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Q259003: How and Why to Perform a Parallel Installation of Windows NT 4.0

Article: Q259003
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbsetup
Last Modified: 29-OCT-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

This article describes steps and recommendations for performing a parallel
installation of Windows NT 4.0. A parallel installation of the operating system
is an installation to the same drive and volume as an existing installation of
Windows NT, with the difference being the name of the operating system folder.

You can perform a parallel installation when you are using an installation of
Windows NT 4.0 for testing or debugging, or when the operating system cannot be
started. In the case of troubleshooting an installation that cannot be started,
if the file system is FAT, it is possible to boot from an MS-DOS boot disk and
gain access to the files. However, if the file system is NTFS, you cannot gain
access to the file system using a boot disk.

You should perform the procedure listed in this article as a last resort. You
should examine and address any problems you encounter during this process.
Changes made to the file system during a parallel installation of Windows NT 4.0
could result in permanent loss of data.

NOTE: Parallel installation should be installed on another partition (or volume)
if it is possible. This is very important as Microsoft does not support multiple
operating systems on the same partition. Two Windows NT operating systems cannot
be maintained on the same partition because the operating systems then share the
same Program Files directory, which causes conflicts using Internet Explorer,
Outlook Express and other programs.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The procedure described in this article applies equally to Windows NT
Workstation and Windows NT Server, except where noted.

NOTE: During the installation process, if at any time a message is displayed
stating that files being copied are older than what is on the system, choose the
option to not overwrite the files.

The minimum disk requirement for installing Windows NT Server is 125 MB. If the
system is very low on disk space (for example, less than 100 MB), the
installation is unsuccessful. However, you can proceed with Setup and it
calculates how much disk space is needed for the installation, based on your
selections. If there is not enough space for a parallel installation, you can
add another drive to the computer temporarily, and then perform the parallel
installation on the temporary drive.

Performing a Parallel Installation
----------------------------------

To perform a parallel installation of Windows NT, use the following steps:

1. Start the computer either from the Windows NT 4.0 disks or the Windows NT 4.0
  CD-ROM.

  NOTE: If you need to install an additional SCSI driver, refer to the following
  Microsoft Knowledge Base article for the steps on installing an additional
  driver during Setup:

  Q158568 Installing Retired or Third-Party SCSI Drivers During Setup

  Otherwise, Windows NT Setup loads drivers and continues until the following
  message is displayed:

  Welcome to Setup.

  The Setup program for the Microsoft(R) Windows NT(TM) operating system version
  4.0 prepares Windows NT to run on your computer.

   - To learn more about Windows NT Setup before continuing, press F1.

   - To set up Windows NT now, press ENTER.

   - To repair a damaged Windows NT version 4.0 installation, press R.

   - To quit Setup without installing Windows NT, press F3.

2. Press ENTER to start the parallel installation process. The next dialog box
  lists the detected mass storage devices. If the list is correct, press ENTER
  to continue.

3. After the End User License Agreement dialog box is displayed, the hardware
  that is detected is displayed. If the list is correct, press ENTER to
  continue.

  NOTE: In most cases, you do not need to specify additional drives for pointing
  devices or other input devices for this process. Only minimal device support
  is needed for a parallel installation of Windows NT 4.0.

4. If the operating system you are installing is less than or equal to the
  operating system that is currently installed, an upgrade dialog box is
  displayed. For example, if Windows NT Server is installed and this parallel
  installation is Windows NT Workstation, an upgrade dialog box is not
  displayed and Setup continues to the hardware configuration dialog box. The
  upgrade dialog box looks like the following example:

  Setup has found Windows NT on your hard disk in the directory shown below.

  C:\WINNT "Windows NT Server Version 4.00"

  Setup recommends upgrading this Windows NT installation to Microsoft Windows
  NT version 4.0. Upgrading will preserve user account and security
  information, user preferences, and other configuration information.

   - To upgrade Windows NT in the directory shown above, press ENTER.

   - To cancel upgrade and install a fresh copy of Windows NT, press N.

5. At this point, press N for a new installation of Windows NT, which is the
  parallel installation (note that the installation and drive letter may be
  different than what is shown in the previous example).

6. The next dialog box lists the hardware that is detected. If the list is
  correct, press ENTER to continue. In most situations, you do not need to
  specify additional drives for pointing devices or other input devices for
  this process. You only need minimal device support for a parallel
  installation of Windows NT 4.0.

7. After the hardware configuration dialog box is displayed, the partition and
  drive dialog box is displayed. Select a drive or partition that has at least
  100 MB free, and is either the FAT16 or NTFS file system.

  NOTE: If the partitions shown here are listed as "damaged or unformatted" and
  the drive is an IDE drive that is larger than 7.8 GB, stop the installation
  and refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

  Q197667 Installing Windows NT on a Large IDE Hard Disk

8. When you perform a parallel installation of Windows NT, you do not need to
  make any changes to the file system. You should not delete or reformat a
  partition at this point. If the disks and partitions are still listed as
  unknown or if there are any other error messages, stop the installation and
  troubleshoot the problem. Any changes made at this point in the Windows NT
  installation could lead to a loss of data.

9. If there are drives listed that are FAT or NTFS, select one of the drives
  that has at least 100 MB of free disk space, and then press ENTER.

10. The next dialog box displays the partition you selected and gives you
  several choices on how to proceed with the installation:

  Select the type of file system you want on this partition from the list
  below. Use the UP and DOWN ARROW keys to move the highlight to the selection
  you want. Then press ENTER.

