Upgrading Win 95 to Win 2000 – What’s new?

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Our company is upgrading from Win 95 to Win 2000. In anticipation, I want to prepare a document that lists the changes the users are likely to see – sort of a primer on what is different between the two programs. I went to the MS Knowledge base, and was unable to find such documentation. I could create it from scratch, but thought it would be helpful if I could find something to get me started.

Thanks!

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Are you setting up server or workgroup?
If workgroup, users will have to learn a new level of details about user name and password administration, and shared folder access using permissions. Also recommend each W2k box have at least one extra user with administrator privileges and a password kept safeguarded.

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These are not workgroups. Our network administration is done through Novell Netware. I just want basics, like, the short menus – how to display the full menu all the time, turning off powersave/hibernation, where to find files (Network places vs. Network Neighborhood). Small stuff like that. How to customize Windows Explorer to view the way it did in Win 95… I know those specific items I just mentioned, and there are several more. I’m hoping to find something already created so I don’t have to recreate the wheel.

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I have not been able to find a quick reference like you are seeking. There are a couple of O’Reilly books I have found helpful. “Windows 2000 Pro – The Missing Manual” and “Windows 2000 Commands – Pocket Reference”.

If you want quick answers, give Leif a jingle. He is our lounge librarian, and all-around HERO!

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You called?

Try The Windows XP Comparison Guide – it lists the major features of all the MS operating systems.

Or this

Or">Comparison Guide at Dell.

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thankyouverymuch! That’s exactly what I was looking for. No point in reinventing the wheel.

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Well, maybe not quite what I want… sort of though. I think my best bet is to use the WIN2K book I have and create my own upgrade document for the users. I am trying to avoid the flood of phone calls to the help desk asking questions like, “I’m missing a bunch of my programs under the Start Programs menu” -and we would have to explain about the change in the menu – how W2K will display part of the menu and how to take that option off … stuff like that. Oh well.I did enjoy the info in the links you provided though.

Thanks!

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To be honest, I’m not that surprised it was of limited use. What I would expect to be the most informative articles will be from magazines, and mostly they would be expecting you to be ‘upgrading’ from W98, rather than W95. And now, even those will be hard to find considering the time W2K has been out.

Don’t forget the ‘Getting Started’ guide – available from the Help contents page – though I note that even that only refers to changes from W98!

It sounds like you are taking the best route – you probably know what changes your users are going to ‘suffer’ more than any third party. You may find it worth downloading a screen-grabber like Hardcopy if you are creating a illustrated guide. A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand phone calls.

Good luck!

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Purchase a copy of two books:

1. MSFT Press’ Windows 2000 Resource Kit.
2. A general Win 2000 book such as Windows 2000 Secrets.

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