Windows 2000 - Introduction, facts and innovations at a glance

At the end of 1999, users were eagerly awaiting the long-announced successor to Windows NT 4.0. Microsoft decided against the name Windows NT 5.0, which was given for the first time, and started the new millennium with the name Windows 2000. A whole series of different versions were waiting in the wings - the name Professional was thought to mean a version for home users. Far from it, because Windows 2000 Professional is in fact the smallest of the operating systems. It is followed by its big brothers, which are only useful for server use and have no advantages for home users.

Accordingly, Windows 2000 is not the successor to Windows 98, but is the latest addition to Microsoft's high-end operating systems, which are completely geared towards maximum stability and speed (performance). Like its predecessor NT, Windows 2000 completely dispenses with the DOS substructure and is therefore to be regarded as a pure 32-bit operating system in contrast to Windows 9x/Me, all of which still have to contend with 16-bit legacy systems and suffer from them.

If you are switching from Windows 98 to Windows 2000 Professional, you will need to familiarize yourself a little first, as many options have different names and can be found differently. However, the user interface has been considerably improved and enhanced with visual delicacies. The new color scheme makes a clear and professional impression.

The first damper: price shock!

Even if you opt for the smallest version, there is still a €205 hole in your wallet, which makes it very difficult to enjoy this operating system. The sinfully expensive server versions run into the thousands.

The difference between Windows 2000 and its predecessors

Compared to the pale green Windows NT/98, the light blue color scheme is not the only thing that has changed. In addition to the visual appearance, numerous functions have been upgraded and improved.

The new NTFS 5 file system

A hard disk works with its own file system. This can be, for example, FAT32 or NTFS be. For Windows 2000, the developers have reworked the well-known New Technology File System (NTFS) and added a higher version number than NT 4.0. With NTFS, stability, security and speed are particularly important for drives above the 2 gigabyte limit, much to the delight of users.

The security is characterized by the encryption function. One user cannot access the data of another and vice versa. The disk quota function was also sorely missed in Windows NT. Here it is possible to assign only a certain storage capacity to a user of the computer without having to purchase special and expensive programs. Changes to files can also be traced exactly, which is equivalent to a high level of security.

NTFS is stable because it is self-repairing. It recognizes faulty data and patches it up again diligently. Especially after crashes, this is a grateful remedy!

The speed of this new type of file system is also characterized by the improved data arrangement. Files are much less fragmented and are therefore much easier for the Hard disk easier to read. But even NTFS will eventually create a mess on the disk, which is why Windows has taken heart and brought a new defragmentation tool on board.

Keep Windows tidy - the new Windows 2000 defragmentation program

Up to 50% of performance is wasted when files are fragmented on a hard disk. The more often you save, delete and move files, the more your hard disk order gets mixed up. There are gaps here, part of the program there and the rest somewhere else. The read and write head of the hard disk has to search unnecessarily, to the detriment of speed and your nerves.

Microsoft has now given its NT successor a sophisticated and, in contrast to Windows 98/Me, efficient defragmentation program, which puts the data back in order and increases the speed. Click on the headline to see screenshots and facts!

Internet Explorer 5.0 - the world is in your hands

Microsoft has achieved a breakthrough with Internet Explorer 4.0. This browser makes it easy to find information on the global Internet data network. It allows you to view videos, images and sounds as well as save and print them. It has many security functions and is therefore particularly suitable for users who value their data.

A clearly arranged favorites function makes it easy to find your favorites on the Internet. Click on the link for more pictures and information.

The Windows of dreams for speed fanatics?

Microsoft promised true miracles in the area of Windows 2000 speed in advance. The operating system is supposed to make the processor and Working memory better and work more effectively with it, as well as Hard disk clean and therefore fast. Can the makers of Windows 2000 keep this promise?

In comparison with Windows 9x/Me, Win2000 is the clear winner in all speed disciplines. Significantly more programs can be loaded and you can still work with them without any problems. The improved memory management in particular brings a huge increase in performance in the games and high-end applications sector. Currently, only Windows XP can keep up with this speed.

However, users must also have the appropriate hardware to benefit from this advantage. Only from 128 Megabyte memory, Windows 2000 really starts to be fun. Machines with more than 256 MB are on the safe side and can make full use of the system.

The Windows 2000 startup process is the longest in Windows history. Even on fast computers, it takes about a minute to boot up. Windows Me/XP performs much better here with its 20 seconds. But what is important to many users is that it runs correctly after this time. There is no point in being able to work with Windows after a short time if it is unstable, slow and insecure.

The stability of Windows 2000 - finally crash-proof?

Windows 2000 takes a big step towards the perfect stability of Windows operating systems. Since the core (so-called kernel) is split into two parts, the user is always able to terminate an unstable program without taking the entire system with it.

So if an application stops responding, all you need to do is go to the task manager (CTRL+ALT+ENTF) and right-click to load the crashed program completely from memory. You can then continue working with Windows 2000 without any further complications. Even crashed games, which are quite hard on the hardware, can be completely removed in this way. However, anyone who now believes that Windows 2000 no longer crashes is very much mistaken. In most cases, bad drivers or the hardware components are the main cause of a so-called blue screen or a freeze (when the entire system freezes). So you are largely dependent on the arbitrariness of the big companies and their driver quality.

Conclusion: The perfect operating system?

Windows 2000 makes working and playing really fun. The high performance and reliability are reflected in all aspects and are a real pleasure to use. The discussions at the time about compatibility problems with games or older applications have fallen silent, as all programs now run perfectly with this operating system.

Windows also faithfully recognizes all hardware on the driver side and integrates it correctly into the system, although you sometimes have to help out.

Windows 2000 is best suited for gamers as well as for professional workers with mid-range hardware. I can give it a recommendation without reservation.

In case you are not sure yet, I recommend the screenshot collection, which already gives you a good impression of Windows 2000 Professional.

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.