthe Control Panel User Accounts applet.

12. Log on to Windows with the username and password supplied in step 11.

Similar to an upgrade from Windows NT, the upgraded desktop contains icons for My Documents, MyComputer, and My Network Places. Windows creates a Documents and Settings folder with subfoldersfor each user who has logged on to the computer. However, documents stored in the C:\My Documentsfolder remain in this folder and are not moved to the new location of My Documents (C:\Documentsand Settings\%username%\My Documents).

Troubleshooting a Failed UpgradeMany problems that occur during upgrading an older Windows installation are similar to those youmight encounter when installing Windows XP for the first time, as discussed in Chapter 2. You mayalso encounter one of the following problems:

■ Programs or services that are running may interfere with the upgrade process. As mentionedearlier in this chapter, use the Windows NT/2000 Task Manager or the Windows 98/Me CloseProgram dialog box to close unnecessary programs. You can also use the Msconfig.exe utility tochoose Selective Startup, clear the check boxes associated with programs that start automati-cally, and then restart the computer. This procedure is also known as clean booting. KnowledgeBase article 192926 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/192926/) provides additional information.

■ If Selective Startup does not work, you may need to start your computer in Safe mode (Windows98/Me/2000). You can then run the Winnt32.exe command to begin upgrade. If your CD-ROM

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does not function in Safe mode, refer to Knowledge Base article 194846(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/194846/) for assistance.

■ You may receive messages informing you that Setup cannot copy a file. This may be the resultof hardware problems such as an over-clocked processor or damaged memory. Try copying thecontents of the Windows XP CD-ROM to a folder on the hard drive and installing from thislocation.

■ Incompatible hardware may result in the setup program failing to respond (“hanging”), or aStop message (blue screen error) appearing. Refer to the suggestions presented earlier in thischapter for checking system compatibility. Also refer to Knowledge Base article 310064 andother articles referenced therein.

■ An upgrade error related to the setup catalog may appear when you are attempting to upgradeWindows 98, Me, or XP Home Edition to Windows XP Professional. This problem may occur ifthe Setup routine fails to delete all files in the Windows\System32\Catroot2 folder. You can over-come this problem by starting a command prompt and renaming the Catroot2 subfolder. Foradditional information, refer to Knowledge Base article 307153 athttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/307153.

Uninstalling Windows XPWhen you upgrade a computer running Windows 98/Me to Windows XP Home Edition orProfessional, the Setup routine automatically saves a copy of the Windows XP removal files to theWindows folder. These files enable you to later revert to the previous operating system if desired. TheAdd or Remove Programs applet in Control Panel contains a Windows XP Uninstall option thatrestores the previous operating system without changing any data you have created since upgradingto Windows XP. However, you may need to reinstall any applications that were installed or modifiedsince you upgraded to Windows XP because these applications will not have the correct Registryentries for Windows 98/Me. Likewise, if you have removed any applications while running WindowsXP, Start menu shortcuts will be present after you revert to Windows 98/Me. Simply delete theseshortcuts if this happens.

CautionIf you have upgraded from Windows 98 or Windows Me and think you may want to revert to your previous operatingsystem, do not convert your hard disk to the NTFS file system, or upgrade the disk to dynamic storage. If you do, theoption to uninstall Windows XP is no longer available. Refer to Chapter 10, “Windows File Systems,” for more informa-tion on file systems in Windows XP.

Follow these steps to uninstall Windows XP:

1. Click Start, Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs.

2. As shown in Figure 3.6, the Add or Remove Programs applet will contain a Windows XPUninstall entry. Select this entry and click Change/Remove.

3. Select Uninstall Windows XP from the options in the Uninstall Windows XP dialog box thatappears, and then click Continue. Note that if the removal files are not present or have beendeleted, it will not be possible to uninstall Windows XP. In this case, the Uninstall Windows XPoption will not appear.

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Figure 3.6 If you have upgraded from Windows 98/Me, you can uninstall Windows XP from the Add orRemove Programs applet in Control Panel.

4. The Windows XP Uninstall dialog box (see Figure 3.7) informs you of the programs that havebeen installed or modified since you installed Windows XP. You will need to reinstall these pro-grams after you complete uninstalling Windows XP. Click Continue to uninstall Windows XP orQuit to cancel.

