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The Windows 2000 CD-ROMs: What You Get
As an eager world awaits, Microsoft's partners are busy burning the CD-ROMs you'll receive in your boxed copies of Windows 2000, which are due in retail stores by February 17th. Wondering what you'll get? Well, wonder no more. Here's a first look at the contents of the Windows 2000 Professional and Server CD-ROMs!
Paul Thurrott
December 30, 1999
17 Min Read
As an eager world awaits, Microsoft's partners are busy burning the CD-ROMs you'll receive in your boxed copies of Windows 2000, which are due in retail stores by February 17th. Wondering what you'll get? Well, wonder no more. Here's a first look at the contents of the Windows 2000 CD-ROMs!
All of the CD-ROMs (with the exception of the Resource Kit CDs) are bootable, meaning that you can boot a PC with them as long as your system supports that feature (and all modern PCs do). And all of the CD-ROMs will auto-play when placed in the drive tray of a running Windows system. This is probably obvious, but Windows 2000 ships only on CD-ROM: There are no floppy or DVD versions. For a complete look at all of the possible ways you can get Windows 2000 on CD-ROM, see my showcase, "Upgrading to Windows 2000: What upgrades what." This look at the CD-ROMs applies to at least the "retail," "OEM," and "evaluation" versions of Windows 2000.
The Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM includes the following directories and files in its root:
BOOTDISK - Contains files necessary for creating four-disk boot disk set.
DISCOVER - Contains an HTML-based "Discover Windows 2000" tour.
I386 - Contains the Windows 2000 installation file set.
SETUPTXT - Contains two release note setup files that are Windows 2000 Professional-specific.
SUPPORT - Contains the HCL, the Application Compatibility tool, and the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit.
VALUEADD - Contains a small set of Microsoft and third-party tools.
AUTORUN.INF - Causes SETUP.EXE to be run when CD-ROM is inserted in drive.
CDROM_IP.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 Professional installation media.
CDROM_NT.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 installation media.
READ1ST.TXT - Common README file for all editions of Windows 2000.
README.DOC - Common releases notes file for all editions of Windows 2000, in Word format.
SETUP.EXE - Graphical front-end for Windows 2000 installation (I386WINNT32.EXE).
Now let's take a look at the individual directories:
BOOTDISK
CDBOOT1.IMG, CDBOOT2.IMG, CDBOOT3.IMG, CDBOOT4.IMG - Image files for each Windows 2000 Professional boot disk.
MAKEBOOT.EXE & MAKEBT32.EXE - command line programs that create the boot disks.
DISCOVER
Contains a variety of files and sub-directories containing the "Discover Windows 2000" tour. Execute DEFAULT.HTM to view the tour from Explorer.
I386
Contains a variety of files and sub-directories that make up the Windows 2000 Professional installation set. Execute WINNT.EXE from DOS or a Windows 9x boot-disk to start Windows 2000 Setup. Or, execute WINNT32.EXE or WINNT32.MSI to execute Windows 2000 Setup from Windows 9x, NT, or Windows 2000.
SETUPTXT
PRO1.TXT and PRO2.TXT make up the Windows 2000 Professional-specific release note setup documentation. This was split into two files so that it could be read by the version of Notepad that ships with Windows 9x.
SUPPORT
TOOLS - Contains the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit. Execute SUPPORTTOOLSSETUP.EXE to install the Support Tools.
APCOMPAT.EXE - The Applicaton Compatibility program, which can help fool applications into thinking that they are installing or running on Windows NT 4 SP3, NT 4 SP4, NT 4 SP5, Windows 98, or Windows 95.
HCL.TXT - The Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) as of December 7, 1999. A much newer version exists on the Microsoft Web site.
VALUEADD
3RDPARTY - A variety of unsupported third-party applications.
MSFT -A variety of unsupported Microsoft applications.
BANNER.GIF - An image file used by VALUEADD.HTM.
VALUEADD.HTM - An HTML document that discusses the contents of the Value Added directory (VALUEADD).
VALUEADD3RDPARTY
CA_ANTIV - Contains Computer Associates International's InoculateIT AntiVirus AVBoot V1.1, a program that will check for viruses when booted on a floppy disk.
LEVEL8MQC.QUE - Level 8's Message Queuing Connector, a cross-platform application connectivity product that Microsoft recommends for implementing Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) API in non-Microsoft operating system platforms.
MGMTAGENTS - Contains an HTML file that links to agents that support Windows Management Instrumentation on the Web.
MGMTCITRIXENG - Citrix ICA clients for MetaFrame on Windows 2000. This includes clients for Windows 3.x, 9x, NT, and Windows 2000.
