Windows 2000 — Time to talk about it!

By Dr. Bob Spencer
Network Management Group

I have had a number of e-mails asking about Windows 2000 and if CPA firms should make the move. I have been very quiet about Windows 2000 as there are already too many places to read about this latest and greatest from Redmond as it is. However, it seems that with the release of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 2000 Professional, the time has arrived to at least share a little experience and point out a few of the best new features.

I have been using Windows 2000 for many months (since the first beta), and for the most part I really like what I see. But I feel emphatically that Windows 2000 is not for everyone. (Of course, Microsoft does not share that feeling.) Windows 2000 is even more memory intensive than previous versions. Windows 2000 will work with first and second-generation Pentium chips, but it really shines with Pentium III processors.

As always, I strongly recommend that you flatten the disk drive (format it) and load Windows 2000 from scratch. This tip has always been true for Windows, but is more important than ever with Windows 2000. I have tested installs as an upgrade and as a clean new install. The operating system performs differently in each case. Some software, such as Microsoft Office 2000, performs differently as well. Where Microsoft Office has been installed under Windows 98, it retains the settings files after the Windows 2000 upgrade and the look and feel is different from the same software loaded fresh on a Windows 2000 system. You will nearly always be ahead of the game with a clean install.

As you are probably aware, Windows 2000 is based on NT technology with some of Windows 98 (and even a little good-old DOS) at its kernel (the core of the operating system that talks with the hardware.) However, since there is not much of DOS left, many DOS-based programs will not work properly when loaded on Windows 2000. You might be surprised just how many will not work. In the past, we have been made aware that graphics programs, games, and some programs that print special reports would have problems running on Windows. After I loaded Windows 2000, I attempted to load PCAnywhere 32 version 8. PCAnywhere has been in my toolbox for years and is used to connect to remote servers (an alternative to VPN connections, see article this month on using VPN for remote connections.) As soon as I inserted my PCAnywhere CD, I got a message from Windows 2000 that the software was not compatible with the operating system and I should expect problems if I continued the install. I don't know about you, but this message got my attention. A hyperlink took me to Microsoft's Web site for more detail and from there to Symantec. The recommendation — order PCAnywhere version 9 for Windows 2000 at a cost of $153.

OK, I should have followed my own advice and checked the Microsoft Web site and reviewed the list of certified programs. But the problem is that the actual list of certified compatible programs is still not that inclusive, and just because a package in not on the certified list does not mean it won't work. Another surprise may be that some Windows NT applications are not forward compatible to Windows 2000. Because Windows 2000 closes most of the access to core operating system functions that were open to Windows NT versions 3 and 4, some poorly behaved NT programs no longer work. I suggest you test your applications carefully to ensure they work and print properly before you leave your older Windows systems behind. If you don't believe in testing, you might want to down the Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer. You can find out more information about the Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/deployment/readiness. Word of advice: Read the instructions.

What kind of differences are there and what do you do now? The first surprise may be the ability to easily add and remove devices on the fly. My Compaq laptop, for instance, always had problems hot swapping on the fly, like having to swap the CD ROM for a floppy drive required downing and re-booting the system. With Windows 2000, it is as simple as clicking on the "Unplug or Eject Hardware" icon and stopping a selected drive or card. Remove the device and then Start the new device.

Other familiar items have been moved around. For instance, Printers and Network and Dial-up Connections are now found off the Start/Settings menu. Sub-menus, such as printers and Dial-up and Network Connections, are now expandable from the Start menu and are much easier to navigate. Files and file folders have moved also. Clicking on your computer will show a new folder called "Documents and Settings." Drilling down (click on this folder) will reveal a folder for each user setup on this system (all users are only visible to Administrators or equivalent users.) Clicking on a user's folder will show the primary folders for that user. Notice the all-important My Documents and Start Menu folders. Another important folder in a new location is the Cookies folder. This is where those pesky Internet cookie files are stored (just in case you want to delete them, or see where staff has been surfing the net).

The Control Panel has a number of new options you should explore as quickly as possible. Users and Passwords allow you to add and remove users, change security options by user and add digital certificates to users. Windows 2000, like NT, takes security much more seriously. The default user at install time is Administrator. The installer must secure Administrator with a password and then install the system user or users if it is a shared desktop. The installer will assign the user rights as well as file access profile information. As applications are installed, they will appear in that users desktop only (the Administrator can set desktop icons to appear for all users but this is not the default.)

Other options, such as Wireless Link and Scheduled Tasks, are worth checking out (Scheduled Tasks is now off the task bar but can be setup from the Control Panel option.) But, the really big Control Panel option is Administrative Tools. The Computer Management tool allows you to work with disk partitions, defrag a drive, or work with logical drives. Other Administrative Tools include establishing a local security policy and review system performance.

Before leaving Control Panel, I should point out one more important tool that has moved with Windows 2000, the Folder Options. Notice that one important option to set on your machine is to Show hidden files and folders. This will be most helpful when trying to find key files or copying folder contents.

The Offline Files option will benefit mobile users who need to synchronize files between their desktop and the network. This may take a little practice, but when your files are also stored on Internet servers, it may prove extremely useful. Windows 2000 also includes a backup tool called NT Backup.exe, which has two lists in the Registry. These lists tell the backup program what files to not backup and restore. If this sounds silly, consider the time it takes to backup files you do not need such as "*.tmp," or the memory page file "pagefile.sys." More information can be found on using NTBackup.exe at support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q233/4/27.asp.

A more detailed discussion of Windows 2000 is truly beyond this article. I just wanted to point out a few of the most significant features and make you aware that Windows 2000 may be anything but a simple conversion. If you are looking to learn more of the Secrets of Windows 2000, I am pleased to report that Brian Livingston has a new book out, Windows 2000 Secrets (IDG Press), which is well worth your time.

Dr. Bob Spencer is a nationally recognized writer, speaker and consultant. Bob presents technology and management seminars for K2 Enterprises (www.k2e.com) and is a partner with Network Management Group, Inc.

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