Windows 2000 Pro Software Installation
Windows 2000 Pro (Windows NT version 5.00.2195) is a commercial operating system for computers with a minimum of 266MHz Intel Pentium II compatible CPU with 128MB RAM, and a hard disk with minimum free space of 1.5GB. (alternatively, there are also non-commercial, free, operating systems, such as GNU/Linux.)
Related documents: Configuring Windows 2000, XP for Performance, Useability and Security
This list descibes the foundation of the operating system, that which you want to have layn before you install & use the major applications that you use your computer for, so that it runs & will continue to run with stability in a changing future; and has all necessary support for different document formats and situations; and is secure against malicious hackers and viruses
This setup is security conscious because of its configuration of the basic Windows operating system and in its choice of software used. hopefully it is a setup that can be easier understood because of its simplicity, and because its software addresses clear functional needs. it is layed out in sections as per the different layers of functionality that can be addressed. often people setup Windows with too many programs that you will not understand, this complicates the operating system and your mind, better to be simple and increase the complexity gradually. likewise, no need to configure features that automate various and unknown tasks, because this actually increases the eventual complexity and especially lays you open to security risks
Install in the following order:
| Software | Version Installed and language | Configured per-machine |
Configured preferences.
(incl. temp) for users -Administrator -others... |
Particular toolbox and
section to find this software or a link to it in |
Description | Comments |
|
Windows 2000 Pro |
the operating system | |||||
| device drivers for internal devices: | n/a | n/a | n/a | interfaces between Windows and various internal hardware (not printers, scanners, etc) | check manufacturer's web site for latest information and drivers for all hardware. You are advised not to install keyboard/mouse drivers so as to leave the system simpler and leaner as often their functionality is dubious (such as enabling multimedia keyboard keys) and can cause severe problems. | |
| motherboard chipset | n/a | n/a | Download from
manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox |
Beware chipsets with
north and south bridge chips from different manufacturers. The motherboard chipset may include video and/or audio. Example drivers used: - VIA Hyperion 4in1 driver; - Intel Chipset Software Installation Utility, - Intel Application Accelerator; - SiS IDE driver |
||
| SCSI controller | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | SCSI isn't common on desktop systems | |||
| video | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | Video may be included in
the motherboard chipset, in which case get the driver from the
motherboard chipset manufacturer. examples: Intel xxx AGP driver; SiS AGP driver. Some video drivers require up-to-date DirectX be installed first. |
|||
| audio | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | AC'97 sound may be
included in motherboard chipset; and there may be a seperate sound card |
|||
| networking | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | ||||
| modem | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | ||||
| monitor | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | may just need to be set as 'Plug 'n' Play monitor | |||
| USB 2.0 controller | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | Windows will use its own, then install those from the chipset manufacturer to improve upon them | |||
| IEEE-1394 (i.e. FireWire) |
n/a | |||||
| Serial ATA | ||||||
| digital media drive | n/a | Though Windows has its
own 'mass storage class driver' which might be enough |
||||
| Configuring
Windows 2000 for Performance, Usability and Security sections 2 & 3 or use TWEAK |
Windows Toolbox - docs
-> windows; or Windows Toolbox - admin |
follow this document to best configure the operating system itself | ||||
| Adaptec's ASPI transport layer | n/a | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | communications layer for CD drives | Install if using a CD or DVD writer. | ||
| PageDefrag |
n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - file-utils | defragment system files | Set to 'Defragment every
boot' and 'Defrag
abort countdown 1 seconds'. Run it now as installation leaves a lot of
fragmentation. Reboot after installing. |
||
| latest Windows 2000 Service Pack (unless it was 'slipstreamed' into the installer) | n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - Windows - security updates | cumulative fixes | ||
| DirectX | n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - windows - Windows system updates | For audio / video. May be required by the video driver. Windows 2000 by default includes DirectX 7.0 | ||
| Internet Explorer | Windows - Internet Explorer | if you need the full Internet Explorer browser then install/update to version 5.5SP2 (not 6SP1, unless you need to). usually worthwhile as an operating system upgrade but not as a web browser | ||||
| any post Internet Explorer Service Pack Cumulative Patch | n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - Windows - Internet Explorer updates | more fixes | You can use Windows Automatic Updates to download and install these for you rather than doing so manually. | |
| any specifically worthwhile individual Internet Explorer security fixes | n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - Windows - Internet Explorer updates | more fixes | You can use Windows Automatic Updates to download and install these for you rather than doing so manually. | |
| any Windows post-Service
Pack
Cumulative Security Update |
n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - windows - security updates | more fixes | "A Cumulative