MGMTINTELDMICIMOMPRO - Contains Smart Technology's CIMON to DMI Data Wrapper application, which allows an existing DMI application to run seamlessly on a WMI enabled system.
MGMTINTELDMIDMISP - Contains Intel's DMI 2.0 Service Provider.
MGMTINTELDMIWBEMDMIP - Contains Intel's DMI to CIMON Data Provider 1.0.
MGMTWINSTLE - Contains Windows WinInstall LE ("limited edition"), an excellent program from Veritas that allows you to package normal application "setup" programs as packages for Windows Installer.
SECURITYSDTI - Contains Security Dynamics' ACE/Agent for Windows 2000, which provides enterprises with the ability to add strong authentication management and encryption to their Windows 2000 environment.
VALUEADDMSFT
FONTS - Contains two TrueType fonts, Arial Alternate Regular and Arial Alternate Symbol.
MGMTADC - Contains the Active Directory Connector, which allows you to synchronize Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 mailboxes, custom recipients, and distribution lists with Windows 2000 users, contacts, and groups.
MGMTIAS - Contains the Windows NT 4.0 Internet Authentication Service snap-in, an MMC add-in that allows you to manage IAS from Windows 2000.
MGMTMS_SMS - Contains the Systems Management Installation Wizard, which allows a Windows 2000 Professional computer to be a client of Systems Management Server (SMS).
MGMTMSTSC_HPC - Contains the Microsoft Terminal Server Client for the Handheld PC (HPC) version 2.11 and 3.0.
MGMTPBA - Contains the Phone Book Administrator for Windows 2000.
MGMTWBEMODBC - Contains the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI/WBEM) ODBC adapter, which provides a standard API that allows ODBC-based applications to read the data in the WMI Common Information Management (CIM) repository as if it were a relational database.
XTRADOCSSCRIPT - Contains four Windows Help files documenting JScript, Windows Scripting Components, VBScript, and the Windows Scripting Host (WSH).
XTRADOCSSERK - Contains the FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions Resource Kit. Execute DEFAULT.HTM to view the documentation.
The Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM includes the following directories and files in its root:
BOOTDISK - Contains files necessary for creating four-disk boot disk set.
CLIENTS - Contains Active Directory and Internet Printing client software for Windows 9x.
I386 - Contains the Windows 2000 installation file set.
PRINTERS - Contains fixes for printer drivers that ship with Windows 2000.
SETUPTXT - Contains three release note setup files that are Windows 2000 Server-specific.
SUPPORT - Contains the HCL, the Application Compatibility tool, and the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit.
VALUEADD - Contains a small set of Microsoft and third-party tools.
AUTORUN.INF - Causes SETUP.EXE to be run when CD-ROM is inserted in drive.
CDROM_IS.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 Server installation media.
CDROM_NT.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 installation media.
READ1ST.TXT - Common README file for all editions of Windows 2000.
README.DOC - Common releases notes file for all editions of Windows 2000, in Word format.
SETUP.EXE - Graphical front-end for Windows 2000 installation (I386WINNT32.EXE).
Now let's take a look at the individual directories:
BOOTDISK
CDBOOT1.IMG, CDBOOT2.IMG, CDBOOT3.IMG, CDBOOT4.IMG - Image files for each Windows 2000 Server boot disk.
MAKEBOOT.EXE & MAKEBT32.EXE - command line programs that create the boot disks.
CLIENTS
WIN9x - Contains the Active Directory client software for Windows 9x.
WIN9XIPP.CLI - Contains the Internet Printing client software for Windows 9x.
I386
Contains a variety of files and sub-directories that make up the Windows 2000 Server installation set. Execute WINNT.EXE from DOS or a Windows 9x boot-disk to start Windows 2000 Setup. Or, execute WINNT32.EXE or WINNT32.MSI to start Windows 2000 Setup from Windows 9x, NT, or Windows 2000.
PRINTERS
FIXPRNSV - Contains the Windows 2000 Printer Driver Fixer, which will fix incompatible print drivers left over during an upgrade.
NT4 - Contains Windows NT 4.0 upgrade print drivers.
WIN9x - Contains Windows 9x upgrade print drivers.
SETUPTXT
SRV1.TXT, SRV2.TXT and SRV3.TXT make up the Windows 2000 Server-specific release notes for setup. This was split into three files so that it could be read by the version of Notepad that ships with Windows 9x.
SUPPORT
TOOLS - Contains the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit. Execute SUPPORTTOOLSSETUP.EXE to install the Support Tools.
APCOMPAT.EXE - The Applicaton Compatibility program, which can help fool applications into thinking that they are installing or running on Windows NT 4 SP3, NT 4 SP4, NT 4 SP5, Windows 98, or Windows 95.