TipTo delete the older OS files, follow the first three steps of this procedure, and then select the Remove the Backup of MyPrevious Operating System option, and click Continue.

Figure 3.7 You are informed of programs that have been installed or modified since installingWindows XP.

5. Click Yes in the confirmation message box that appears.

6. An Uninstall message box appears and Windows XP shuts down.

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Migrating Existing Installations 101

7. The computer reboots and Windows uninstallation proceeds. When the computer reboots a sec-ond time, the previous Windows operating system will start. Note that the Documents andSettings folder created by Windows XP is still present and may contain documents created whileWindows XP was running.

TipIf you are unable to start Windows XP properly after upgrading from Windows 98/Me, you may be able to uninstallWindows XP from the Safe Mode with Command Prompt advanced startup option. See Knowledge Base article 308233(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308233/) for more information.

Migrating Existing InstallationsExisting networks often contain an entire series of computers running older operating systems thatneed to be upgraded to Windows XP. Often these computers are replaced by newer ones containing afactory installation of Windows XP. You may need to migrate user settings, applications, and docu-ments to new computers so that users can continue working as they would have on the old comput-ers. We look at these issues in this section.

Moving to a New DriveAs storage costs decrease and space requirements increase, it makes sense to migrate to the newer,high-capacity hard disks. You can upgrade an older Windows operating system at the same time youinstall a new hard disk by any of several means: You can use a third-party tool such as NortonPartition Magic to move your data to a new drive before upgrading; you can upgrade your operatingsystem on the existing drive and add a new hard disk that holds your data after the upgrade is com-pleted; you can add a new hard disk before upgrading and perform a clean installation of WindowsXP on the new disk.

Installing a New Hard DiskIf you install a new hard disk, modern Windows versions will automatically recognize the disk whenyou restart your computer. To move or copy Windows system files to the new disk, you need to use athird-party tool such as Norton Partition Magic described later in this section. Alternatively, you canuse a DOS boot disk to boot your computer and perform a manual copy, provided that partitions arenot formatted with the NTFS file system.

NoteIt may seem easier to use the Windows Advanced Boot Options menu (accessed by pressing F8 during bootup) to bootto a command prompt. However, starting up your PC this way still uses a few Windows XP system files on the hard diskto bring up the command prompt. To copy or move these files you need to boot your computer without referencing anyfiles on the system disk.

You can also install Windows XP on the new hard disk from the Windows version on the first disk.This creates a dual-boot system, in which you can start either version of Windows. To install WindowsXP with SP2 on the new disk, proceed as follows:

1. Insert the slipstreamed Windows XP/SP2 CD-ROM (or access a distribution share as describedpreviously).

2. If the Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP screen does not appear, open My Computer, navigateto the CD-ROM drive, and double-click the Setup icon.

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3. Click Install Windows XP.

4. In the Welcome to Windows Setup dialog box (refer to Figure 3.3), select New Installation(Advanced), and then click Next.

5. Click I Accept This Agreement, and then click Next.

6. On the Your Product Key page, type the product key and then click Next.

7. If necessary, modify any of the options provided in the Setup Options page, and then clickNext.

8. On the Get Updated Setup Files, leave the default of Yes, Download the Updated Setup Files(Recommended) selected, and then click Next. If you are not connected to the Internet, selectNo, Skip This Step and continue installing Windows.

9. Setup copies files to your hard disk. This takes several minutes, after which your computer shutsdown and restarts.

10. After the computer restarts, it displays the text-based Welcome to Setup page. Press Enter to pro-ceed with installing the dual-boot system.

11. Setup displays information similar to that shown in Figure 3.8, from which you can select thepartition on which you want to install Windows XP and the file system with which you wantto format it. Use the arrow keys to make a selection, and then press Enter.

Figure 3.8 When creating a dual-boot system, Setup provides a choice of partitions and formattingoptions.

12. Setup copies files to the Windows installation folders, and restarts into GUI-mode Setup.

13. The remainder of the installation proceeds in a fashion similar to that of a clean Windowsinstallation described in Chapter 2. You are asked for the same information as described in thatchapter.

After installation completes, you can boot your computer into either operating system. On startup,the computer displays a menu called the boot loader (see Figure 3.9), which enables you to select eitheroperating system.

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Figure 3.9 On a dual-boot system, the boot loader menu enables you to select which operating systemyou want to run.

