Windows 2000 In Virtual PC?

flyboy2160 · 11 Oct 2010

i'm about to buy a 64 bit windows 7 workstation on which i want to run windows 2000 (because of the CAD applications i don't want to upgrade.)

i'v been told that i have to have the "home" version of windows 2000, not the "oem" disk i legally have for my old (no longer working) computer. but i can't find this "home version" for sale. will the original oem version install ok?

I'm an enigineer, not a computer whiz, so please bear with my ignorant questions.

thanks

Darician · 11 Oct 2010

They're referring to the retail version of Windows 2000. Legally speaking, you can only use the retail version as the OEM Version is tied to the computer to which it came with however, since it is Windows 2000, there is no product activation or anything else technically stopping you from installing it; and I can definitely understand that finding retail copies of Windows 2000 for sale these days would be rather difficult especially since support for it has died now.

jimbo45 · 12 Oct 2010

Hi there
just enter the product key when you install Windows 2000 -- no activation is required so it WILL work.

I would tend to use virtual box or vmware player as the VM software rather than Virtual PC but that's another issue.

You should install the latest available updates for Windows 2000 -- you should be able to find some via google.

I think the last official update was SP4 which you can still download. You should install this even on a Virtual machine.

Download details: Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 Network Install for IT Professionals

Your CAD package should run on ANY version of Windows 2000 BTW. I run W2000 professional as a Virtual machine but HOME should work too.

Once you've upgraded to SP4 service pack level the differences between the W2000 versions are minimal and there are even tricks wherby you can get W2000 to act as a SERVER allowing 4 simultaneous connections.

This get around was stopped in XP however. Remember that Windows 2000 was essentially designed as a SERVER type OS which is why its nice and fast -- and actually was the basis for the VERY SUCCESSFUL Windows 2003 server product.

Cheers
jimbo