I have a Dell Opiplex 755 straight off the shelf that has come preloaded with Windows XP. I am trying to install Windows 2000 over top of it by just booting from the disk. The computer will go into the Win2k and start the initial process of loading the OS. However, as soon as it states "Starting Windows 2000" it gives me the blue screen with STOP: 0x7b...Inaccessible boot device. I don't understand why it won't let me boot from the disk. I have done installs like this plenty of times. Thank you all for your help.

I am trying to install Windows 2000 over top of it by just booting from the disk.

did you delete the partition and create a new one then format the drive first ,

? why are you downgrading your OS to 2000, xp is just 2000 made better!

I don't understand why it won't let me boot from the disk

is the hard drive a sata drive or IDE ,if it sata then you are likely having a drivers issue ,as xp or 2000 have no sata drivers for the motherboard so you will need to hit f6 on boot and load them from a floppy disk

The disk never gets to the point where I can select whether or not to delete the partition. I have to install win2k because there is software that I have to install afterwords that will only work with win2k. I am confused on why there would be an issue with a sata drive, it's already got xp loaded, and I don't have a floppy with the drivers you mentioned. Thanks for the help.

-bremerkd

Member Avatar for Moeslock

I have used a Win98 boot disk to do this, just start the machine with the boot floppy disk and once it loads you can delete the partition. Then create a new partition and format it, that's I did on one of my machines and loaded Win 2K pro.

I have used a Win98 boot disk to do this, just start the machine with the boot floppy disk and once it loads you can delete the partition. Then create a new partition and format it, that's I did on one of my machines and loaded Win 2K pro.

I'll give it a shot. I just have to find a boot floppy. Thanks.

-Karl

I'll give it a shot. I just have to find a boot floppy. Thanks.

-Karl

www.bootdisk.com

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