Windows NT  Installation

Introduction to Windows Installation

• In order to have an uneventful installation  of Windows NT , the installation should have some prior planning and preparation.

• The installation  process asks the usual questions that include, computer and organization name, administrator  name, workgroup  or domain name, CD  code, installation partition, and other general information .

• During the installation  of a server, the user is asked to define the server type from a choice of PDC , BDC  and member server .

• The installation  should complete without any problems if all the right preparations have been made.

Key Topics

 

Pre-Installation Hardware  Check list Windows NT  on RISC Hardware  Requirements Hardware  Compatibility List (HCL ) Computer account   Windows NT  Installation steps WINNT/WINNT32 switch options

Components of Installation Dual Booting Windows NT Installing in a Domain  or Workgroup Installing Server Communicating with other systems Creating an ERD Other Installation                      Options Finalizing The Installation

 

Pre-Installation Hardware  check list

• Ensure that your computer components meet the minimum hardware requirements.

• Check that all the system hardware is listed on the Hardware  Compatibility List (HCL ).

• Installing windows NT4 requires a minimum of 120MB of storage space preferably 1GB.

Windows NT  on RISC

• Microsoft produces a version of Windows NT , which can be installed on RISC  processor based systems such as MIPS, Power  PC and Digital Alpha machines.

Hardware  Requirements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardware  Compatibility List (HCL )

• Microsoft lists all of the devices  it found compatible with Windows NT  in the latest version of the Microsoft Hardware  Compatibility List (HCL ) that you should check prior to installing your hardware.

• Microsoft Compatibility List Web page is www.Microsoft.com/hcl/ and see the HCL . TXT file or check the file on the installation  CD .

Domains and Workgroups

• Windows NT  4 supports joining a workgroup  or a domain environment.

• Computers can either create a workgroup  or join an existing workgroup during the installation  process of windows NT4.

• In order to join a domain you must have the domain administrator  create a computer account for you.

Computer Account

• The computer account must be created for all the computers joining the domain prior to them attempting to join by the domain administrator .

• Computers can join the domain during their installation  without having a prior account on the domain only if the domain administrator  is installing that particular computer.

 

 

 

 

Windows NT  Installation Step 1

• We can use the 3-startup  disks to boot in the DOS  mode and load enough drivers  to access the installation  CD  and then continue the installation from the CD.

Windows NT  Installation Step 2

• You can type WINNT.EXE over DOS  and Windows9x to begin the installation .

• You can type WINNT32.EXE over Windows NT  3.51 to upgrade to Windows NT 4.

• WINNT32.EXE is a faster method of installing Windows NT  then WINNT.EXE because it has no 16-bit  installation  components.

 

WINNT/WINNT32 Switch Options

• Winnt and Winnt32 switch option and details if required.

Components of Installation

• You must specify which partition you want to install the Windows NT  OS, FAT or the unused space.

• You have the option of converting the FAT or the unallocated space in to NTFS  during the installation .

• NTFS  partitions are only recognized by Windows NT  and windows 2000