NetworkNewz
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02.05.01
Today in NetworkNewz we are going to learn how we can upgrade our computers to Windows 2000. Today's article from Portable Life is a good explanation of how to complete this task with little to no effort.

As always, if you have any articles or stories that you would like to share, send them to me and I will try to include them in an issue of NetworkNewz.

Patrick Stoddard
NetworkNewz Editor


As a Portable Life reader, you probably depend on your laptop or portable. With the following tools you can tell if your current hardware and software is Win2K-ready or not. If it is ready, you can proceed with reasonable confidence that the upgrade will go well - with minimal fuss, downtime, and lost productivity.


Start by using Microsoft’s free "Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer." This is a tool that "analyzes your system and reports potentially incompatible hardware devices and software applications. The tool compares the devices and applications on your system against a list of known issues." It’s not foolproof, but does let you avoid myriad potential pitfalls.

The free tool is available in two downloadable versions: A single 2.6 megabyte executable file; or a two-floppy version that downloads as two separate "disk images" that you save separately to empty floppies.

The single-file version is available here.

The floppy-based version is available here.

Both versions operate the same way. The single-file version is faster (because it runs from your hard drive), but the floppy-based version has the advantage of sneaker-net portability among and between multiple systems.

After a few minutes of grinding through your system files, both versions produce a detailed text report of hardware and software that might cause problems with Win2K. You can see a sample report here.

While the Readiness Analyzer is sniffing out your system, you may wish to use the otherwise dead-time to peruse some additional reading matter. For example, you’ll find detailed Win2K planning, upgrade and deployment guides here and here.


For any items flagged as potential problem areas in Step 1, or for any other hardware or software that you might be considering, use the following tools to "drill down" for additional compatibility information:

Systems (as a whole)

Peripherals (printers, scanners, etc.)

Software applications


No matter what the previous steps have told you, take a moment to make a special and separate check of the BIOS issues you may face. The reason for doing this is that Win2K needs certain BIOS features in order to support hardware services such as advanced power management and plug-and-play PC Card device management - critically important issues for users of portables and laptops.

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If any items remain unresolved or unclear - if you’re still left wondering whether some part of your hardware or software is or is not compatible - visit each vendor’s web site for additional information. (For example, visit the home page of your hard drive vendor, modem maker, software application publisher etc.) If the vendor doesn’t offer obvious links for Win2K information, try the FAQ or support pages; or use the site Search function.

If that doesn’t get you the information you need, try a general web search on the name of the product you’re investigating; or cruise the appropriate Usenet NewsGroups with a tool such as Deja.Com to see what other users are saying.

Computer magazine and e-zines are another good source of information, although they may not have precise detail on your specific brand, model, etc. Still, they’re worth checking and you can find a ton with any search engine. Some reliable sites for upgrade information:

Windows 2000 Network
WinMag.Com
PC Magazine
PC World
DriverZone


If, after Steps 1-4, you have no unresolved Win2K compatibility issues, you’re ready to roll: Place your order for a Win2K upgrade with your favorite vendor.

If, after Steps 1-4, you still have unresolved or unresolvable Win2K compatibility issues, you have a choice:

You can replace the incompatible item(s) and proceed with the upgrade. If you choose this route, after you’ve replaced the incompatible items, re-run the Readiness Analyzer and follow the rest of Steps 1-5 to ensure that no new problems have arisen and that your system is indeed fully compatible. Then place your order for a Win2K upgrade with your favorite vendor.

If the incompatibilities you face are too many, too serious, too complicated, or too expensive to remedy, you may choose to start from scratch with a new system; or simply decide not to upgrade at this time.

Fred Langa is a freelance computer/web author whose current primary work now reaches an audience of over two million readers per month. Fred's free email newsletter is available at langa.com


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