Installing Windows 2000 or 2003

How big is your C:\ drive?

Best Practice (Litmus Test)

Professionals:  Install Windows 2003 on a 20 GB partition

Amateurs:  Stick with a small 2GB system partition

Installing Windows Server 2003 or Windows 2000?

Make sure you have a big enough partition

This best practice fulfils all the requirements of a good Litmus test; the experiment can be easily measured and the answer is will be conclusive.  A small installation partition indicates trouble ahead and an amateur at work.  So go for the full 20 GB for partition holding the system files.

The problem of a small boot partition is compounded because, whilst other NTFS partitions can be extended the partition containing Windows (WINNT) cannot easily be increased.  Therefore, plan for 20 GB for the Windows (WINNT) partition.  If you choose a miserly 2GB you will soon find it inadequate.  

If you get stuck do not despair; investigate Mount Points as a method of increasing the partition. (Try Windows 2000 Help)

More Information. As an MCT trainer, I can thoroughly endorse TrainSignal because they deliver practical hands on training.  In particular, I like the way that TrainSignal cover all learning methods, instructor lead, video and of course text material.  You can either take one module, for example File Server or go for a combination of modules.  See more about Windows 2003 training here

More Installation Advice

Before you build a server observer best practice.  Think like a general thinks.  Plan as if installation was a military campaign; a list, as in a shopping list, is not good enough to install a Windows 2003 server.

• Refer to the HCL
• Avoid Pacific time (in the UK!)
• Learn about RIS

Litmus test: Professionals always refer to the HCL

Step 0 (zero) before you order ANY equipment for Windows 2000 or Server 2003 check Microsoft's HCL (hardware compatibility list).  One of the reasons for studying history is to learn from others mistakes.  Those of us who remember the early days of NT 4.0, learnt that only kit that has a rosette from the HCL, worked properly.  Those who do not heed the lessons of history are destined to repeat the mistakes.

I also use HCL as a litmus tests when dealing with suppliers in general and salesmen in particular.  Basically if they do not know what HCL is they are amateurs. 

If you are doubtful of your kit's ability to run Windows 2000, try winnt \checkupgradeonly or get a program called Chkupgrd.exe from Microsoft's site.

Litmus test: UK Amateurs, have Pacific time (in the UK!)

If you are in the UK I assume you change the default Keyboard from US to UK.  Also beware the -8:00 Pacific time.  Windows 2003 domain controllers (DCs) run very slowly if their times are more than 5 minutes out of synch.  

I was called out to a case where one DC was on Pacific time and the other on GMT.  Now Windows can handle that if the clocks are exactly 8hr different, in this case the clocks read the same masking an 8hr difference.  The result was Active Directory would not synchronise.  The solution was to adjust the Pacific Time to GMT and alter the clock 8hrs.

Install Remote Installation Service RIS

Litmus test: Professionals know what RIS is about

If you are convinced of the benefits of DHCP, and remember how long it took to gain acceptance, then I hope that you will give RIS a chance.

Imaging software like Ghost are very good for installing workstations.  However RIS has a compelling extra feature - intellimirror.  In a nutshell, if users delete or moves an operating system file, Windows 2000's built- in intellisense automatically repairs the machine.  RIS, and intellimirror and intellisense work together to detect the missing file and copy it automatically from RIS image.  The result less down time and reduced support costs.

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