Using Norton Partition MagicNorton Partition Magic enables you to organize and modify partitions on multiple hard disks. Youcan add a new hard disk to a computer running any Windows operating system and move the con-tents of your old hard disk to a partition on the new one. You can also create, move, split, merge, andconvert disk partitions including those formatted with NTFS rapidly. You can even recover deletedpartitions and the data they contain. Norton Partition Magic 8.0 enables you to perform the followingtasks, among others:

■ Move operating system, program, and data files to another hard disk—From the Pick a Task pane inthe main Norton Partition Magic window, select Resize/Move Partition, and then follow theinstructions provided. If you are moving operating system files, the computer will shut downand the move will take place as the computer restarts.

■ Separate operating system, program, and data files into separate disk partitions—This helps protectyour data in the event of operating system failure. You can perform these tasks from theResize/Move Partition option already mentioned.

■ Install Windows XP on a separate partition—Select Install Another Operating System. This startsthe Install Another Operating System Wizard, which enables you to install a second operatingsystem on the new disk. The wizard guides you through the procedure of creating a new parti-tion that meets the requirements of Windows XP. Select the Windows XP option and confirmthe changes that are presented to you. Click Finish to proceed, or Back to modify your changes.The Boot Magic tool enables you to select the operating system that the computer will start atthe next startup.

■ Create rescue floppy disks—During the software installation process, you can create a set of flop-pies that enable you to boot your computer should you happen to make inappropriate changesand be unable to start normally.

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Moving Data to a New SystemNew computers are getting more economical all the time. Rather than taking the time and expense toupgrade an existing computer to Windows XP, it often makes sense to simply purchase a new com-puter with Windows XP (either Home Edition or Professional) already loaded. You can continue to usethe old computer as a backup, recycle it, or donate it to a charitable organization. Organizations existthat will refurbish donated computers for schools, for example.

Windows XP includes two tools for migrating user data, applications, and settings to new computers:

■ User State Migration Tool (USMT)—Enables network administrators to migrate settings on a largenumber of old computers to new Windows XP computers in a corporate setting.

■ Files and Settings Transfer Wizard—Provides a simple means of migrating data and settings onone computer in a home or small office environment. We discuss the Files and Settings TransferWizard in a later section.

User State Migration Tool (USMT)Using the USMT, you can rapidly and easily transfer user documents and settings at the time ofdeploying new Windows XP Professional computers in a corporate setting. This tool enables you tomigrate files and settings from source computers running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me,Windows NT 4.0, or Windows 2000 to new Windows XP Professional computers. The following areseveral advantages of USMT:

■ Technicians spend less time in migrating files and settings for users.

■ It improves employee productivity by preventing help desk calls and reducing the amount oftime wasted searching for missing files or reconfiguring the new desktop.

■ Administrators can provide customized settings such as unique Registry modifications.

■ Users become productive more rapidly because they can become familiar with the new operat-ing system faster.

■ Users express an improved overall sense of satisfaction with migrating to the new operatingsystem.

√√ For more information on the use of this tool, see “Using the User State Migration Tool,” p. 85.

Files and Settings Transfer WizardMicrosoft provides the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard (FSTW) for transferring user settings, files,and folders to a new computer or to a clean Windows XP installation on an existing computer. It isthe simplest means of transferring this information when only a few computers are affected, or whenindividual users are migrating information on their computer. It is automatically installed when youinstall or upgrade to Windows XP.

Before you go to start the transfer process using the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, you should payparticular attention to the following list of potential trouble spots:

■ Before attempting to transfer files to the target computer, ensure that the appropriate useraccount has been created and configured with the required NTFS permissions to allow access tothe location where the transfer image will be located. If the transfer image is to be located on anetwork share, ensure that the share permissions are also correctly configured to support access.

■ Before attempting to transfer files to the target computer, ensure that any special or specificfolder paths that exist in the user’s profile on the old computer are created on the new com-puter. This will help to alleviate problems with orphaned folders and files during the transfer

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process. Make sure that these folders have the required NTFS and share permissions applied tothem as well.

■ When performing the transfer process, ensure that you are logged as the user whose files andsettings you are transferring. Although this is a minor annoyance on the source computer, itcan be a great catastrophe on the target computer if you are logged in under the wrong useraccount.

