This topic is partially covered, some places were vague. However, Win2K is a great system and lack of information needs to be filled, isn't it?
...
I will try to complement the missing and offer a complete solution.

Probably, many have heard, and some even installed KernelEx for Windows 2000. Those who have studied the subject know: that most of necessary updates and patches for this project in Chinese or on Japanese languages. This is partly a problem, because Windows then must also be the corresponding localization.

Was a good article: http://toastytech.com/files/95browsing.html , this article in combination with experiments roytam1 on his virtual machine (while debugging no SSE solutions), motivated me to start my own experiments in this area.

First of all, it turned out that it is very, very difficult to find these required updates for the installer, especially (at least) just on English. After all, to use the English system (in general case) most simpler than localized in a foreign language. Lot of time has passed and a lot has been unavailable. Part has been removed by self efforts of Microsoft. But this is understandable, marketing and etc.

Partially digging in archives, partly digging half of all Internet, but as result: successfully collected this kit (with current 2000 kernel ex from summer of this year, i.e. from past summer 2017th : ).

And since to search, on all network, entertainment below average, has decided to lay out here.

I'm sure there are people who can use it. Because the netbook with 2K works very smartly!
And for virtual machines is useful. In General, a must-have!

For tests I created a virtual machine with 64 MB of RAM. And since "just" 2K PRO is bored already, was chosen Dataсenter 2K Server SP4. For extended kernel needs SP4, there already is no options. The system needs to be English (in case of Dataсenter is already by default).

The process I recorded on video for those interested (very compact, ~990 K:
(direct link) https://getfile.dokpub.com/yandex/get/https://yadi.sk/d/eSMaKhRf3RDKxp
Video 640x480, duration ~10 minutes. Here is sequence of actions to run current KM on Win2K.

In addition, here shows a little trick to support of cyrillic characters, but if you knowing your code page, you can use any language (as all languages contain support for English).

Link to full set, for all 2K family (how to use it see in video, all shown in detail): (~103 M.
(direct link) https://getfile.dokpub.com/yandex/get/https://yadi.sk/d/5D1LSc0k3RDLen

You can also use the MUI, for your language, he is able to change workstation (as 2K PRO), but not server edition. For Russian forum, I have prepared a compact version of MUI (around 30 M. But I have files for all released languages (CHS, CHT, ES, FR, GER, IT, JPN, KOR, NL, SV, ARA, BR, CS, DA, EL, FI, HEB, HU, NO, PL, PT, RU, TR).

If you need, you can ask, I can prepare a compact language sets.



Edited 11 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2018 10:09PM by hermes.

After all, it's not for one K-MELEON is useful. This kit will help run PaleMoon and Basilisk on Win2K. And bunch of different programs (with direct hands, many version of .NET framework and etc).

After all, there are no actual browsers under 2K. And K-MELEON here definitely has an advantage. Even not optimized (fully default) version of Windows 2000 can confidently launch K-MELEON when only 20 MB of RAM!

Let me remind, according to my tests, even an extremely optimized version of XP simply does not load with this amount of RAM. After a long optimization, the minimum amount of RAM for using KM with XP is 28 MB. Even at 27 MB of RAM optimized XP does not load (with an even stronger optimisation, network functions become unavailable, which no makes sense in context of browser). And simply unoptimized 2K with 20 MB of RAM can confidently load KM!
But I'll try to optimize it .



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2018 05:47PM by hermes.

Thank you @hermes, your work is very valuable.

Quote
hermes
Let me remind, according to my tests, even an extremely optimized version of XP simply does not load with this amount of RAM. After a long optimization, the minimum amount of RAM for using KM with XP is 28 MB.

I used nlite to optimize XP and am sure that a Pentium III 500 128 MB RAM on a 2 GB FAT 32 formatted Disk is totally sufficiant to use K-Meleon on XP.

In fact with these specs K-Meleon 1.6 was by far the best and fastest browser. Current versions of K-Meleon have no more resource need then during that time except for prefetching and speculative JS executipon which can be switched off.

And a package to run on Win 2000 is good for running a current browser on my oldest Laptop. A backup machine rarely used today.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2018 08:58AM by guenter.

