Windows 2000: programs, drivers and common problems

Install and remove programs and drivers on Windows 2000, then track down the usual causes of a slow computer or a system that will not start. It suits anyone keeping a Windows 2000 PC running, usually offline.

Before you start

Copy important files to another drive first (see how to back up your files). Windows 2000 has no System Restore, so there is no simple way back after a bad change. Sign in as a user with administrator rights to install programs or drivers.

Install a program

1. Close other programs. Insert the program disc, or locate the setup file you got from the program's maker.
2. If a window does not open by itself, open My Computer, open the disc, and open the file named setup or install.
3. Follow the prompts. Read each screen, and clear any option that installs extra toolbars or software you did not ask for.
4. If Windows shows a message that a file or driver is not digitally signed, stop and make sure it came from the maker. Choose No if you are not sure.

Programs written for Windows XP or later may not run. Windows 2000 has no compatibility setting for older programs. Check the program's requirements before installing.

Remove a program

1. Open Start then Settings then Control Panel, then open Add/Remove Programs.
2. Select the program in the list and choose Change/Remove.
3. Follow the prompts, then restart if asked.

For general advice, see how to uninstall programs.

Install or check a driver

Windows 2000 needs drivers written for Windows 2000. A driver made only for Windows 98 or Me will not work. Get drivers from the maker of the device or computer, never from a driver updater or a download portal (see safe downloads and fake driver sites).

1. Open Start then Settings then Control Panel then System, then select the Hardware tab and Device Manager.
2. Look for devices marked with a yellow symbol. Double-click one to read the status message.
3. To install a driver, select Update Driver on the Driver tab of the device and follow the wizard, pointing it to the maker's driver files.
4. If a new driver causes trouble, restart in Safe Mode, then reinstall the previous driver from the maker's files. Keep the old driver files before you replace them.

More detail is in fixing driver problems in Device Manager, though its menus are from newer Windows.

Fix a slow computer

Check what is running

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select Task Manager.
2. Look at the Processes tab for a program using a lot of the processor. To close a stuck program, select it on the Applications tab and choose End Task. Save your work first.

Free space and defragment

1. Open Start then Programs then Accessories then System Tools then Disk Cleanup and clear the files you do not need.
2. Then open Disk Defragmenter from the same folder, select your drive, and choose Analyze. If it recommends it, choose Defragment and leave the computer alone until it finishes.

Windows will not start

1. Restart, and tap F8 repeatedly as the computer starts. Do not hold it down. An advanced options menu should appear.
2. Choose Last Known Good Configuration if it is listed. This often fixes a problem caused by a recent driver change.
3. If that fails, restart, tap F8 again, and choose Safe Mode. Undo the last change you made, then restart normally.

NTLDR is missing, or a disk read error

Microsoft lists A disk read error occurred, NTLDR is missing and NTLDR is compressed as signs that the startup file or the boot sector is damaged. Messages such as Invalid partition table or Missing operating system point to the partition table or the active partition.

1. Start the computer from the Windows 2000 Setup CD or setup floppy disks.
2. Press Enter at the Setup Notification screen. At Welcome to Setup, press R to repair, then C for the Recovery Console.
3. Press the number of your Windows 2000 installation, typically 1 for C:\WINNT, and press Enter. Pressing Enter without a number restarts the computer. Enter the local Administrator password. Without it, the Recovery Console does not give access to the disks.
4. To replace the boot sector of the Windows partition, type this and press Enter.

   fixboot

5. Type exit to restart, and check whether Windows starts.

If the same message returns, the NTLDR file itself may be missing or damaged. Microsoft says that a repair with an Emergency Repair Disk can fix a damaged or missing NTLDR, if you made one. The fixmbr command replaces only the master boot code, not the partition table, so use it only when the messages mention Invalid partition table or Missing operating system and you have read the warning above.

If it still does not work

Reinstalling is the last resort and erases the system partition, so back up first. See installing Windows 2000. A failing disk or faulty memory also causes crashes, and no software step fixes them.

Frequently asked questions