I have an old notebook which I want to install Windows 2000. The notebook can't boot from USB CDROM and it doesn't has any built-in CDROM drive. I therefore took out its hard disk, attach it to an Windows 2000 server through USB cable. The hard disk appears as e: and f: partitions on this server, in which f: has Windows 2000 i386 folder. I did a syspart setup: winnt32 /s:f:\i386 /tempdrive:e: /syspart:e: It ran fine and when I transferred the disk back to the notebook, started up, it continued on to finish the installation. However, the subsequent Windows has e: as the systemdrive and a corresponding f: drive (which contains the i386 folder). I would like it to have c: and d: instead. I tried to use Disk Director to change the drive letter to c: and d: but the Windows could no longer log on after that eventhough I changed the registry key to allow it clear the paging file during shutdown. I also tried fdisk /mbr and fixmbr, didn't help. I repeated the process 2 times, results were the same - Windows logs on and off in an endless loop.

I did several times this same process for Windows XP without encountering such problems.

Is there any special trick need to be done for /syspart for Windows 2000? What's wrong with my process?

Cannot say what is wrong with the process you used, but maybe I can hint you how to "fix" it:
http://www.petri.co.il/change_system_drive..._windows_xp.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223188/en-us
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249321/en-us

Be very aware, that besides the logging in problem seen above, another few entries in Registry will point to "hardcoded" drives in Registry, rather than %systemdrive% or %Systemroot% you should use a registry tool to search for each entry pointing to the F: and E: drives and change them accordingly.

Another possible way is using the method here:
http://www.911cd.net/forums//index.php?sho...c=16713&hl=
(you'll have to adapt it to your setup)

jaclaz

Jaclaz,

Thank you very much.
Only kb249321 helps because my drive letter was already changed by Acronis Disk Director to the desired letter (c:)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/249321/en-us

It is this key that make it fail to log on:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\Winlogon\E:\WINNT\system32\userinit.exe
I am now trying to find out where in the registry is %programfiles% referenced, currently it is pointing to e:\program files, thus many shortcuts are not valid.

The CommonFilesDir and ProgramFilesDir are at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion.
Initially I used the set command to change the %programfiles% and %CommonProgramFiles% variables to point to c: but after restart, they reverted back to e:

Yes,
I cannot remember all of them but there are quite a few "variables" and some are dependent on others, you cannot use the SET command , you need to EDIT the Registry.

Some strings to search for:

but I am not 100% sure that I listed all of them....


A nice tool to do so would be Registrar Lite:
http://www.resplendence.com/reglite

as it allows for searching for a string, and give as a results all the keys containing the search term.

Then you need to decide which ones you need to change....

jaclaz

The rest of the variables are correct, only the %programfiles% and %commonprogramfiles% were wrong, which I corrected. There were still problems, e.g, Outlook Express says identity not valid and Add/Remove program show empty dialog. Some GUIDs may be nolonger valid. I did a easier way out, since I can log in to Windows 2000, I ran a winnt32 to upgrade, let it does the necessary repairs.

If you delete the file E:\$WIN_NT.~BT\MIGRATE.INF, it should install correctly.

You mean, after /syspart I should remove the E:\$WIN_NT.~BT\MIGRATE.INF before I transfer it to the destined notebook?

Yep, here is the relevant KB article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/234048/en-us

jaclaz