Quote
guenter
I used nlite to optimize XP

nlite site http://www.nliteos.com/ , your link for ntlite (for 7+).
Another great program: xplite / 2000lite / 98lite: http://www.litepc.com/



It is ideal to use them together .
Also for extreme optimization it is important to use a distribution for embedded systems.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2018 06:27PM by hermes.

Quote
hermes

Quote
guenter
I used nlite to optimize XP

nlite site http://www.nliteos.com/ , your link for ntlite (for 7+).
Another great program: xplite / 2000lite / 98lite: http://www.litepc.com/



It is ideal to use them together .
Also for extreme optimization it is important to use a distribution for embedded systems.

Our links are too the same nlite. Scroll further down with mine IMHO.

I know the later page - I used 98lite to optimize my Windows ME. But nothing newer.

The distro embed did not work for me when I tried. I have XP Pro.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2018 11:05PM by guenter.

I mean Windows XP for Embedded Systems and variant of Windows XP Embedded called Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. This is not an ordinary, but very useful systems.

Quote
hermes
I mean Windows XP for Embedded Systems and variant of Windows XP Embedded called Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. This is not an ordinary, but very useful systems.

Only tried the later and it did not work.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2018 02:31PM by guenter.

Quote
guenter

Quote
hermes
I mean Windows XP for Embedded Systems and variant of Windows XP Embedded called Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. This is not an ordinary, but very useful systems.

Only tried the later and it did not work.

I'm just wondering, what exactly did not work there? If you are interested, later I can prepare an iso image based on Windows Embedded Fundamentals for Legacy PCs edition.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2018 03:29PM by hermes.

Absolutely Fascinating - Thanks for Your Works Hermes !!

I think from what I see here that this may open the door for more future uses of Win2kPro for me.

Please correct me if I am mistaken, but if Win2kPro SP4 is able to take on the newer dot net (I call it dot krap, sorry !!) stuff, then it is also likely to do most or even all that XP SP3 can do - yes ??

If that is a correct guess - then this opens the door for some very good things.

Thanks Again !!!

@smallhagrid

Almost. Many things can work, but not all. However, more than enough. And OS can be used in a virtual machine. Directly, for example, no support for WPA2 on Wi-fi. And with Wi-fi there are certain difficulties. If you use wired the router no problem (he knows all that is needed).

If you watched the suggested video, there is even support for Directx 10 api (point in configurator). A lot can be run. A lot can be tweaked to run. For example, you can do what .NET v4 will work without actually installing the distro (but that's a topic for another article).
...
Multiply this on the fact that server editions (in particular datacenter) can address more than 4Gb of RAM (datacenter up to 32 GB of RAM) still remaining x86 (with PAE).

However, if resources are available, I recommend to use 2K3 (more stable).
My primary OS is 2K3 DC SP2 x86. And I use this OS without any problems more than 10 years. And in virtual machines, you can easy run even Windows 10 / Server 2016 (if you need specific software under a new OS or for other operating systems).

Useful links:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/aa366778#physical_memory_limits_windows_server_2003_sp2
and
http://www.sgvulcan.com/2010/01/16/memory-limits-of-various-windows-versions/



Edited 15 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2018 10:25PM by hermes.

Quote
hermes
@smallhagrid

Almost. Many things can work, but not all. However, more than enough. And OS can be used in a virtual machine. Directly, for example, no support for WPA2 on Wi-fi. And with Wi-fi there are certain difficulties. If you use wired the router no problem (he knows all that is needed)./

I know this is an old thread but:

I did find one USB wi-fi option that works quite well with Win 2k Pro and it does support WPA/WPA2 and WPA/WPA2 passphrase. (In addition to 802.1x, static WEP, and even QSS support - if you want to run all over the place pushing buttons on routers.) It's the TP-LINK TL-WN722N adapter and I think it's the last model that had W2k support created for it. Still showing as available on Amazon.

I located Wk2 drivers/software for it but you won't find it on the install CD. It took a bit of sleuthing on the TP-Link support site to find them and the link still works:

(Oops. The forum won't let me post the URL. I assume because it's pointing to a zip file.)

Rick

You have a PM Rickajho.

I followed your guide, hermes, and no way. I keep getting, from the patches, that my system hasn't the correct language.