■ Ensure that the location where the transfer image file will be located has enough available spaceto support the operation. You will need between 50MB and 600MB per user that you migrateusing the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. Table 3.2 provides some recommended guidelinesfor space availability.

■ After the transfer process is complete, you will have to manually delete the transfer image fileand folders.

Space RaceThe estimates given in Table 3.2 are fairly realistic. I used more than 700MB to transfer my primary user profile andabout 6MB to transfer a new (and unused) user profile. Plan ahead and ensure you have plenty of empty disk spacebefore starting to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard!

Table 3.2 Estimated Space Requirements When Using the Files and SettingsTransfer Wizard

Type of User Space Required

Desktop user storing email on server 50–75MB

Desktop user with local email storage 150–400MB

Laptop user 150–300MB

The best practice is to pad these values somewhat as well, just for safety, by adding 25%–50% to themdepending on the average user type in your organization.

The process to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard is broken down into two separate phases, asyou might expect. You will need to first gather the files and settings from the source computer andthen apply them to the target computer.

Musical WindowsIt is possible to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard to transfer a user’s files and settings from a Windows XP com-puter and then apply these settings back to the same computer, either following a new installation of Windows XP or intoa new user account.

Collecting Files and Settings from the Source PCTo transfer files and settings from the source computer, follow this procedure:

1. Log in to the source computer using the user account that you want to transfer files and set-tings from. If this computer is not a Windows XP computer, insert the Windows XP ProfessionalSetup CD-ROM and proceed to step 2. If this computer is a Windows XP computer, you canlaunch the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard by clicking Start, All Programs, Accessories, SystemTools, Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, and then jump to step 4 of this procedure.

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2. If this computer is not a Windows XP Professional machine, click Perform Additional Tasks onthe Welcome To Microsoft Windows XP screen.

3. From the screen shown in Figure 3.10, select Transfer Files and Settings. Alternatively, you cannavigate to the Support\Tools folder on the Windows XP Professional Setup CD-ROM and dou-ble-click the FASTWIZ.EXE file.

Figure 3.10 Starting the FSTW from the Windows XP Professional Setup CD-ROM.

4. After making your selection, the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard will open, as shown inFigure 3.11.

Figure 3.11 The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard introductory screen.

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5. Click Next to dismiss the opening screen of the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard.

6. If prompted, select Old Computer and click Next.

7. On the Select a Transfer Method page, shown in Figure 3.12, configure the transfer method youwant to use, and click Next to continue. In most cases, you will want to use a network locationfor your transfer image, as the size can quickly grow past the capability of most removable stor-age media. Should you desire to use the direct cable connection, you will need to connect a nullmodem serial cable between the old computer (source) and the new computer (target) and fol-low through the prompts given in the wizard.

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Figure 3.12 Selecting a location to place the transfer image.

8. On the What Do You Want to Transfer? page, shown in Figure 3.13, select to transfer SettingsOnly, Files Only, or Both Files and Settings. If you want to configure additional transfer settings,place a check in the Let Me Select a Custom List of Files and Settings When I Click Next checkbox. Click Next to continue. If you are not custom-configuring your transfer settings, skip tostep 10 of this procedure.

Figure 3.13 Selecting the transferred items: files, settings, or both.

9. If you are custom-configuring your transfer settings, you can use the buttons shown in Figure3.14 to modify the transfer settings. After you have customized the transfer settings, click Nextto continue.

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Figure 3.14 Customizing the transfer process ensures you get exactly what you want.

10. The Install programs on your new computer will show you a listing of what the Files andSettings Transfer Wizard thinks you need to install on the target computer before applying thetransfer image. Click Next to continue.

11. The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard will now collect data and write it to the transfer imagefile. While this occurs, you can monitor the progress on the Collection in Progress page.

12. After the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard has completed, a summary page will appear tellingyou to now move to the new computer and apply the transfer image. Click Finish to close theFiles and Settings Transfer Wizard.

Applying Files and Settings to the Target ComputerAfter you have successfully completed the installation of Windows XP Professional onto your newcomputer, you can then apply the transfer image to regain your files and settings. However, beforeyou jump back into the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, you must install all of your applicationsthat you transferred settings for—FSTW only transfers files and settings, not applications. If you trans-fer your settings and then install the application, you stand a good chance of having your settingsoverwritten during the install process.

