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MP OS Compatibility Question

H

HappyOS

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 30, 2013
18
0
Is it possible to install Windows 2000 on a Mac Pro via separate HD/SSD?
I know drivers might be a little bit of a problem, but could it be done? :)
 
Thank you.
Looks like "openbox" is just a GUI, does it take away/simplify the need for video card drivers?
 
I thought OpenBox a just a linux window manager. <shrug> I had no idea it could assist in running Windows on a Mac.
 
HappyOS said:
I don't like the impermanent feeling of running an OS I intend to use regularly inside a VM, so thats why I was wondering if it could be installed (and work) via a secondary HD/SSD....?
Click to expand...

I don't think Apple has ever offered support for booting Windows 2000 or any drivers for it. Bootcamp originally started with Windows XP.

Windows 2000 has such a light resource requirement that it should run fine inside a VM.
 
Stetrain said:
I don't think Apple has ever offered support for booting Windows 2000 or any drivers for it. Bootcamp originally started with Windows XP.

Windows 2000 has such a light resource requirement that it should run fine inside a VM.
Click to expand...

I do not wish to put Windows 2000 inside a VM.
Would it at least boot without becoming a $70 OS vegetable?
 
Windows 2000 won't boot at all on a Mac Pro. It was forced on to some early 2006 Macs, but it was unstable and had no driver support.
 
Intell said:
Windows 2000 won't boot at all on a Mac Pro. It was forced on to some early 2006 Macs, but it was unstable and had no driver support.
Click to expand...

Would an XP driver work?
Win 2000 is, to my knowledge, very similar to Win XP.
If XP can boot, why not 2000?
 
XP has support for some of the newer technologies that are in the Mac Pro, which 2000 lacks, causing the instability and incompatibility. Apple built the drivers using APIs and technologies that came out in XP and have not been back ported to 2000.
 
HappyOS said:
I do not wish to put Windows 2000 inside a VM.
Would it at least boot without becoming a $70 OS vegetable?
Click to expand...

Windows 2000 is going to run much better in a VM. That's a lot of stability to give up for a feeling of "permanence."
 
Intell said:
XP has support for some of the newer technologies that are in the Mac Pro, which 2000 lacks, causing the instability and incompatibility. Apple built the drivers using APIs and technologies that came out in XP and have not been back ported to 2000.
Click to expand...

So what if, using a different computer (one that worked ok with Win 2000), I installed Win 2000 on a hardrive/SSD, added the necessary drivers and stuff, and then put it into a MP?
Would it boot/work?
 
The drivers just don't exist for the Mac Pro. Also, Windows 2000 and newer don't like to be moved across computers like Mac OS X does after it's installed. It tends to blue screen and require lots of driver mucking.
 
Then somebody needs to make those drivers. :) Surely, thats a possibility, to make a driver? If drivers came into existence, what other problems would be faced?
 
No one's going to make drivers or backport them for a 13 year old operating system. Even if they were to try, they wouldn't get very far without Apple's help. Just run it in a VM.
 
HappyOS said:
Then somebody needs to make those drivers. :) Surely, thats a possibility, to make a driver? If drivers came into existence, what other problems would be faced?
Click to expand...

You can try to use XP's drivers, but there is no guarantee it'll work.

That is if you can even install the thing!

Why don't you just use virtualbox?

I understand "native" is faster, but even the slowest Mac Pro would run it more than fine even virtually.
 
What is the real problem you are trying to solve here?

Because it sounds like you might have an XY problem...
http://mywiki.wooledge.org/XyProblem

In this case, running Windows 2000 (but not in a Virtual Machine) is the Y.

Running Windows 2000 in VirtualBox on a Mac Pro should be faster than running Windows 2000 in the x86 hardware that was available when Windows 2000 was released.

Otherwise just get some old (and cheap) x86 hardware.
 
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