Is not your fault. I hoped that your comprehensible guide would help, but, no way, it proved that all the KernelEx stuff lacks of information from every pore.

The day BlackWingCat dropped the wrappers system in favour of the KernelEx, he fu**** up everything. From a KISS principle he went to "damn no coherent guide anywhere and without any cross system/language compatibility". I remember installing ENU packages (note that my system is Windows 2000 Professional ESN (aka spanish)) in the past without problems and it's incredibly dumb how this KernelEx thing fails absolutely.

This is the reason I don't even consider/waste time to use it. I tried the nth-time but, naahh... it sucks.

Thanks for your coherent guide, hermes, anyway .

One thing I would never understand is why BlackWingCat releases internationally this and doesn't provide full understandable (english, at least) guide.

@JohnHell

Quote

I remember installing ENU packages (note that my system is Windows 2000 Professional ESN (aka spanish)) in the past without problems

What you described can be seen and in later systems, but some fixes and updates are international and are installed regardless of OS language. But this is exception rather.
Did you see video instruction?

The main error is global system language ("thanks" M$). The set I assembled and proposed is designed for a completely non-localized English system, and later you can install the necessary
MUi (for localization).

I can recommend to try in a virtual machine. Also can offer an old version of Virtual PC for 9x / 2K.
I used it at work with 128-256 MB of physical RAM. There you can easily run 2K (even on 9x).
Link to English OS distribution I can give in PM. Additionally can optimize OS for fastest possible operation on old hardware. I also have the necessary drivers for hardware (almost any in
the last ~25 years).

Quote
hermes
@JohnHell

Quote

I remember installing ENU packages (note that my system is Windows 2000 Professional ESN (aka spanish)) in the past without problems

What you described can be seen and in later systems, but some fixes and updates are international and are installed regardless of OS language. But this is exception rather.

Later and not that later (or I dreamed it).

Quote
hermes
Did you see video instruction?

The main error is global system language ("thanks" M$). The set I assembled and proposed is designed for a completely non-localized English system, and later you can install the necessary
MUi (for localization).

Yep, I saw the video and I followed it because I think yours is the most detailed guide out there (visually at least) and it had a lot of sense to fiddle with nls files, so I gave it a chance but... no way.

At least Windows explorer feels the codepage change. So, something is changed.

Quote
hermes
I can recommend to try in a virtual machine.

I already did on a Virtual PC; with a Windows 2000 SP4 (no Rollup update), with an already patched IE6 SP1 (so, skipped step, unless that SP1 has something special...) and... no, following patches say my system is not in the correct language.

Isn't something I'm desperate to make work, but a little die hard step I decided to try again after the new reCaptcha limitation. I have other virtual machines for these things, anyway. Only they are slow as snails.

Thanks, anyway, hermes. You gave some hope


EDIT: If the pre-requisite is to use an English Windows 2000 installation, I'm not following that path.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2018 06:35PM by JohnHell.

@JohnHell

Quote

EDIT: If the pre-requisite is to use an English Windows 2000 installation, I'm not following that path.

It is known that general language of system can be either Chinese or Japanese, or English.
For obvious reasons, preference was given to option with a purely English system (because
unfortunately do not understand hieroglyphic writing).

Before realizing the impossibility of installation on localized OS versions, I tried for a long time
and unsuccessfully to install these fixes on usual localized distribution.

By the way, on video does not show installation of MUI, but after it OS almost not different from originally localized.

If you will try with a "clean state" in the virtual machine you will see that everything will turn out
(for pure english OS). MUI (if can be needed) I have for 23 languages.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2018 11:53PM by hermes.

Quote
hermes
@JohnHell

Quote

EDIT: If the pre-requisite is to use an English Windows 2000 installation, I'm not following that path.

It is known that general language of system can be either Chinese or Japanese, or English.
For obvious reasons, preference was given to option with a purely English system (because
unfortunately do not understand hieroglyphic writing).

Before realizing the impossibility of installation on localized OS versions, I tried for a long time
and unsuccessfully to install these fixes on usual localized distribution.

But, to have it clear like water, then: KernelEx can't be installed in a non-English system, right? Just to be sure and to have it clear somewhere in the Internet (nowhere is clearly said) for those trying without success: English system nedeed.

