7.4 Installing the Windows 2000 OS
7.4.1 Requirements for installing Windows 2000
Before installing Windows 2000 there are a few things that must be taken into account. First, check to make sure that the hardware is capable of running Windows 2000. Microsoft recommends the following requirements prior to installing the operating system. The processor must be at least in the Pentium class of processors. They also require that the system have at least 64 MB of RAM. The hard drive or partition that the operating system files are installed on must be at least 2GB. There should be a VGA monitor and a CD-ROM capable of reading at a 12X or higher speed. Since Windows 2000 is a network operating system, a network card will be needed to attach the computer to a network.

Microsoft has a tool call the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) that can be used before installing Windows 2000 to verify that the hardware will actually work with Windows 2000. Microsoft provides tested drivers for only those devices that are included on this list. Using hardware that is not listed on the HCL might cause problems during and after installation. This HCL can be viewed by opening the Hcl.txt file in the Support folder on the Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM.