This is the first mistake people make. You need to choose your hardware carefully. The purpose of this is security, and to ensure a bad application can't steal all resources from a given hardware device. This isn't the case in other versions of Windows. Have no fear, though.
Most decent hardware is compatible.
You can see if your hardware is compatible by visiting Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List . If anything, this is an excuse that you can use on your spouse to upgrade your hardware. Installing Windows NT where it doesn't belong If you're installing Windows NT on a system with no other operating systems, then this is a piece of cake and you almost can't screw up. If you do have other operating systems though, listen carefully. Install Windows NT in a partition or separate hard drive.