Quote
hermes
By the way, on video does not show installation of MUI, but after it OS almost not different from originally localized.

If you will try with a "clean state" in the virtual machine you will see that everything will turn out
(for pure english OS). MUI (if can be needed) I have for 23 languages.

Another road I'm not taking Thanks for your offer.

I know the MUI packages, how they work and all related¹. The point is that I'm not going to continue with Windows 2000 much more time and I'm not going to do a full reinstall of an English version, then MUI, then... Noooooo. Even I've hated-loved Windows 2000 from about 15 years and with the current installation 6 years (almost 10 if it weren't by a faulty motherboard), I don't love it that much to do that (and I'm slow like hell, but I'm abandoning, or trying to abandon Windows).

It was just the last attempt before I could no longer use this for... mainstream sites. I said earlier in the past, but how sad is that Internet/browsers is what are making systems obsolete (by the way, TLS1.0 and TLS 1.1 will almost vanish about 2020, last chance for those not using K-meleon 75 and above to switch).


Anyway, I'm going off-topic, thanks hermes for your altruistic help and let me understand the Windows 2000 KernelEx installation issues (I'm not the only one out there, sadly).


¹ by the way, from Vista or 7 and above the system is plain English with MUIs by default, just if someone didn't know

@JohnHell

Quote

But, to have it clear like water, then: KernelEx can't be installed in a non-English system, right? Just to be sure and to have it clear somewhere in the Internet (nowhere is clearly said) for those trying without success: English system nedeed.

100%. Need only pure English OS (for this package). Or... Chinese OS (or Japanese) for original package. As I said (in first message): "The system needs to be English".

/* OFF-TOPiC */

Quote

...I'm slow like hell, but I'm abandoning, or trying to abandon Windows...

Linux? : ) KM fully works under wine (I use on Slackware).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2018 08:58PM by hermes.

Quote
hermes
@JohnHell

Quote

But, to have it clear like water, then: KernelEx can't be installed in a non-English system, right? Just to be sure and to have it clear somewhere in the Internet (nowhere is clearly said) for those trying without success: English system nedeed.

100%. Need only pure English OS (for this package). Or... Chinese OS (or Japanese) for original package. As I said (in first message): "The system needs to be English".

Ok, I think I misunderstood that portion of your text . I just understood it was easier (obviously) with English system.

Then so, I'm not even to give a try, as I said.

Thanks for your help

Quote
hermes
/* OFF-TOPiC */

Quote

...I'm slow like hell, but I'm abandoning, or trying to abandon Windows...

Linux? : ) KM fully works under wine (I use on Slackware).

That is my intention, yep, GNU/Linux.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2018 10:31PM by JohnHell.

hi

i see this, is my blog

https://salvatore-abbate6.webnode.it/computer/

That guy's blog is a mess of jumbled up Italian (?) & english paragraphs with a couple of tinyurl links included.
IMO it is mostly good for getting a headache when looking at it, so here is the useful info from it pared down to english only in a more legible form with full links instead (& 1 small comment added by me):

Quote
Salvatore Abbate
Windows 2000 Extended Kernel

I installed windows 2000 Sp4 with patches for the extension of the kernel, which practically activates the compatibility with the applications for windows xp, compatibility with them is not full but many of them can be installed.
My computer also with xenialpup had problems, I solved everything with windows 2000 and the extension of the kernel, in the picture you can see the total memory consumption with a browser addressed on youtube.

Patch
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F0xQrOTOoDcOlfP6bpDN786eWAC0lljg?usp=sharing

Windows 2000 (Another non-english page...)
https://paradiso-informatica-v2.weebly.com/dischi-dinstallazione.html

Installation procedure

1. Install Windows 2000

2. install the drivers you need, maybe not for the graphics card and more, if the system does not install them by default

3.Install the patches for the kernel extension in the sequence I indicate to you
ie6sp1eng, rootsupd201804, IE6.0SP1-KB2722913-WINDOWS2000-X86-ENU, usp51, MS14-070-KB957579-v3-x86-INTL, Windows2000-KB935839-v28i-x86-ENU, the latest patch is the new kernel install it later have made a restart

4. you can install the applications compatible with winxp, as a compatible browser and constantly updated there is the excellent k.melon, download the beta versionas a media player I have successfully installed smplayer, glary utilities for system maintenance and security filseclub personal firewall, the system does not take any kind of infection, you can still install clamwin and occasionally do a scan.

