Preparing Your Network Infrastructure for Windows 2000

Preparing Your Clients

Because Windows 2000 is designed for interoperability, client computers running previous versions of Windows are interoperable with Windows 2000 in a mixed-mode environment. However, upgrading your client computers to Windows 2000 Professional offers improved client computer and user security, improved reliability, and increased functionality.

Not all versions of Windows can be upgraded to Windows 2000 Professional. You can upgrade the following versions of Windows and Windows NT to Windows 2000 Professional:

Windows 95 All versions are supported for upgrade, including OSR2.x. However, if your clients are running Windows 95 from a server, you need to install it directly on the computer, or perform a clean installation of Windows 2000 Professional.

Windows 98 All versions are supported for upgrade. See "Windows 2000 Professional Upgrade Considerations" later in this chapter.

Windows NT 4.0 Workstation All versions are supported for upgrade. See "Windows 2000 Professional Upgrade Considerations" later in this chapter.

Windows NT 3.51 Workstation All versions are supported for upgrade.

An important requirement for your client computers is hardware and driver compatibility with Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 Professional Upgrade Considerations

Some applications and drivers that worked with the previous operating system will have problems functioning properly in a Windows 2000 Professional environment. The following sections discuss issues that you might encounter when upgrading Windows NT, Windows 95, and Windows 98 clients.

Note

Windows version 3.1 and earlier are not suitable candidates for upgrade.

Upgrading Windows NT Clients

Windows NT clients are, in general, easily upgraded to Windows 2000 Professional, with the following considerations:

Any client-level applications that depend on file system filters, such as antivirus or disk quota software, will not operate properly because of changes in the Windows 2000 file system model.
If your clients are running networking protocols that do not have an updated version in the I386\Winntupg folder, found on the Windows 2000 operating system CD, reconsider your use of these protocols or find updated, Windows 2000–compatible versions for the upgrade.
If your clients are using third-party power management tools, consider using the Windows 2000 Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) and Advanced Power Management (APM) to replace these previous solutions.
Remove third-party Plug and Play drivers before upgrading to Windows 2000.

Upgrading Windows 95 and Windows 98 Clients

The upgrade path for Windows 95 and Windows 98 clients is generally easy. However, keep the following cautions in mind as you consider upgrading these clients:

As noted previously, any client-level applications that depend on previous file systems will not operate properly. For example, any compressed disk utilities will not work, nor will tools such as disk defragmenters. Antivirus applications must be compatible with Windows 2000 to run properly.
Applications and tools that use virtual device drivers (VxDs) and .386 drivers will not operate correctly. Contact the manufacturer of these applications to find out if updated drivers exist.
Many client computers have existing third-party device drivers installed. When these device drivers are installed, sometimes a Control Panel application is also installed to provide additional functionality (such as configuration control). Test these Control Panel applications in a Windows 2000 environment and ask the manufacturer about Windows 2000 compatibility.
The same cautions given previously concerning network protocols, third-party power management tools, and third-party Plug and Play drivers also apply to your Windows 98 and Windows 95 clients.