To apply your files and settings to the target computer, follow this procedure:

1. Log in to the target computer using the user account that you want to restore the files and set-tings for.

2. If you’ve placed your transfer image on a network drive, map the network drive to the localcomputer and ensure that the user account has the required NTFS and share permissions.

3. Launch the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard either from the Start menu or from the WindowsXP Professional Setup CD-ROM.

4. The Files and Transfer Settings Wizard opening page will be displayed, as shown previously inFigure 3.11. Click Next to continue.

5. On the Which Computer Is This? page, shown in Figure 3.15, select New Computer and clickNext to continue.

6. Because you have already collected your transfer files and settings, select I Don’t Need theWizard Disk on the Do You Have a Windows XP CD? page, shown in Figure 3.16. Click Next tocontinue.

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Figure 3.15 Selecting the computer: This time around you are working with the New computer.

Figure 3.16 Telling the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard how to do its job!

7. On the Where Are the Files and Settings? page, shown in Figure 3.17, select the location whereyou placed your transfer image in the previous procedure. Click Next to continue.

8. The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard will now transfer and apply the files and settings to thetarget computer. You can monitor the progress on the Transfer in Progress page.

9. After the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard has completed, a summary page will inform you ofany errors or orphaned files that have been created during the process. Click Finish to close theFiles and Settings Transfer Wizard.

10. You will receive the following message: You need to log off for the changes to takeeffect. Do you want to log off now? Select Yes and log back on to the account to seewhether the transferred files and settings have taken effect.

If you have only one user or a small number of users to migrate settings for, the Files and SettingsTransfer Wizard is the best way to go. However, should you need to migrate settings for a large num-ber of users, or need extreme granular control over what gets transferred, the User State MigrationTool is for you.

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Figure 3.17 Locating the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard image.

Moving ApplicationsWhen migrating user documents and settings to new Windows XP computers, an important segmentof the task is that of migrating applications. When more than a few users are involved, the manualtask of reinstalling applications on every new computer becomes extremely time-consuming andlabor-intensive. Fortunately, there are ways to automate this process.

Including Applications with New InstallationsMicrosoft makes available several methods of performing bulk installations of Windows XP on newcomputers that include applications. Two methods of automated installation that enable you toinclude applications are the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) and Remote Installation Services (RIS).

SysprepThe System Preparation Tool, Sysprep, enables you to create an image of a typical installation ofWindows XP Professional, including SP2 and a standard set of applications that can be deployed tomultiple destination computers. This tool, found in the Deploy.cab file in the Support\Tools folder ofthe Windows XP Professional CD-ROM, prepares a reference computer for imaging using a cloningapplication such as Norton Ghost or Symantec Drive Image.

To use Sysprep, you first install and configure a reference computer with Windows XP Professional,SP2, and the required set of applications including standard application settings. You then runSysprep.exe on this computer to remove computer-specific information such as security identifiers(SIDs). As shown in Figure 3.18, the computer will shut down automatically. Finally, you reboot thecomputer with a floppy and run the cloning application. You can store the image thus created on ashared folder, from which the target computers can connect and install the Windows XP image.

RISRemote Installation Services, or RIS, enables you to deploy Windows XP Professional images containingapplications and other configuration parameters on an Active Directory–based network that includesDynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name System (DNS). Images can containitems such as applications and desktop settings, and users can install these images themselves fromany computer equipped with a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)-compatible network interfacecard (NIC).

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Figure 3.18 When you run Sysprep on a reference computer, you receive a message informing you thatthe security parameters will be modified and the computer will shut down.

RIS is available as a component on servers running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003.You set up a series of remote installation shared folders on the server, and then create images ofWindows XP Professional installations containing the required settings and applications. RIS includesa Remote Installation Preparation Wizard that you run on the Windows XP computer, which performsa series of copy steps (see Figure 3.19) that places the image on the appropriate subfolder on theserver.

Figure 3.19 The Remote Installation Preparation Wizard prepares the image of the reference computerand copies it to the server.

A remote user who needs to install Windows XP can use the Client Installation Wizard, which is atext-based wizard that guides the user through the process of installing Windows XP. A computer witha PXE-compatible NIC automatically connects to the RIS server and downloads the wizard. The userthen logs on to the domain and follows the steps presented by the wizard to install Windows XPProfessional, complete with all service packs, hot fixes, and applications, without further involvementby the user.