PS. There are various versions of Windows 2000, professional suporta up to two CPUs per core and up to 4 GB of RAM, server 4 CPU per core, advanced server 8 CPU per core, datacenter up to 16/32 CPU per core, and can be enabled the option pae in some versions to install more ram.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2018 02:31AM by smallhagrid.

hi

I do not speak English, in the blog I have distinguished the part in Italian with that in English, I hope I can help you, I'm using an intel core 2 duo 3 Ghz without problems, I enter the link where to download windows 2000 is in English and another where there is the ultimate resorce

https://winworldpc.com/product/windows-nt-2000/final

http://w2k.flxsrv.org/wlu/wluen.htm

hi all

ps. I fixed the blog so that it is clearer



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2018 10:57AM by savior.

to enable support on hard disks larger than 137 GB, you must add a string on regedit, then run it:

Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Navigate to system / currentcontrolset / services / atapi / parameters
right click for new entry parameter
Select Dword name en EnableBigLba
set value to 1
end regedit
reboot

I hope you have been used

Thanks for the added info Savior.
Where you've put this=>

Quote

Select Dword name en EnableBigLba

I presume it really means Dword name = EnableBigLba
As confirmed at these posts:

http://www.antalyatasarim.com/registry/sources/detail-1115.htm
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/217385-46-windows-2000-large-disk-support

Your blog is a bit easier on the eyes now, thanks.
Since I'm a bit visually impaired, simple black on white is easiest for the eyes.
So:
I made the copy of it that I shared here that way & only in english.

I vastly prefer win2k over XP, it is so wonderfully stable & reliable.
XP was a bit too 'cute' & less businesslike until it was tweaked quite a bit IMO.
(All what came out after XP is not even worth looking at IMO.)

Linux with VMWare Player or VirtualBox & a useful windows OS in a VM is far better for my needs.

The only real stumbling block I'm seeing over & over is when YT makes its endless changes & this makes lots of videos not play in 'old' OSes.

For anyone with similar preferences, a look here may be helpful:

https://forums.mydigitallife.net/forums/windows-xp-older-os.5/

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/2018 06:33AM by smallhagrid.

hi

about the setting for the hard drives is as described in your linked pages, about windows 2000 without the extension of the kernel you do not do much, it intrigued me this thing and I wanted to try to install everything on my computer, I could see that the consumption of resources compared to xp is very small and it is pleasant to work on it.

have a good day

hi

Currently I have installed these programs successfully

Glary Utilities - System Mainteneance
Tixati - Torrent Manager
SMplayer - multimedia player
Photofiltre 7 - Imageprocessor
Audacity - Audio Recording
VideoPad(win2k only) - Simple but powerfull Videoediting
imgburn - cd/dvd recording
virtualCloneDrive - virtual cd device
peazip - archiver
pdf-xchange viewer - pdf viewer(k-melon use it)

all free software

savior

I know it is now almost a year later than the most recent reply here, so I ask:
Is there any more and/or new info to add here ??

Thanks.

hermes should answer with more knowledge, but, why should?

The explanation should be still valid yet and this is not only applicable to K-meleon, but other newer software not compatible with Windows 2000.

I have finally gotten my win2k VM running again & it is time for me to actually do this process, which I have wanted to do for such a very long time.

The files shared by Hermes are still up, and I found that to get them takes a bit of extra effort & attention rather than just clicking on them.
Aside of that, this is a fantastic concept & I look forward to gaining the results from it.

I have very carefully read through this entire, very one-of-a-kind thread to be sure to get all possible helpful info from it !!

The instructional video Hermes shares is a bit difficult to follow & most likely will take a few repeats to see & catch all the steps that he shows in it, I know I must now do that & make my own notes to follow to finally get this done right.

Part of what has baffled me in this process is the seeming necessity of installing IE6 - which of course I would never use.

Also worthy of note is that Saviour's blog has gone away since its link was posted here & not even the Wayback Machine has a copy of it.

Hence my query above, just to see if any more info may be forthcoming since the OP here was made by Hermes so long ago.
That's all.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2019 07:26AM by smallhagrid.