I'm trying to install Windows 2000 Professional, and am having difficulty. When I choose the drive that the 2000 Installation CD is in, I get a message that reads, "This CD-ROM is from an older version of Windows than the one you are presently using. Setup functionality from this disk will be disabled." I have XP as my operating system, so I'm not sure if this message means that Windows 2000 is not compatible with the XP.

Does anybody know if there is a way that I can still install the Windows 2000 and bypass this message? I really, really need to get the Windows 2000, because I need to sharpen up my skills in order to be able to secure a decent job. I hate to not install the Windows 2000, because I went through a lot of crap to get it. Calling Microsoft is not a good option, because I called them earlier and was told that I would have to wait AN HOUR before I would get someone on the line who could help me. Plus, I always get people on the line who have foreign accents, and I have trouble understanding what they're saying. Can anybody please help me?

Is the Windows 2000 the full version or an upgrade version? Is doing a complete reformat an option for you?

The Windows 2000 Version that I have says that it includes Service Pack 3. Not sure what that means. And yes, it should be the full version (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook).
[Edited 1/18/05 18:27pm]

It is possible to have both XP and 2000 on your machine but on different partitions. Here's a link on how that's accomplished: http://www.dougknox.com/x...air_2k.htm

If you only want to have 2000, try rebooting the computer from the cd-rom drive first with the disk in there (may have to go into the BIOS to change the boot-up procedure so the cd-rom drive is first). If it's like other installs I've done of Windows, it should give you an option along the way of creating and deleting partitions on your hard drive which would lead to reformatting. If you have any files on the computer you want saved, though, you should make back-up copies of those files before doing anything.

Thanks, MrJoker, I will give it a whirl. Sooo glad to hear that XP and 2000 can be on the same machine, that is a biiiiig relief for me!