How to Install Windows 2000 With No CD

Microsoft Windows 2000, like all Windows operating systems, is installed using an installation CD-ROM. But sometimes a user needs to reinstall the operating system when the installation CD, or a CD drive, is not available. In these cases, there is an alternative to Windows installation using the original CD. The Windows 2000 operating system may be reinstalled from the i386 folder by the user's booting into DOS and then accessing the folder to run the installation program. The i386 folder is usually located in the root directory of the C: drive. The i386 folder may also be copied to a flash or USB drive and the installation run from the removable drive.

Run Installation from the i386 Folder

  1. Boot into DOS by using a bootable floppy or selecting Command Prompt from the boot menu.
  2. Change the directory in DOS to the C:/i386 folder by typing "cd c:\i386" (without the quotes) at the command prompt and pressing the "Enter" key. The command prompt will change from c:\> to c:\i386>.
  3. Type the command winnt.exe at the command prompt and press "Enter." The Windows 2000 installation wizard will start.
  4. Select the partition on which the operating system will be installed and click "Continue." The Windows 2000 wizard will prompt the user to acknowledge licensing terms, localization, language, time and date and other configuration items.
  5. Continue through the installation process and make your selections in each dialog box. Click "Finish" when prompted, to finish the installation process.

Run Installation from a Flash/USB Drive

  1. Insert the flash or USB drive into an available slot on the computer. Allow the computer to find and list the drive.
  2. Right-click the Windows "Start" button and select Explore from the context menu. Windows Explorer will launch.
  3. Navigate to the C:\i386 folder and right-click the folder in the left navigation panel.
  4. Select Copy from the context menu
  5. Navigate to the flash/USB drive and right-click it. Select Paste to copy the folder onto the drive.
  6. Navigate to the winnt32.exe file in the i386 folder and double-click the file to launch the Windows 2000 installation program.
  7. Select the drive and partition on which the new installation will be created and click "Continue."
  8. Continue through the installation process and make your selections in each dialog box. Click "Finish" when prompted, to finish the installation process.

 

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