"Lincmark" wrote:
| While installing Win 2000 from CD, I get through Installing Components
and
| Performing Final Tasks (start menu, registers components, upgrade program
and
| system settings, save settings remove temporary files) and Install is
| apparently in a loop and runs through the same procedures for hours.  When
I
| shutdown and restart, Install asks for SP3 CD to load the file nt5inf.cat.
I
| load a CD with W2KSP3.exe, but it does not like that.  I put nt5inf.cat on
a
| disk from another computer, but I get a fatal error that states Setup
failed
| to install product catalogs.
| I am stuck, and can't bring up Windows.
| I would appreciate any help to complete this installation.

"Dave Patrick" wrote:

> Be advised that upgrades from win9x almost always fail for any number of
> reasons. Save yourself some time and trouble, given that you'll more than
> likely end up with an unstable OS with all the remnants/ corruption left
> behind from the upgrade. Best to blow it all away and go for the clean
> install.
>
> To do a clean install, either boot the Windows 2000 CD-Rom or setup disks.
> The set of four install disks can be created from your Win2k CD-rom; change
> to the \bootdisk directory on the cd-rom and execute makeboot.exe (from dos)
> or makebt32.exe (from 32 bit) and follow the prompts.
>
> When you get to the point, delete the existing NTFS and or other partitions
> found. After you delete the partition(s) abort the install, then again
> restart the pc booting the CD-Rom or setup disks to avoid unexpected drive
> letter assignments with your new install.
>
> During Windows 2000 setup, at some point, will want to confirm the previous
> operating system for the upgrade; at that point you'll simply insert the
> qualified product install CD for it to verify. Then the install will
> proceed.
>
> Check the pc, mb or hardware manufacturer's web site for the latest bios and
> or Windows 2000 drivers for your devices.
>
> Be sure to apply these to your new install before connecting to any network.
>
> http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/6/A/E6A04295-D2A8-40D0-A0C5-241BFECD095E/W2KSP4_EN.EXE
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-043.mspx
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-049.mspx
>
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
> Microsoft Certified Professional
> Microsoft MVP [Windows]
> http://www.microsoft.com/protect
>
> "Lincmark" wrote:
> | While installing Win 2000 from CD, I get through Installing Components
> and
> | Performing Final Tasks (start menu, registers components, upgrade program
> and
> | system settings, save settings remove temporary files) and Install is
> | apparently in a loop and runs through the same procedures for hours.  When
> I
> | shutdown and restart, Install asks for SP3 CD to load the file nt5inf.cat.
> I
> | load a CD with W2KSP3.exe, but it does not like that.  I put nt5inf.cat on
> a
> | disk from another computer, but I get a fatal error that states Setup
> failed
> | to install product catalogs.
> | I am stuck, and can't bring up Windows.
> | I would appreciate any help to complete this installation.
>
>
>

"Lincmark" wrote:
| Thanks for your help; it appears that I have it installed, but setup did
not
| prompt me for a password, and I can't log in.  I tried blanks and
| Administrator with a blank password, but it did not work.
| How can I get in????