BUILDCHK.EXE and CHKBUILD.BAT, two command line applications that verify the Windows build number.
HCL.TXT - The Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) as of December 7, 1999. A much newer version exists on the Microsoft Web site.
VALUEADD
3RDPARTY - A variety of unsupported third-party applications.
MSFT -A variety of unsupported Microsoft applications.
BANNER.GIF - An image file used by VALUEADD.HTM.
VALUEADD.HTM - An HTML document that discusses the contents of the Value Added directory (VALUEADD).
VALUEADD3RDPARTY
CA_ANTIV - Contains Computer Associates International's InoculateIT AntiVirus AVBoot V1.1, a program that will check for viruses when booted on a floppy disk.
LEVEL8MQC.QUE - Level 8's Message Queuing Connector, a cross-platform application connectivity product that Microsoft recommends for implementing Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) API in non-Microsoft operating system platforms.
MGMTAGENTS - Contains an HTML file that links to agents that support Windows Management Instrumentation on the Web.
MGMTCITRIXENG - Citrix ICA clients for MetaFrame on Windows 2000. This includes clients for Windows 3.x, 9x, NT, and Windows 2000.
MGMTINTELDMICIMOMPRO - Contains Smart Technology's CIMON to DMI Data Wrapper application, which allows an existing DMI application to run seamlessly on a WMI enabled system.
MGMTINTELDMIDMISP - Contains Intel's DMI 2.0 Service Provider.
MGMTINTELDMIWBEMDMIP - Contains Intel's DMI to CIMON Data Provider 1.0.
MGMTWINSTLE - Contains Windows WinInstall LE ("limited edition"), an excellent program from Veritas that allows you to package normal application "setup" programs as packages for Windows Installer.
SECURITYSDTI - Contains Security Dynamics' ACE/Agent for Windows 2000, which provides enterprises with the ability to add strong authentication management and encryption to their Windows 2000 environment.
VALUEADDMSFT
FONTS - Contains two TrueType fonts, Arial Alternate Regular and Arial Alternate Symbol.
MGMTADC - Contains the Active Directory Connector, which allows you to synchronize Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 mailboxes, custom recipients, and distribution lists with Windows 2000 users, contacts, and groups.
MGMTIAS - Contains the Windows NT 4.0 Internet Authentication Service snap-in, an MMC add-in that allows you to manage IAS from Windows 2000.
MGMTMS_SMS - Contains the Systems Management Installation Wizard, which allows a Windows 2000 Professional computer to be a client of Systems Management Server (SMS).
MGMTMSTSC_HPC - Contains the Microsoft Terminal Server Client for the Handheld PC (HPC) version 2.11 and 3.0.
MGMTPBA - Contains the Phone Book Administrator for Windows 2000.
MGMTWBEMODBC - Contains the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI/WBEM) ODBC adapter, which provides a standard API that allows ODBC-based applications to read the data in the WMI Common Information Management (CIM) repository as if it were a relational database.
XTRADOCSSCRIPT - Contains four Windows Help files documenting JScript, Windows Scripting Components, VBScript, and the Windows Scripting Host (WSH).
XTRADOCSSERK - Contains the FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions Resource Kit. Execute DEFAULT.HTM to view the documentation.
The Windows 2000 Advanced Server CD-ROM includes the following directories and files in its root:
BOOTDISK - Contains files necessary for creating four-disk boot disk set.
CLIENTS - Contains Active Directory and Internet Printing client software for Windows 9x.
I386 - Contains the Windows 2000 installation file set.
PRINTERS - Contains fixes for printer drivers that ship with Windows 2000.
SETUPTXT - Contains three release note setup files that are Windows 2000 Advanced Server-specific.
SUPPORT - Contains the HCL, the Application Compatibility tool, and the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit.
VALUEADD - Contains a small set of Microsoft and third-party tools.
AUTORUN.INF - Causes SETUP.EXE to be run when CD-ROM is inserted in drive.
CDROM_IA.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 Advanced Server installation media.
CDROM_NT.5 - File that identifies CD-ROM as valid Windows 2000 installation media.
READ1ST.TXT - Common README file for all editions of Windows 2000.
README.DOC - Common releases notes file for all editions of Windows 2000, in Word format.
SETUP.EXE - Graphical front-end for Windows 2000 installation (I386WINNT32.EXE).
Now let's take a look at the individual directories:
BOOTDISK
CDBOOT1.IMG, CDBOOT2.IMG, CDBOOT3.IMG, CDBOOT4.IMG - Image files for each Windows 2000 Advanced Server boot disk.
MAKEBOOT.EXE & MAKEBT32.EXE - command line programs that create the boot disks.