Security Update would typically include support for all prior updates". You can use Windows Automatic Updates to download and install these for you rather than doing so manually. |
|
| any Windows post-Service Pack Security Roll Up Package / Security Update Roll-up | windows - security updates | more fixes | "A
Security Update Roll-up is typically used to combine previous releases
into a single update ... Security Update Roll-ups typically do not
include modifications to address new vulnerabilities". You can use Windows Automatic Updates to download and install these for you rather than doing so manually. |
|||
| any
specifically worthwhile individual Windows post-Service
Pack security fixes |
n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - windows - windows security updates | more fixes | be
especially cautious with these kindof quick fixes from Microsoft - be sure
they're not going to break more than they fix. You can use Windows Automatic Updates to download and install these for you rather than doing so manually. |
|
| any specifically worthwhile Windows post-Service Pack hotfixes | n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - Windows - Windows system updates | more fixes | be especially cautious with these kindof quick fixes from Microsoft - be sure they're not going to break more than they fix | |
| device drivers for
external devices: printer driver |
Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | interfaces between Windows and various external hardware | ||||
| device drivers for external devices: scanner driver | Download from manufacturer - see Drivers Toolbox | interfaces between Windows and various external hardware | ||||
| Configuring
Windows 2000 for Performance, Usability and Security for the machine. section 4+ or use TWEAK |
|
Windows Toolbox - docs
-> windows; or Windows Toolbox - admin |
follow this document
to best configure the operating system itself |
|||
| Configuring
Windows 2000 for Performance, Usability and Security that relate to each user. section 4+ or use TWEAK |
Windows Toolbox - docs
-> windows; or Windows Toolbox - admin |
follow this document to best configure the operating system itself | ||||
| MS OpenType Font
Properties Extension |
n/a | n/a | Non-redistributable Windows software - windows - windows system updates | see more font
properties |
||
| Fonts Atleast these for the web: 'Microsoft TrueType Core Fonts for the Web' (Andale Mono 2.00; Arial 2.82; Courier New 2.82; Times New Roman 2.82; Trebuchet MS 1.22) |
n/a | n/a | Windows Toolbox - fonts - truetype | typefaces for viewing
text |
Those listed are that which Windows 2000 doesn't already have. | |
|
F-Prot
anti-virus for
Windows or ClamWin |
n/a | Windows Toolbox - security -> anti-virus | anti-virus | See Toolbox’s notes | ||
| 7-ZIP | Windows Toolbox - file-utils -> compression | compression | ||||
| Sun Java Runtime Environment | Windows Toolbox - java | you may require it, without realising, for web-based services. use the version from from Sun Microsystems. | ||||
| IrfanView + plug-ins |
Windows Toolbox - graphics | efficient graphics viewer | ||||
| Adobe Reader | n/a | Non-re-distributable software for Windows - editors -> PDF and Postscript | document viewer | |||
|
Zinf
|
Windows Toolbox - audio -> players | multimedia audio player |
you may be happy with just Zinf for
MP3, OggVorbis and WAV formats but you may
also need players for the popular proprietary formats around: |
|||
| VLC media
player |
Windows Toolbox - video -> players | multimedia video player | DVD player and general
video player. Though not advised, you may also need players for the popular proprietary formats around: Quicktime for Quicktime formats (tho it plays others) Real Player 8 for Real formats (tho it plays others) MS Media Player for Microsoft formats |
|||
| NoteTab Light |
Windows - Toolbox - editors | sophisticated plain text editor | install to 'notetab' rather than 'notetab light' | |||
| Mozilla
suite or Mozilla Firefox |
Windows - Toolbox - internet -> browsers | browser | for Mozilla suite,
install all components (apart from
Mail & News, if you're using Pegasus Mail for email). install to 'mozilla' rather than 'mozilla\mozilla.org' |
|||
| browser plug-ins: Flash player |
n/a | n/a | Windows - Toolbox - internet
-> browsers |
. | Acrobat Reader; Quicktime; Java should install their plug-ins automatically, or the browser pick them up. otherwise, copy plug-in files to browser's 'plugins' directory | |
| Pegasus
Mail or Mozilla Thunderbird |
Windows - Toolbox - internet -> email | email client | Install to 'pmail' in your program files directory | |||
| FileZilla |
Windows - Toolbox - internet | FTP client | ||||
| OpenOffice | Windows Toolbox - editors | word processor; spreadsheet | optional major
application - install just the program to a central program directory everyone can access with the 'network installation' ('setup /net'), choosing what components you want each user to have - for each user, run the program from the central place, choosing 'workstation installation' and installing user-specific files into their profile (each workstation has registry settings configured, rather than each user, so you needn't be logged in as that user whilst you do their installation) have to install spellchecker dictionary seperately |
|||
| The GIMP |
Windows Toolbox - graphics |
image editor |
optional major
application |
|||
Note: you may also want to use ZoneAlarm personal firewall software, to protect your system(s) if they're connected to the Internet. ZoneAlarm is very useful software but too buggy in its interaction with other software applications for us to whole-heartedly advise. We recommend, if possible, that instead you use a dedicated hardware firewall using IPCop, FloppyFW or some other such GNU/Linux firewall software on an old PC.
Last time we checked, ZoneAlarm didn't work in a multi-user environment either.