Greetings,

I've been running Windows 2000 Pro SP4 on a desktop at home
for about 6 years. The software is exactly what I need. The
hardware (i.e. motherboard, cpu, mem) is now antiquated.

So I build a new system around an Intel D865GVHZ board (a
socket 478 board that might've been "Hot Stuff" in 2004),
boot MS, DR DOS for initial tests. Have this old hard drive
from a retired slot 1 system with Win ME installed. Connect
it to the new system, it goes crazy trying to identify new
hardware, but eventually settles down, brings up the
desktop.

This encourages me. What I'd actually like to do is
adapt my old W2k "complete system image" to run on
the new pc. Building a complex software system from
scratch is "Not What I Wanna Do". The new hardware
supports everything the old software needs.

Old multi-boot system has 2 HD's, one has a "complete system
image" of my daily-use system copied by Partition Magic
7. I fiddle the registry so it's independently bootable on
the old system and test it on the new system. Boot.ini
choice (2 W2k partitions) comes up OK. I choose either
partition, it *starts* to boot, then I get:

  STOP: BOOT DRIVE INACCESSIBLE ...

or somesuch. I think it lies ... :-)

Adapt the old software system to the new hardware?
If I move my lips once, I can say "It can't be done!"
If I move my lips a second time, I can say "It -can-
be done!". Unfortunately, neither epitaph is helpful.

I'm assuming that the 2 big issues are the registry
and the driver(s). If anyone can help with detailed info
on:

1.) How the old software system -can- be adapted to the new hardware.
  -or-
2.) Why the old software system -cannot- be adapted to the new hardware.

I would be most appreciative.

  Skoal,
  Puddin'

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