Installing A Workstation > Installing Windows > Windows First Install

Windows First Install

For standalone workstations, or for those that will be used as templates for imaging, we do a clean install of Windows 2000. This assumes that you have already wiped and partitioned the hard disk. Pre-formatting is not necessary.

You will need a Windows 2000 setup CD and (if you don't have multiple licenses from Microsoft) the product key that comes with the CD.

Insert the Windows 2000 CD in the CD drive.
Restart the computer. It will boot to the CD.
The Welcome screen will appear. Press Enter.
The legal boilerplate will appear. Press F8.
You will be asked if you want to install Windows on the partition shown. Press C.
You will be asked to chose to format your hard disk with FAT (Win9x) or NTFS (Win2K/XP). It is best to choose NTFS for its stability, then Press Enter.
Formatting, and the copying of preparatory files, will take the better part of a half-hour. Afterwards, the computer will restart.

After rebooting, the graphical part of Windows Setup starts. Five or six screens will appear.

Regional and Language Options: These are USA/English by default; press Next.
Personalize Your Software: Supply the name of the workstation and your company. Press Next.
Your Product Key: If your Windows 2000 is not part of a mass license, you need to enter the 25-character product key here. Press Next.
What's Your Computer's Name: Again, supply the name of the workstation.
Date and Time Settings: Set the correct date, time and time zone. The time zone is particularly important if you live in Indiana.
Networking Settings: These will change later; choose Typical and press Next.

After these Windows setup is self-running as it loads and sets Windows 2000. When it is done, Setup will restart the workstation.