I upgraded to Win2000 Pro and a LOT of my old programs won’t work anymore and can’t be uninstalled. The computer is really sluggish so I’d like to reformat C: and reinstall Windows, then other programs, but how will the computer recognize the CD Rom drive if I format? I’m thinking a startup disk but want to be damn sure it’ll work before I take such drastic action. Anyone out there done this before? BTW I have a slave D: drive and my Win2000 Pro isn’t an upgrade. 
How old is your comp? If its reasonably new, then you should be able to boot from the CD-ROM. Assuming I read your last sentance correctly & you have a full copy of 2K, do this:
Check in the BIOS for boot order & change the boot order to CD-ROM first. Then boot from the W2K pro CD. This will bring you into the install routine, at which point you can wipe & reformat C:
If your CD-Rom drive is not bootable, then you will need to create the install floppies. Here is a link explaining how.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;197063
The nice thing about doing it this way is that you do not need to wipe out C: before getting into the W2K install routine - you are formatting C: within it.
Huh? Why wouldn’t the computer recognize the CD-ROM drive when you format?
When you say you want to reinstall Windows, do you mean reinstall 2000, or give up on it and go back to a 9x version?
I suggest you give 2000 another shot, and with a clean install, not an upgrade. Will your computer boot from a CD? Most computers made in the last three or four years can. If you can, just boot with the CD. The Windows setup will start, and it will give you the option of formatting your drive. Do so. Then install Windows 2000 and reinstall all your programs.
If your computer doesn’t boot from a CD you’ll need to make startup floppy disks for Windows 2000. You’ll need four floppies. Insert your Windows 2000 CD and find the directory labeled BOOTDISK. Run MKBOOT32.EXE and it will copy the required files onto each disk.
Yes, you need a bootable floppy.
Go here
http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Fromshop/software/windows/startup/startup.htm
and follow the Win98 directions for “Manual” and “Adding a specific CD rom driver” (They’re close enough)
You then format your C:drive.
Shutdown
Boot with the floppy - Respond yes to Boot with CDrom support.
Install windows from the CD
Alternatively, if your D: drive has the room, you can install it there, format your C: drive and switch them as master and slave.
Unless there’s a technique I’m missing, this last option won’t work. When the drive letters swap, then Windows can’t boot properly. I tried this myself with Win 2k just a week a go, and couldn’t get it to work. Booting from the Win 2k CD should work just fine, after backing up the C drive, of course.
–
Justin
I just checked and I can boot from the CD ROM drive so I think I’m going with this option. I’ve been backing up everything I can think of to D: Jsex I’ll make the floppies just in case. Wish me luck!
WARNING!
Definitely make a boot disk. A month or so ago I formatted my hd and didn’t think I needed a boot disk, but I couldn’t get my computer to recognise the CD drive. So, I had to wait for a friend to make a boot disk for me.
Thanks, all of you! I just went through the process 'Hawk suggested and it worked well. I had a few files left over which I can delete, but is my Regestry now clean?
You people KICK ASS!
Thanks again.
Yes, your registry should now be clean. To keep it that way, you can use RegCleaner.
I’ve been using it for a while and haven’t had any problems.
& a Reg defrag…Yep, there is a registry defragger for Me, I suppose 2000 has one. Im waiting on the one for XP.