That Tech Blog

It is very important that your Windows 2000 PC is secure, but you also want it to be fast. When I install Win2k I try to leave off as much “fluff” as possible; in fact, whenever I get a new computer (my last three have all been Dell) I reinstall the OS because I don’t like all the extra junk they put on it. Not too long ago I worked on a Compaq and right out of the box the desktop was half full of icons! Here are the steps I take when installing Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (aka Win2K):

WARNING!!! This procedure will delete EVERYTHING that is currently on your hard drive. If you want to keep anything, burn it to a CD, save it to a flash drive, save it to a network drive, etc.

NOTE: You may find that there are newer versions of Adobe Reader, QuickTime, etc. available since this was written. Feel free to install the latest version that will work on Windows 2000.

1. Change BIOS to boot from CD.
2. Install Win2k from the CD.
3. Press ENTER to set up Windows 2k now.
4. Press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
5. Press Enter to set up Windows 2000 on the selected item.
6. Select the C: Partition and Press D to delete.
7. Press ENTER to delete the partition.
8. Press L to delete the partition.
9. Select the Unpartitioned Space and press ENTER to set up Windows 2k on the Unpartitioned space.
10. Format NTFS.
11. After it copies files and reboots, press Next to continue.
12. Select Your System Settings | United States, English, US | Next
    Enter Name: User1, Organization: Your organization.
13. Enter the Product Key.
14. What’s your computer’s name? | Leave as Your-whatever. Enter Administrator password of your choice and write it down.
15. What time zone are you in? | Select Your Time Zone | Next
16. Select Typical Network Settings
17. Put the computer in the WORKGROUP workgroup.
    Remove the CD and Finish.
18. Make sure the network cable is plugged in and click Next for the Network ID Wizard.
19. Select “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer.”
    Click Finish.
20. Log in.
21. Add the user “Tech” with the password the same as the administrator’s. Uncheck “User must change password at next logon” and check “User cannot change password” and “Password never expires.” Add to local Administrator group. Use this account for the rest of the setup.
22. Reboot and change BIOS to boot from HD.
23. Log on as Tech.
24. Set Num Lock ON as the default. START | Run | regedit | Navigate to HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\Keyboard. Change the value for InitialKeyboardIndicators from 0 to 2.
25. In the Getting Started with Windows 2000 window uncheck “Show the screen at startup” and click Exit.
26. Right-click the Task Bar | Properties | check “Show small icons in Start menu” | click Advanced tab and check “Display Logoff.”
27. Click OK.
28. Right-click Desktop | Properties | Effects | uncheck “Use transition effects…” and check “Show windows contents while dragging” and click OK.
29. Right-click Desktop | Screen Saver | None
30. Monitor Power | Power | Power Schemes | Home/Office Desk | Select “Never” for “Turn off monitor,” “Turn off hard disks,” and “System standby.”
31. Open My Computer | Tools | Folder Options | View and check “Display the full path in the address bar,” “Display the full path in the title bar,” select “Show hidden files and folders,” uncheck “Hide extensions for known file types.” Click Apply and Like Current Folder.
32. Copy the I386 folder (cabs) from the CD to the C drive and remove the CD.
33. Install SP4 for Win2k.
34. Install IE6.
35. Install Windows Media Player 9, keeping all defaults. Test.
36. Go to “Connect to the Internet,” select LAN, select LAN again, uncheck “Automatic discovery of proxy server,” answer No to Internet mail, Finish.
37. Set up IE. Go to View | Toolbars | uncheck Links and Lock the Toolbars. Move the Address bar to the top to the right of “Help.” Lock the Toolbars. Set the home page to your favorite website. Go to Colors | Visited | select red.
38. Do Windows Updates.
39. Go to a website where you have to log in. Log in and check the box “Don’t offer to remember any more passwords.” Click “No” for remember this password.
40. Open Task Manager | Options | uncheck “Always on Top.”
41. Install Microsoft Office 2k if you have purchased it. Enter your initials. Enter your license. Choose Customize. Accept the default location. Click on Microsoft Office and select “Run all from My Computer.” Install the 2nd CD completely.
42. Go to Windows Updates and click on Office Updates to update Office 2k.
43. Hide the “Office Assistant.” Click on Clippy, Options, uncheck “Use the Office Assistant.”
44. Install Adobe Acrobat 6 and open it to click Accept.
45. Go to START | Programs and delete the folder “PrintMe Internet Printing” that was added when Acrobat was installed.
46. Install RealOnePlayer V2GOLD.
1. Select your speed.
2. Select “Custom” and uncheck all of the boxes for Desktop Settings.
3. Uncheck all boxes regarding RealOne being the default player.
4. Register RealOne Player. If not registered you will be asked to register whenever you use the player (but not more than once per day). Use any e-mail address, valid or not, and uncheck the box for receiving mail.
5. Modify Message Center options. Open RealOne Player | View | Message Center | Options | Personalize Message Center | uncheck all boxes | Save Changes.
6. Uncheck Automatic Services. Open RealOne Player | Tools | Preferences | Automatic Services | uncheck all four boxes (“Periodically check for software updates,” “Periodically check for new messages,” “Maintain my choices set in Media Type preferences,” and “Check for newly downloaded media to add to My Library.”
7. Uncheck AutoUpdate. Open RealOne Player | Tools | Preferences | Automatic Services | AutoUpdate | uncheck “Automatically download and install important updates.”
8. Test Real Player.
47. Clean up Windows Components. Go to Add or Remove Programs | Add/Remove Windows Components | uncheck Outlook Express.
48. Install the latest Flash and Shockwave from Adobe’s site. For Shockwave select “Under 13” and uncheck “Check for Updates.”
49. Install QuickTime 6.4. Choose defaults, select Recommended, leave Registration blank, and choose your speed. Test.
50. Set Windows Update to download in the background but not install. Click on the “Stay current with automatic updates” icon in the system tray. In the “Automatic Updates Setup Wizard” click Next. Check the box that says “Keep my computer up to date…” and select “Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed. (Only an administrator is given the opportunity to install them.) Click Next, then Finish.
51. Install your favorite anti-virus software and configure.
52. Clean up the desktop. If you have installed Microsoft Office, copy Word and Excel shortcuts from START | Programs to the desktop and then copy them to Quick Launch.
53. Empty Recycle bin.
54. Empty IE Temp files, cookies, and clear History.
55. Reboot in Safe Mode (F8 at the end of POST).
56. Defrag.
57. Clear mapped drives from the list. Regedit. Do a search or go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    \Explorer\Map Network Drive MRU. Delete a, b, c, etc.
58. Clear items from the START | Run list. Regedit. Do a search or go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
    Explorer\RunMRU. Delete a, b, c, etc.
59. Collapse all of the folders in regedit back to the five HKEYs.
60. Copy settings to Default Users profile. Reboot and log on as Administrator. Copy the Tech profile to Default User. Click Change and type in “Everyone” for “Permitted to use” or navigate to Permitted to use | Change | Advanced | Find Now | Everyone.
61. Log off and log on as Tech and delete the Administrator profile.
62. Congratulations, you’re done. Install other software, printers, etc. as necessary.