Win2K any hardware issues yet?

[bpalone]

Has anyone found any hardware issues with Windows 2000 Pro yet?

I am guessing that if one doesn't get exotic with hardware selection then there won't be any issues. I want to stay with 2K for as long as possible and am wondering if I need to be considering new hardware sooner rather than later.

Really I am almost entirely on the penquin, but have some apps that are not available and need the dual boot option. The apps run OK in a virtual machine, but with heavy items they just run better natively.

Thanks in advance for all your input.

[Tripredacus]

Do you mean concerning current and upcoming hardware?

[bpalone]

Do you mean concerning current and upcoming hardware?

Yes current, and upcoming. When it comes time to retire the current desktop, I don't want to have to be searching the dark crannies of the hardware universe to put a system together that will run 2K. My thought is that it would be cheaper and easier to acquire said hardware, and drivers, before compatibility becomes to big of an issue.

Thanks.

[submix8c]

Sometimes XP drivers work with 2K (and vice-versa) and sometimes not (but usually do). Don't depend on support for anything "new". Check before you buy/upgrade.

Edited March 12, 2009 by submix8c

[fdv]

2k will have no problem.

HOWEVER.

If you buy a new machine with some fancy new controller built in 2009, Win2k is not going to support it "out of the box."

That means you have to get a driverpack for controllers (hard drive controllers, sorry I didn't say that) and...

1. boot the new computer, and if it is a homebrew with no OS, boot with a PE CD

2. use Unknown Device Finder to get the CLSID / hardware ID string of the controller

3. download the XP/2k version of the driver for the controller from the motherboard manufacturer or OEM maker

4. locate the CLSID in the driver INF file, and copy it into notepad or somesuch

5. edit TXTSETUP.SIF and add the CLSID into the [hardware ID] section, and give the driver a name and description (in the same file)

6. add an entry in the file list for the driver... in other words, add yourdriver.sys = 1,,,,,,,4,1,0 under [sourceDisksFiles]

7. add an entry in LAYOUT.INF as well (it can look exactly the same... most people don't realize it but TXTSETUP and LAYOUT are the same exact file, but layout has file sizes added which can be removed

8. globally replace ,_x, with ,, (two commas, no underscore X) in both layout and txtsetup (this step sounds trivial, but if you don't do it, installation will fail, end of story)

9. put the actual driver SYS file into i386

10. create a new iso, maybe using HFSLIP

This might sound difficult but I assure you that it is a CAKEWALK.

Download my fileset and have a look at my TXTSETUP for an example, and search on "iteatapi" which is my driver that I need for my Dual Core pentium motherboard. You will see exactly what I did to integrate the driver.

It's easy -- honest.

edit: oh, and bookmark this thread, because maybe you don't need it now but you might later!

Edited March 12, 2009 by fdv

[pointertovoid]

Yes, some useful hardware has no official driver for W2k.

Noticeably, the Ahci and Raid drivers for Intel's Ich8, Ich8r, Ich9, Ich9r, Ich10, Ich10r aren't available from Microsoft.

I didn't try Xp's drivers for Ich8+ but had a look at them: IaStor.sys calls

KeAcquireInStackQueueSpinLock

KeReleaseInStackQueueSpinLock

in Hal.dll which aren't available in W2k. More in Ntoskrnl.exe. This gives me a very bad feeling.

Some hope would be to use on Ich8+ the W2k drivers intended for Ich7r. I haven't tried yet. Somebody did it ?

Also, the very latest video cards (dX10.1) may lack drivers for W2k - but they're sometimes available from Asus when not from nVidia or Ati.

[bearwindows]

Some hope would be to use on Ich8+ the W2k drivers intended for Ich7r. I haven't tried yet. Somebody did it ?

I did.

ICH8M Driver for Windows 2000 ?

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=124459

As for compatibility, recent Intel's Graphics / LAN drivers and Chipset software are Windows 2000-compatible (not mentioned on Intel's site , so search for XP's drivers and use them with Windows 2000 ).