Installing Windows NT 4.0 on a Windows XP laptop

Comments

• SomeGuy

  June 2017

  It probably won't work. You would have to check the compatiblity of every single component. NT 4 was a bitch to install and had weak driver support even when it was common.
  
  If the machine uses an SATA controller and does not have an IDE compatiblity mode, then there is likely no way to even install it.
• [Deleted User]

  June 2017

  n1jack wrote:

  I recently bought a copy of Windows NT 4.0 and I'd like to install it on my laptop. I'd like to ask if it is even possible to do it on a Win XP machine. If it does, the second thing is that when I tried to boot the computer from the NT 4.0 CD, the installation opened like it should and it started to copy files, but it gave me a bluescreen approximately when copying the CD-ROM drivers. Is it something wrong with the CD/computer or the installed OS is causing it? Please help.

  
  What brand and model laptop are you using?
• jamie1130

  June 2017

  What's the model of the laptop? As mentioned by SomeGuy, NT 4 had horrible installation problems. I remember it being one huge pain in the ass when I tried. Does the laptop have a SATA hard drive or an IDE one?
• BlueSun

  June 2017

  "Win XP machine" is too generic to be useful information. Windows XP spanned quite a long period of time and ran on a vast array of different hardware. The lower end machines on that spectrum will probably have no issue running NT 4, but on the higher end of the spectrum, it's not likely to work well if at all.
  
  Also, I have to ask the obligatory question... why? Is it just to try NT 4? If so, a VM would surely be a better choice.
• nikkigreg1974

  June 2017

  If you still want to install windows NT 4.0 on you laptop and it has sata on it you can try this driver here. http://alter.org.ua/soft/win/uni_ata/#download They are making sata drivers for windows NT 3.51 and up. But windows NT 4.0 going to have it's limits with drivers and being use on newer stuff. Well good luck.
• n1jack

  June 2017

  Erito17 wrote:

  n1jack wrote:

  I recently bought a copy of Windows NT 4.0 and I'd like to install it on my laptop. I'd like to ask if it is even possible to do it on a Win XP machine. If it does, the second thing is that when I tried to boot the computer from the NT 4.0 CD, the installation opened like it should and it started to copy files, but it gave me a bluescreen approximately when copying the CD-ROM drivers. Is it something wrong with the CD/computer or the installed OS is causing it? Please help.

  
  What brand and model laptop are you using?

  It's an Asus A6J, that's what the sticker says.
• n1jack

  June 2017

  Additionally, I tried to install the system in a VM and it worked, so the CD/floppies fault has been eliminated. And yes, I have already used VM a dozen of times, but I feel that is not enough for me 'cause I'd like to have a physical computer with some kind of old OS.
  
  Also I am sorry for language or grammar mistakes if there are any, I'm actually not an English native speaker.
• os2fan2

  June 2017

  If you plan to install NT4 and XP side by side, there are a few things to watch.
  
  1. Back up your NTLDR and NTDECECT.COM.
  
  2. Google about for NTFSCHK by Sysintern. You need to apply a fix to the file systems before rebooting back into XP. This is because NT4 uses NTFS3 and NT5 uses NTFS3.1, the 2000/XP silently marks the header files for NT4, so that you can't boot to NT4.
• T327

  June 2017

  Yes, Windows NT 4.0 is problematic to install to physical computer. I tried to do that on my old computer with Windows XP, but when it boot, it shows the text Windows Setup and start printing off full ASCII table. When it fills the screen it hang and stop responding.
  
  I had IDE hard disk and SCSI cd-rom drive.