CLIENTS
WIN9x - Contains the Active Directory client software for Windows 9x.
WIN9XIPP.CLI - Contains the Internet Printing client software for Windows 9x.
I386
Contains a variety of files and sub-directories that make up the Windows 2000 Server installation set. Execute WINNT.EXE from DOS or a Windows 9x boot-disk to start Windows 2000 Setup. Or, execute WINNT32.EXE or WINNT32.MSI to start Windows 2000 Setup from Windows 9x, NT, or Windows 2000.
PRINTERS
FIXPRNSV - Contains the Windows 2000 Printer Driver Fixer, which will fix incompatible print drivers left over during an upgrade.
NT4 - Contains Windows NT 4.0 upgrade print drivers.
WIN9x - Contains Windows 9x upgrade print drivers.
SETUPTXT
ADVSRV1.TXT, ADVSRV2.TXT and ADVSRV3.TXT make up the Windows 2000 Advanced Server-specific release notes for setup. This was split into three files so that it could be read by the version of Notepad that ships with Windows 9x.
SUPPORT
TOOLS - Contains the Windows 2000 Support Tools, a subset of the full Windows 2000 Resource Kit. Execute SUPPORTTOOLSSETUP.EXE to install the Support Tools.
APCOMPAT.EXE - The Applicaton Compatibility program, which can help fool applications into thinking that they are installing or running on Windows NT 4 SP3, NT 4 SP4, NT 4 SP5, Windows 98, or Windows 95.
BUILDCHK.EXE and CHKBUILD.BAT, two command line applications that verify the Windows build number.
HCL.TXT - The Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) as of December 7, 1999. A much newer version exists on the Microsoft Web site.
VALUEADD
3RDPARTY - A variety of unsupported third-party applications.
MSFT -A variety of unsupported Microsoft applications.
BANNER.GIF - An image file used by VALUEADD.HTM.
VALUEADD.HTM - An HTML document that discusses the contents of the Value Added directory (VALUEADD).
VALUEADD3RDPARTY
CA_ANTIV - Contains Computer Associates International's InoculateIT AntiVirus AVBoot V1.1, a program that will check for viruses when booted on a floppy disk.
LEVEL8MQC.QUE - Level 8's Message Queuing Connector, a cross-platform application connectivity product that Microsoft recommends for implementing Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) API in non-Microsoft operating system platforms.
MGMTAGENTS - Contains an HTML file that links to agents that support Windows Management Instrumentation on the Web.
MGMTCITRIXENG - Citrix ICA clients for MetaFrame on Windows 2000. This includes clients for Windows 3.x, 9x, NT, and Windows 2000.
MGMTINTELDMICIMOMPRO - Contains Smart Technology's CIMON to DMI Data Wrapper application, which allows an existing DMI application to run seamlessly on a WMI enabled system.
MGMTINTELDMIDMISP - Contains Intel's DMI 2.0 Service Provider.
MGMTINTELDMIWBEMDMIP - Contains Intel's DMI to CIMON Data Provider 1.0.
MGMTWINSTLE - Contains Windows WinInstall LE ("limited edition"), an excellent program from Veritas that allows you to package normal application "setup" programs as packages for Windows Installer.
SECURITYSDTI - Contains Security Dynamics' ACE/Agent for Windows 2000, which provides enterprises with the ability to add strong authentication management and encryption to their Windows 2000 environment.
VALUEADDMSFT
FONTS - Contains two TrueType fonts, Arial Alternate Regular and Arial Alternate Symbol.
MGMTADC - Contains the Active Directory Connector, which allows you to synchronize Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 mailboxes, custom recipients, and distribution lists with Windows 2000 users, contacts, and groups.
MGMTIAS - Contains the Windows NT 4.0 Internet Authentication Service snap-in, an MMC add-in that allows you to manage IAS from Windows 2000.
MGMTMS_SMS - Contains the Systems Management Installation Wizard, which allows a Windows 2000 Professional computer to be a client of Systems Management Server (SMS).
MGMTMSTSC_HPC - Contains the Microsoft Terminal Server Client for the Handheld PC (HPC) version 2.11 and 3.0.
MGMTPBA - Contains the Phone Book Administrator for Windows 2000.
MGMTWBEMODBC - Contains the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI/WBEM) ODBC adapter, which provides a standard API that allows ODBC-based applications to read the data in the WMI Common Information Management (CIM) repository as if it were a relational database.
XTRADOCSSCRIPT - Contains four Windows Help files documenting JScript, Windows Scripting Components, VBScript, and the Windows Scripting Host (WSH).
XTRADOCSSERK - Contains the FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions Resource Kit. Execute DEFAULT.HTM to view the documentation.
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