  If you want to select a different partition for Windows NT, press ESC.

  Format the partition using the FAT file system
  Format the partition using the NTFS file system
  Convert the partition to NTFS
  Leave the current file system intact (no changes)

11. For a parallel installation, choose the "Leave the current file system
  intact (no changes)" option, and then press ENTER.

12. The next dialog box is where the installation location is specified. Change
  the default folder (Winnt) to a new name (for example, Winnt40) to ensure
  that this is a unique installation. To make the change, simply type the
  additional characters at the end of the Winnt, and then press ENTER.

13. Setup then checks the disk for damage. If there is no disk damage, press
  ENTER. If there is disk damage, you should not perform a parallel
  installation.

14. After the disk check is performed, Setup starts copying files. At the end of
  the file copying process, Setup indicates that this portion of Setup is
  successfully completed. Remove any CDs and disks from the computer, and then
  press ENTER to restart the computer.

15. After the computer restarts, Setup starts and the Welcome dialog box is
  displayed (this dialog box lists the remaining three phases of Setup, which
  are Gathering Information, Networking, and Finishing Setup). If you are
  installing Windows NT Workstation, the Setup Options dialog box is also
  displayed. This dialog box lists the following four installation options:

   - Typical

   - Portable

   - Compact

   - Custom

16. The "Name and Organization" dialog box is displayed next. This information
  does not have to exactly match the original installation; the information
  you type here is for your reference only.

17. The Registration dialog box is displayed next. After you type your CD Key,
  click Next to continue.

18. This step is for Windows NT Server only: The Licensing Modes dialog box is
  displayed, which allows you to choose the number of licenses and the mode of
  licensing. Type the appropriate information, and then click Next to
  continue.

19. The Computer Name dialog box is then displayed. Typically, the parallel
  installation of Windows NT should not be the same name as the original
  installation of Windows NT. Because this installation of Windows NT is
  independent of the original installation, choose a name that is not in use
  on the network, and then click Next to continue.

20. This step is for Windows NT Server only: If you are installing Windows NT
  Server, the next dialog box allows you to pick a server type. The best
  choice for a temporary, parallel installation is a the Stand-Alone Server
  option. If you choose the Primary Domain Controller option, a new domain is
  created. If you choose the Backup Domain Controller option, a primary domain
  controller (PDC) must be contacted to verify security and join this computer
  to the domain.

21. The next dialog box prompts you to assign a password to the Administrator
  account of the parallel installation. Microsoft recommends that you assign a
  complex password.

22. The next dialog box lets you create an Emergency Repair Disk (ERD). In most
  cases, there is no need for an ERD during a parallel installation. Choose
  the Emergency Repair Disk option, and then click Next to continue.

23. This step is for Windows NT Workstation only: If you are installing Windows
  NT Workstation, the next dialog box gives you the following options:

   - Install the most common components (recommended)

   - Show me the list of components so I can choose

24. The next dialog box allows you to select optional components that you want
  installed on the parallel installation. None of the optional components is
  necessary and can be deselected. One thing to note is that if you add an
  item to the operating system from the original Windows NT media after
  applying a service pack, the service pack that was previously applied should
  be reapplied. This rule should be applied even if you are installing printer
  drivers or accessories from Control Panel (click Add/Remove Components, and
  then click Windows NT Setup). After the components are configured, click
  Next to continue.

25. The Windows NT Networking dialog box is then displayed. After you click
  Next, Setup initializes networking and prompts you to choose whether or not
  you want this computer to participate on a network. If there are network
  resources that may be required after the parallel installation (for example,
  a service pack), choose the "This computer will participate on a network"
  option. Otherwise, choose the "Do not connect this computer to a network at
  this time" option, and then click Next to continue.

26. This step is for Windows NT Server only: The next dialog box gives you the
  option to install Microsoft Internet Information Server. In most cases, this
  component is not needed during a parallel installation and can be
  deselected.

27. If the computer is configured to participate on the network, the next dialog
  box is for configuring network adapters. If Setup recognizes the network
  adapter, you can click Start Search to add the adapter to the list of
  installed adapters. Otherwise, you can select or specify an adapter by
  clicking Select from list. After the network adapters are installed, click
  Next to continue.

28. The next dialog box is for the configuration of networking protocols. Select
  the protocols in use on your network and then click Next to continue. The
  Network Services dialog box is displayed next, and the services that are
  listed and selected by default are typically sufficient for a parallel
  installation.

29. Clicking Next twice starts the networking. You are prompted for additional
  information if needed, and to list the binding orders of the networking
  components. In addition, you can choose the grouping configuration (either
  Workgroup or Domain). A parallel installation does not need to participate
  in a domain. After you choose the grouping information, click Next to
  continue, and then click Finish.

30. The next dialog box lets you select a time zone. Select the appropriate time
  zone, and then click Next to continue.

31. The next dialog box allows you to configure the display. For a parallel
  installation, the default or detected adapter and resolution should be
  sufficient. If necessary, test the resolution, and then click OK.

32. At this point, some additional files are copied and the configuration is
  saved. Remove the CD-ROM. You can now restart the computer and boot into the
  parallel installation.

Additional query words: new folder clean install

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Keywords          : kbenv kbsetup 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTSEntSearch kbWinNTSEnt400 kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : :4.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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