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TipIf you need to use RIS to install Windows XP on computers that are not equipped with a PXE-compatible NIC, you cancreate a remote boot floppy disk at the RIS server. This disk enables a client computer to boot and access the RIS server.

Using Group PolicyOn a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 domain, you can use Group Policy to distribute soft-ware to all computers, both new and existing. This provides a means to push required software out tousers and computers at the next reboot or logon. A user receiving a new computer merely needs tostart the computer and log on to the domain to receive a complete set of software. You can createpolicies that apply to the entire domain or to an organizational unit (OU) containing a subset of com-puters or users requiring specific applications, such as line-of-business applications required by a spe-cific department. Besides installation of software on new computers, you can use software installationpolicies to automatically update software or remove outdated software from all computers affected bythe policy.

Group Policy enables you to deploy software by any of three methods:

■ Assigned to computers—Software is installed on all computers affected by the policy the next timethe users restart their computers.

■ Assigned to users—Software intended for a specific set of users is installed on the users’ comput-ers the next time they log on.

■ Published to users—Optional software is advertised to users the next time they log on, and a usercan install it from the Control Panel Add or Remove Programs applet.

Use of Group Policy for software deployment involves creating one or more shared folders on a soft-ware distribution server, copying the software installation files, and creating a Group Policy object(GPO) that specifies the software packages to be installed (see Figure 3.20). Software installation filesshould include Windows Installer package (.msi) files.

Third-Party ToolsSeveral third-party tools are available that assist you in moving applications from computers runningolder operating systems to new Windows XP computers. The following describes a few of the availabletools:

■ CellarStone Inc. markets StepUpPro, which is a PC migration tool that transfers user settings,data, and applications from a source computer running Windows 95/98/Me/2000 to a newWindows 2000 or Windows XP computer. It provides a wizard-based interface that guidesyou through the process of a direct migration from the source computer to the destinationcomputer.

■ KBOX by Kace Software is an enterprise software management tool. Although KBOX does notmigrate applications per se, it enables you to view the software installed on all machines on thenetwork, and distribute software to a new or upgraded computer. Users can fix certain problemswith the software on their computers without administrator assistance.

■ Altiris Migration Suite is a comprehensive product designed for migrating computers toWindows XP, including software migration. It works on networks of all sizes and offers servicessuch as inventorying, upgrade assessment, computer backup, cloning, network configuration,and post-migration reporting.

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Figure 3.20 Using Group Policy in Windows Server 2003 to deploy a software package.

■ IntelliMover by Detto Technologies enables you to migrate data, settings, and applications froman old computer to a new one without overwriting important files such as drivers. It also trans-fers data and settings from an old application on the source computer to an upgraded applica-tion on the new one. Both personal and business versions are available.

■ Client Migration 3.0 by Symantec migrates data and application settings to a new computer. Itenables you to create application packages for the purpose of updating or installing applicationson the new computer, including transferring of application settings to an upgraded version ofthe application.

Installing Service PacksWhen performing either a clean or upgrade installation it is, under most circumstances, vital that oneof your first actions is to go to the Windows Update website and install any available service packs forthe XP operating system. This section explains several methods you can use to upgrade a system to beSP2-compliant. Several methods are available for installing SP2 on existing Windows XP computers:

■ Manual installation of SP2 and additional updates

■ Use of Automatic Updates or Windows Update

■ Using Group Policy to deploy SP2 to computers in a domain or OU

■ Use of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) to deploy SP2 to network computers

NoteIf Microsoft introduces any additional service packs for Windows XP, the procedures described here should be applicableto their installation. Microsoft will publish any changes on its website.

Manual Installation of SP2You can download SP2 from the Microsoft website or order it on CD-ROM. The download is in theform of an ISO image (an image file representing a one-to-one copy of the files or folders, which can

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be burned to a CD-ROM using commercial CD burning software). The CD is available for free andupgrades any version of Windows XP. Its use is a simple means of upgrading computers when only asmall number of computers are involved.

Perform the following procedure to manually install SP2:

1. Insert the Windows XP SP2 CD-ROM, and then click Continue when the welcome page appears.

2. As shown in Figure 3.21, SP2 displays a page that introduces its new features and provides a linkto further information about installation. To proceed with installation, click Install Now.

