Migrating a company from Win98se to XP Pro & Win2003 Server

[Jim]

My company has several machines running Win98se. They are all networked peer-to-peer along with a machine that works as a server for common data. The server runs Win98se peer-to-peer as well.

Over the next couple of months I have to migrate all the desktops over to WinXP Pro and the server to Win2003 Server. The reason is that we have to install some new software that needs either client/server networking or WinXP running on the desktop.

As you might expect, I'm really dreading the changeover. The Win98 boxes have been very solid and I've heard lots of complaints about XP Pro. On the other hand, I look forward to the much-improved performace promised by the upgrade.

I have the luxury of buying all-new hardware with the exception of monitors, so I can set up the new system in parallel with the old one and test it.

I have two major problems, first I have to learn or hire a consultant to help me set up the networking. I understand that I must run DNS on the Win2003 box and that I should have a good grasp of group policies. My skill level is pretty low on the Microsoft side of things. I've set up several Linux servers and have a good grasp of routing, DNS and the like, but not the way Microsoft does it. I will have the option of bringing in a knowledgeable consultant at a reasonable price, and I'll probably use a couple hours of her time to get me started.

The other big problem is the users. A couple of them are downright hostile to XP Pro and I'd like to have some way to minimize the changeover problems. If there are any ways to make the desktop look and behave like Win98 for these users, I'd sure like to know about it.

Finally, a lessor problem will be to set up a decent data backup scheme. Given the cheapness of hard drivers, I'm looking at installing a machine whose job will be to automatically run a rotating 7-day backup each night to it's local drives, along with a tape backup to go off-site once a week.

I would be delighted to hear any and all advice concerning these issues.

[Zixar]

XP is far more stable than 98 ever was--provided your machines have enough horsepower. If the machines have less than 256MB of RAM, you're in for a headache. If they're less than 700MHz, you'll have speed complaints.

If you can get 512MB of RAM in each machine, and each machine has a 1GHz or better CPU, you'll be fine.

Unless you're using your 2003 box as an Internet gateway, you probably won't have to run DNS on it. Even if you do, it's not that big a deal.

[ckeer]

Also you can let the users run with Classic thermes and it will look preety much like 95/98

[Jim]

Zix,

Ack what you said about machines, graphics/CAD people get Prescot P4's, 3Ghz, 1gig DDR, everyone else Celeron 2.6Ghz, 512m DDR. Everyone gets the same motherboard/network card/AGP graphics card/dvd drive so that one set of spares can be kept and changed out with no driver hassles.

I'm still concerned about DNS. The Win2003 server will not be used for any TCP/IP services to the outside world. What I've read is that for it to be the intranet server, it has to do DNS for everybody on the local network. Sigh, time to read some more.

Ckeer,

I'll definitely look into that. The biggest gripe I've heard so far is that there's not a file explorer in the traditional sense and it's not clear where XP puts your files.

[Zixar]

Jim: Actually, the File Explorer is exactly the same as Win98's, with one minorly annoying difference. Sometimes, XP will try to decide what "type" of folder you're opening and give you a big menu of options on the side according to what the majority of files in it are. If it's full of pictures, it will open a picture menu in the lefthand pane, music files, a playing menu, and so on.

To get back to standard Explorer look and feel, you have to hit the "Folders" button in the tool bar. The specialty menu will disappear, and you'll get your standard Windows drive/folder tree in the lefthand pane.

I can't remember if it works in 98, but the shortcut to pop up the Explorer in XP is Windows Key+E.

[igotout]

I'm running Win 2003 Server on a small peer to peer network without DNS. It work fine.

Biggest prob with Win 2003 for me was undoing things they turn off to make it more "efficient"

I have an excellent article that deals with this. It seems very solid because I am also using the "server" as a desktop machine.

With 1GB Corsair ram it is fast and stable. And I am running all kinds of stuff on it including watching TV! People connecting to the server report good speed.

If people like win98 still they are just missing out badly. Toss 98 fast. In my opinion it's been dead since about 2001.

[WordWolf]

quote:

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Originally posted by ckeer:

Also you can let the users run with Classic themes and it will look pretty much like 95/98

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Very true.

I'll switch from "Classic themes" as soon as I have no choice in the

matter. The supposed XP version just seems goofy to me.

[Jim]

quote:

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I'm running Win 2003 Server on a small peer to peer network without DNS. It work fine.

Biggest prob with Win 2003 for me was undoing things they turn off to make it more "efficient"

I have an excellent article that deals with this. It seems very solid because I am also using the "server" as a desktop machine.

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I have to run client/server on the network. Can you tell me where I can get a copy of this article?

[igotout]

Server 2003 convert to a workstation

Awesome article!

You may not want to do all the things this guy does and like I have, but at least you will know how.

Oh, and Themes are disabled by default.

I turned mine back on.

I thinks the XP Pro standard theme looks way better than 98.

The XP Pro Start menu is way better than 98 too if you turn on (and off) all its juicy features.

[ckeer]

XP puts your files where you tell it- if you pay attention- You have to know where your "my Docs" is just keep going up and you will see where it nests. I have set up folders named temp and download for instance- That is where I download to- XP's file exploder works just like 98 if you want it to- once again you just have to configure it. Most network admins diasable these features since it makes it harder to recover files etc. But if your peolpe want to do it- they can.

One cute thing with XP pro is that you can set your drives up with 3 partions- one for the OS, one for the programs, One for the user files- this is supposed to make it easier to backup and restore.

[My3Cents]

I like most things about XP better than win98. One thing I don't like is the security around network stuff. I'm talking internal network not internet. I have 4 or 5 machines hooked together and none of them have passwords or anything (I like it like that).

The problem is occasionally I want to copy a font file or some other thing that's nested in or close to the windows directory from one machine to another. XP makes you jump through hoops to do it.

I know the problem is I just don't UNDERSTAND how XP does all this stuff - but I don't want to and with 98 I didn't have to.

OK I'm done complaining now.

[igotout]

Well, My Three, you have a peer to peer network. Therefore you must set it up in some way that meets the needs of your network. If you want complete and open access to all files on all machines then just make each person an administrator. But I do not recommend that. I also do not recommend using XP without a password when you are networked.

There is a lot to learn about networking. Home networkers are finding this out the hard way I am sure. But when a network is set up correctly it is a pleasure to use and very secure.

There is much on the Internet about this. Here is a statement for a recent article I was reading.

"By default, Windows XP will not permit a network user to access the XP machine using an account set up without a password."

So you see, this can get complicated without following the basics of networking which are not learned so easily. Of course XP Pro is recommended for networking. XP Home is designed for non networkers.