Hi there
probably IMO the best server Ms ever designed - and in version 2 you can use > 4GB even though it's "technically" a 32 bit OS.
XP was based on it (in fact all XP stuff still runs on it) and it makes for an outstanding Virtual server.
Anyway it's time to move on -- I just hope the Modern Ms servers are just as good - I gave up on W2008 server, 2012 server seemed OK but a bit fiddly and I'm not sure about 2016 server -- the new licensing stuff seems totally out of order for a home lab etc. With W2k3 server you got 4 CALS with the server (or it would work with 4 clients - without any extra fee being needed. I still have the keys from TechNet so I might have a go with this on W10 as a VM.
Incidentally - not bonkers --here's a way to make W2K3 server into a really good Worksation OS -- normally Servers aren't really suitable as a workstation OS.
How to convert your Windows Server 2003... to a Workstation!
I might look at similar articles on using W2016 server as a workstation too.
Cheers
jimbo
I never understood the point of those guides. All you are doing is making the Server OS run more like the Workstation OS that already exists. Why buy a bus and convert it in to something close to a sedan, when you could just buy the sedan? You'd also run into plenty of compatibility issues, such as AV software identifying it as a Server OS.
Server 2003 was a good product, but Server 2008, especially R2, is an excellent product.
Hi there.I never understood the point of those guides. All you are doing is making the Server OS run more like the Workstation OS that already exists. Why buy a bus and convert it in to something close to a sedan, when you could just buy the sedan? You'd also run into plenty of compatibility issues, such as AV software identifying it as a Server OS.
Server 2003 was a good product, but Server 2008, especially R2, is an excellent product.
Server 2008 was a DOG -- if you needed to run any sort of VM on it that needed SOUND then W2008 was a non starter -- I don't think they ever got Sound fixed in W2008 server. If you are dishing up VM's running on a W2008 server you will need Sound for a lot of clients. USB passthru to VM's was also problematical as well.
They did fix both those issues in W2012 server however.
Cheers
jimbo
I'd call that an extremely unique situation and doesn't mean 2008 was bad in any way. For typical server usage, it was and is a great product.
Because the 2003/XP x64 kernel was more sound and stable on supported hardware than was the x86 version of XP.I never understood the point of those guides. All you are doing is making the Server OS run more like the Workstation OS that already exists. Why buy a bus and convert it in to something close to a sedan, when you could just buy the sedan? You'd also run into plenty of compatibility issues, such as AV software identifying it as a Server OS.
Server 2003 was a good product, but Server 2008, especially R2, is an excellent product.
Now Jimbo, support ended for Server 2003 on July 15, 2015. I have had no updates since then. But yes the Datacentre version could use up to 32 GB "directly" in PAE mode. Mind you, I found the OS takes a slight performance hit when you do that. Still cool though.
Hi thereI'd call that an extremely unique situation and doesn't mean 2008 was bad in any way. For typical server usage, it was and is a great product.
Running a load of VM's from a decent server isn't so unique - and people do like sound on their VM's.
For instance at work we connect to some type of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure and often use things like LYNC or other desktop sharing / remote communication software -- Sound support is needed for things like skype etc.
The VDI is particularly useful since people connect all sorts of front ends including Macbooks (quite popular) so installing all the software locally on zillions of PC's doesn't make sense when it can all be done on the corporate servers -- probably hosted on the Cloud on the other side of the Planet.
W2012 server fixes those issues.
Cheers
jimbo
Never saw that before, or a need for it. I came from a company that used 6 VMs to one that uses 125 VMs, and not one of them had sound. When you look at your typical server tasks, sound just doesn't come up.Running a load of VM's from a decent server isn't so unique - and people do like sound on their VM's.
