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I have an old Windows 2000 computer whose hard drive crashed, and I would like to restore it. I have the original Windows 2000 CD plus backups of all the Windows service packs, individual Windows updates, and other programs that I downloaded.

Once I get Windows 2000 reinstalled from the CD, I can install Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 (which includes SP1, SP2, and SP3) followed by the Windows 2000 SP4 Update Rollup 1. But I still have around 150 individual Windows updates, most of which came after Update Rollup 1, that I will need to install.

I remember that many times after I installed an individual Windows update, it told me that I needed to reboot the system to finish the update. But with around 150 individual updates that I will need to install, plus a 20 year old computer that takes around 4 minutes to boot up, I'd rather not have to reboot 150 times to install all those individual updates.

So I'd like to know how the Windows 2000 update system works.

Question 1: What happens if I install 2 Windows updates that update the same file without rebooting between the updates?

Let's say the system has xyz.dll version 1.0.0 on it. I install a Windows update that contains xyz.dll version 1.2.0, and it tells me I have to reboot the system to finish the update. But instead of rebooting, I want to save time and I try to install another Windows update that happens to contain xyz.dll version 1.3.0. Will that even work, or will the first update put a lock on xyz.dll so that no subsequent update can change it unless I reboot first? Basically what happens when I finally reboot the system in this scenario - will the computer have xyz.dll version 1.2.0 or 1.3.0 installed?

Question 2: What happens if I install an update out of order?

Same situation as Question 1, except let's say the second update I try to install happens to contain xyz.dll version 1.1.0, which is older than the first update (1.2.0) but newer than what was originally on the system (1.0.0). I guess if the first update puts a lock on xyz.dll, then that means the second update will fail regardless of whether it contains a newer or older version of xyz.dll. But if Windows 2000 allows the second update to update xyz.dll without a reboot, then will Windows 2000 still allow the second update's older version of xyz.dll to override the first update's newer version? Basically what happens when I finally reboot the system in this scenario - will the computer have xyz.dll version 1.1.0 or 1.2.0 installed?

pacoverflow
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1 Answers1

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Windows Update is no longer supported for Windows 2000. You may still find all updates in the Microsoft Update Catalog, but there are hundreds of them, and many do not relate to your hardware.

You could instead download and install Microsoft Windows 2000 Unofficial SP 5.1.2195 . This unofficial service pack is the work of volunteers that have compounded in it more than 400 patches. By applying it, you will avoid the problems that you listed in your question.

In case of a problem, you may find some answers in the unmaintained site of Win2000 SP5 (although the site is not in perfect shape).

Question 1: What happens if I install 2 Windows updates that update the same file without rebooting between the updates?

Windows Update will ask to reboot if the file to be replaced is opened by some component of Windows. In this case, Windows will put the new file aside and will replace it during the boot.

There are two phases for the reboot. The first one runs during shutdown and will prepare the files for the second one. The second phase will execute the required updates.

It must be remarked that Windows Update does not only replace files, but also does some house-keeping tasks that are required because of changes that are required for the newly installed software. For example, it may do registry updates, update data files of Windows components, modify permissions and install or modify virtual hardware components such as network adapters, and much more.

Without the preparations done by the first shutdown phase, the second reboot one may fail.

Answer: The reboot is absolutely required. The consistency of the resulting Windows setup is not assured without it. The reboot before/after actions are essential for the correct installation, so omitting any of them may end up with non-viable or partially malfunctioning Windows setup.

Question 2: What happens if I install an update out of order?

Answer: If you install an update out of order, you risk having a Windows setup that is only partially patched.

For example, take an update A1, having revision A2, where an update B depending on A was released between A1 and A2. You will need to figure whether the order of installation should be A1-B-A2 or A1-A2-B. The wrong decision can be deadly for the functioning of Windows. It will be risky to execute the updates in the order of A1-A2-B, A2-B or B-A2 (or else), because this may confuse the reboot actions, ending with unreplaced/missing files, unmodified registry entries and more.

You may find more information about the complexity with which Windows Update needs to deal in this answer of mine.

Final note: The Microsoft Windows 2000 Unofficial SP 5.1.2195 resolves this problem for you. It has been composed by volunteers that have researched the issue in depth. It has also been tested over the years by multiple users. It is your best option.

Any updates issued by Microsoft after the Unofficial SP5, may be urgent "security" updates for menaces that perhaps no longer exist today, or worse - that exploits exist for them also. Windows 2000 must be considered as being totally insecure by today's standards. I would not recommend connecting it to the internet, because the viruses that scan continuously the entire internet for unprotected computers may still carry exploits for Windows 2000.

harrymc
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