Downgrade Windows 2000 Server to Windows ME

[Derek Erb]

I recently needed to test some programming on Windows 2000 Server and
I needed security options, etc. I therefore reformatted one of my
computers, previously running Windows ME, and installed Windows 2000
Server (evaluation version) formatting the complete disk partition as
NTFS.

I now need to get the machine back to Windows ME. I booted the
computer with the Windows ME Startup diskette. When I go to run
SETUP.EXE from the Windows ME CD I get the following message:

"Cannont create a temporary directory.
If you have HPFS or NTFS installed on your hard drive, you will need
to create an MS-DOS boot partition to set up Windows."

I tried running FDISK from the ME startup diskette but it does not
recognize the C: drive.

I tried going to Disk Management in the Administrative Tools on the
Windows 2000 Server but it will not let me modify the partition in any
way as it is currently running.

What can I do next? I am not worried about data at all and want to
reformat the disk as FAT32 and do a clean Windows ME installation.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance...

[Miha Pihler]

Hi Derek,

if you don't need any data on your current Windows 2003 server, then (at
least for me) simplest thing would be to insert Windows 2003 server CD (!)
and boot from it, just like you would be installing Windows 2003. When you
get to window where you have to chose partition, delete all existing
partitions and create new one and format it as FAT32. Once this is done,
eject Windows 2003 CD and insert Windows ME bootable diskette and reboot the
computer. You should now be able to install Windows ME...

I hope this helps,

Mike

"Derek Erb" > wrote in message
om...
> I recently needed to test some programming on Windows 2000 Server and
> I needed security options, etc. I therefore reformatted one of my
> computers, previously running Windows ME, and installed Windows 2000
> Server (evaluation version) formatting the complete disk partition as
> NTFS.
>
> I now need to get the machine back to Windows ME. I booted the
> computer with the Windows ME Startup diskette. When I go to run
> SETUP.EXE from the Windows ME CD I get the following message:
>
> "Cannont create a temporary directory.
> If you have HPFS or NTFS installed on your hard drive, you will need
> to create an MS-DOS boot partition to set up Windows."
>
> I tried running FDISK from the ME startup diskette but it does not
> recognize the C: drive.
>
> I tried going to Disk Management in the Administrative Tools on the
> Windows 2000 Server but it will not let me modify the partition in any
> way as it is currently running.
>
> What can I do next? I am not worried about data at all and want to
> reformat the disk as FAT32 and do a clean Windows ME installation.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks in advance...

[Derek Erb]

Thank you very much for your prompt and helpful reply.

I booted up with the Win2K Server CD, deleted the partition, recreated
it as FAT32, rebooted with the WinME diskette, reformatted the
partition under WinME and installed.

All if working fine now.

Thanks to you!

[Derek Erb]

Thank you very much for your prompt and helpful reply.

I booted up with the Win2K Server CD, deleted the partition, recreated
it as FAT32, rebooted with the WinME diskette, reformatted the
partition under WinME and installed.

All if working fine now.

Thanks to you!

[Miha Pihler]

You are welcome :-).

Mike

"Derek Erb" > wrote in message
om...
> Thank you very much for your prompt and helpful reply.
>
> I booted up with the Win2K Server CD, deleted the partition, recreated
> it as FAT32, rebooted with the WinME diskette, reformatted the
> partition under WinME and installed.
>
> All if working fine now.
>
> Thanks to you!