Hello, I have a test environment at home for learning about windows 2000. I have two PCs connected together with a crossover cable with one as a Domain Controller and another as a member server. The domain name is CONTOSO. I'm doing lab exercises, and one of the labs calls for installing win2k from a distribution server, in my case, the domain controller. I copied all the installation files directly to the Windist folder on the domain controller which is shared. I'm logged in to CONTOSO on the member server as student01, who is in the Domain users group. The problem is when I try to execute the winnt32.exe program located in Windist, I get the following error message - "You must be an administrator to run this program." I checked the permissions of the windist folder, and it says that everyone has full control over it, and those permissions are inherited by every object contained in that folder, including the winnt32.exe program. I've tried tooling with the permissions settings, even giving student01 explicit full control over winnt32.exe. But I continue to get the same error message. What is it that I'm missing? Any tips? Thank you. Joe

WINNT32.EXE is only used to install from within an already installed and functioning Windows environment/desktop. WINNT.EXE is used to install from DOS or a clean hard drive.

Regarding the permission issue. The "Everyone" group won't help in this instance. You have to give the user account you're using explicit access and the user account MUST have administrator level access....or you'll keep getting this error. To be honest, the Everyone group is the biggest pain in the butt in 2000/NT. I personally remove it from every share...always! It does nothing good for your network and causes more confusion and security problems than it's worth.

"I'm logged in to CONTOSO on the member server as student01, who is in the Domain users group" This is the clue that counts. student01 needs admin rights on the member server. You are trying to install files in the place you are logged in, so you must be an admin in that place. The rights on the distribution folder could be read only and you should be good. (If the domain users group is a member of the local admins then my theory would be blown to heck ;)