Downgrading to 2000

[drumerdudeman]

i have recently had some trouble with my computer and looks like the only way right now is for me to downgrade from windows xp pro to windows 2000 pro.

but i want to make sure none of my files are lost if i can

how would i go about installing windows 2000 and hopefully fixing my problem without deleting any of my files

 

[Shumway]

I'm not to sure but i think the only way to go back is to format

 

[drumerdudeman]

what do you mean format and what does that do

 

[IBMan]

format erases everything on ur hard drive, from there you have to isntall an operating system(windows linux...etc...), to make sure all ur fiels are backed up, burn a cd or put them on a floppy disk or on a webserver or on another hard drive or some storage device, then make sure u backed up everything you need to, then format and put ur operating system on., then restore ur files.

 

[jaksback]

ur going to have to save all files that you want to keep either on another HD or on cd's, reformat then install win2k. another way is to partition the HD that has xp on it, move all files that you want keep to that partition, format the old partition and install win2k, then you will have access to those files in the new partition

 

[funggorgor]

backup your important files
then format and setup windows 2000 pro

 

[IBMan]

" ur going to have to save all files that you want to keep either on another HD or on cd's, reformat then install win2k. another way is to partition the HD that has xp on it, move all files that you want keep to that partition, format the old partition and install win2k, then you will have access to those files in the new partition"

the only way to safely do that is to use partition magic tho correct? because if you partition with the XP disk or Fdisk or some other thing it will screw up ur entire partition and make it unusable and you wont get your files back

 

[IBMan]

but if theres some free third party software that will do the same thing please let us all know!

 

[jaksback]

oh....you want free....well, back it all up on cd's then. I have personally never had to do this so I am not sure it would work. don't see why it wouldn't thoough cuz when win2k goes to format the partition it will still leavr the new partition alone. Its just getting the new partition made.....I'll do some research.

I'm sure you can at least get a trial version of partition magic and use it for the one time.

 

[jaksback]

heres the link for a free trial:

http://www.soft32.com/download_151.html