Figure 3.21 It is easy to install SP2 from the CD-ROM supplied by Microsoft.

3. Files are extracted from the CD-ROM. This takes several minutes.

4. The Windows XP Service Pack 2 Setup Wizard appears. Follow the instructions presented. Theinstallation procedure also takes several minutes.

5. When the completion page appears, click Finish to restart your computer.

Using Automatic Updates or Windows Update to DownloadSP2

You can configure your computer to automatically download updates from the Automatic Updates tabof the System Properties dialog box (right-click My Computer and choose Properties). After you havedone this, your computer will download SP2 automatically, including only those files required foryour specific installation. You will receive a notification that SP2 is ready to install; the installationprocedure is similar to that described for manual installation from the CD-ROM.

You can also download and install SP2 from the Microsoft Windows Update web page (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com). This page checks the version of Windows running on your computerand provides a list of available updates that will include SP2. As with Automatic Updates, only therequired components of SP2 will be downloaded. Again the installation procedure is similar to thatalready described.

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Using Group Policy to Deploy SP2Group Policy is an efficient means of deploying SP2 to a large number of Windows XP Professionalcomputers in an Active Directory domain. You can deploy SP2 to all computers in the domain or anOU by creating a software installation policy that assigns SP2 to the required computers.

Use the following procedure to prepare an installation share and create a GPO for SP2 deployment:

1. While logged on to a server running Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 as anadministrator, create and share a folder named XPSP2.

2. Copy all files in the Windows XP SP2 CD-ROM to this share.

3. From a command prompt, navigate to this folder and type XPSP2 -X to extract the servicepack files.

4. Click OK to create a subfolder named I386 in the XPSP2 shared folder and extract the servicepack files to this subfolder.

5. Access the Active Directory Users and Computers console, right-click the domain or OU con-taining the computers on which SP2 will be installed, and click Properties.

6. On the Group Policy tab of the Properties dialog box that opens, select an appropriate GPO andclick Edit. Alternatively, you can click New to create a new GPO and then click Edit.

7. In the Group Policy Object Editor console, expand the Software Settings node under ComputerConfiguration, right-click the Software Installation subnode, and choose New, Package.

8. In the Open dialog box that appears, select My Network Places and navigate to the I386\Updatesubfolder of the XPSP2 share, select Update.msi, and then click Open.

9. Click OK to accept the deployment method of Assigned. As shown in Figure 3.22, the GroupPolicy Object Editor console displays the service pack with the path to its installation files.

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Figure 3.22 Deploying SP2 by means of Group Policy.

After you have completed this procedure, users merely need to shut down and restart their computersto install SP2. The SP2 installation process takes several minutes on each client computer, after whichthe computer automatically shuts down and restarts.

For detailed information on the use of Group Policy to deploy SP2, refer to the article “ManagingWindows XP Service Pack 2 Features using Group Policy” at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/mangxpsp2/mngintro.mspx.

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Using WSUS to Deploy SP2WSUS is the successor to Software Update Services (SUS), which is installed on a server runningWindows 2000 Server SP4 or Windows Server 2003 and provides patches and other software updatesto client computers on the network. You can either download the SP2 files from the Microsoft websiteor copy them from the SP2 CD-ROM to make them available to all client computers that have beenconfigured to obtain their updates from the network SUS or WSUS server.

For detailed information on the use of SUS or WSUS to deploy SP2, refer to the article “DeployingWindows XP Service Pack 2 Using Software Update Services” at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/xpsp2sus.mspx.

Uninstalling SP2Should you find that some component or application fails to work properly after installing SP2, youcan remove it from Control Panel Add or Remove Programs. Perform the following procedure:

1. In the Control Panel Add or Remove programs applet, select the Windows XP Service Pack 2entry and click Remove.

2. The Windows XP Service Pack 2 Removal Wizard opens and warns you about actions youshould perform to protect your computer. Click Next to proceed.

3. The wizard performs a series of cleanup actions that include inspecting the current configura-tion, stopping and restarting processes, deleting files, and updating the Registry. These actionstake several minutes. To stop the removal, click Cancel.

4. The wizard informs you when these actions have been completed. Click Finish to restart yourcomputer.

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