PRE-ACTION PROCEDURES

Before undertaking any action, do this:

• Verify that new hardware is compatible with the operating system, and (where applicable) approved for the CPU (e.g. motherboard, power supply, heatsink and fan, RAM, etc.).
• Have the Windows setup CD, the latest motherboard BIOS, and all needed driver files on hand.
• Copy all the Windows cab files (contents of the Windows setup folder) from the install directory on the  Windows CD, into a directory on your hard drive so that you don’t need your CD-ROM drive active on the first boot.  (Windows still has the habit of deciding it needs some of the motherboard drivers before it has sorted out the IDE drivers for the CD.  You may not have CD drive access until you reboot a few times (if the IDE controllers have to be reinstalled)).

a)   For Windows 2000 & XP, (recommended) copy the \i386 directory structure from the Win2000 distribution CD to a directory under C:\Winnt (e.g. C:\Winnt\Cabs, or C:\Winnt\Cabs2000).

Note: To reconfigure where your Win2K system looks for the files, go to the following Registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows \CurrentVersion \Setup]

You want to change the following values: (For the second one, point to the folder just before the \i386 folder. So if you copy it to C:\i386, point it to C:\).

"Installation Sources"

"SourcePath"="C:"

b)   For Windows 95/98/98SE/Me, (recommended) copy all Windows cab files from the distribution CD to a directory under C:\Windows (e.g. C:\Windows\options\Cabs, or C:\Windows\98se). 

Note:  To reconfigure where your Win95/98/98SE/Me system looks for the files, if the files are copied to the C:\windows\options\cabs folder, make the change in the Registry to set the SourcePath by going to the following location:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup.  In the right pane look for "SourcePath" and set the path to: C:\windows\options\cabs

• Copy all motherboard and other device driver and BIOS updates into a directory on the hard drive, and also onto floppy disks.  Include all needed drivers that Windows does not have.  Be sure to include drivers for the chipset and the latest BIOS revision for the new motherboard.

• For Windows XP, create directories for installed hardware under C:\Windows and preload with the drivers you'll need, (e.g. C:\Windows\Audio, C:\Windows\Display, etc.).
• For Windows 2000, create directories for installed hardware under C:\Winnt and preload with the drivers you'll need, (e.g. C:\Winnt\Audio, C:\Winnt\Display, etc.).
• For Windows 95/98/98SE/Me, create directories for installed hardware under C:\Windows and preload with the drivers you'll need, (e.g. C:\Windows\Audio, C:\Windows\Display, etc.).

Note:  Make sure drivers and Windows cab files are copied to the hard drive (and floppies) because when you delete the ENUM key (procedure described below) you are erasing Windows’ hardware database for your computer and you will not be able to access your CD-ROM drive until it is redetected later (after Windows has installed all the basic IDE drivers and system devices).

• Before changing any hardware, boot up the existing (old) system.  In Device Manager, make a list of items in "System Devices".

• If running W2K on an NTFS drive, it’s recommended to do a second minimal W2K install to a second-partition or second drive just in case something goes wrong with the main install; the minimal install gives you access to the original install in a way you are not able to get from the Recovery Console.  

•  Do a Full Backup of all hard drives.

• Backup the System State (Registry). 

• To floppy disk, make a copy of any individual folders, files, or registry keys that are to be deleted as part of the procedure.  This makes is easy to restore any single item. 

• Open Device Manager; make a list of all items in System Devices. 

• Create an Emergency Repair Disk. 

• Create system boot floppy disks.  The boot disk(s) must enable access to the CD-ROM drive.  (Test it.) 

• Using DriveImage, Ghost, etc., create an image of the hard drive.