Windows 2003 Server question

[KRSESQ]

Can anyone thing of a good reason why I SHOULDN'T dump Windows XP Pro in favor of Win 2k3 on my primary system? I've been doing some testing and besides the obvious security advantages, DAMN it's quick!

Wouldn't set it up as a domain/print/file server, of course. At least, not right away.

Kevin

[Dilitante1]

I dont see why not. Black Viper and others have tweak guides to run 2k3 as a desktop

[VJ]

I've been running a trial version of Server 2008 for desktop use, and it too runs circles around any other OS on that machine...

Only problems could be compatibility: on Server 2008 the main problem for me is lack of bluetooth, and problems with Windows mobile connectivity. Also bear in mind that some applications refuse to run on server OS (anti virus tools, ...)

Jörg

[Fat Tone]

Isn't the speed advantage really down to the fact that everything is turned off out-of-the-box. You can do that with XP too. Non?

[VJ]

Strangely though, it feels more than that...
I suspect it has been tweaked further to optimize various internals (caching, memory usage, disk access, ...?).

But granted: enabling the vista-interface on server 2008 does have a noticable effect (but I have a slow videocard).

[KRSESQ]

Antivirus? We don' need no steenkin' antivirus.

I'm like the trapeze artist who performs without a net.

Seriously, I haven't received an e-mail virus in six - make that seven years, since I switched to cable. My internet provider does a splendid job of scanning all messages passing through their server. Once in a VERY great while I get an e-mail from them telling me a message has been blocked and a couple of times I got a nice letter telling me that a computer on my network was trying to send out something malicious. But those were systems I was working on for clients and by the time I'd gotten the letters I'd already repaved.

I'm running AVG Free on Eleanor and on my XP diagnostic machine, and AVG Pro does run on 2003, according to their website. So that shouldn't be a problem. Spybot Search & Destroy runs on 2003 quite well.

Next to test is the Firewire.

Kevin

[UtwigMU]

We have most developer machines with 2003 server (mostly C2Q/4GB), there are no problems with that. We're migrating them to Windows 7 but that's mainly because of costs.

Otherwise in my opinion there's not much difference between XP and 2k3 for average desktop: concurrent network connections, 2 RDP sessions, better IIS. Also our developers mainly develop software for 2003 Server, so running it is a plus.

[KRSESQ]

Any advice on display drivers? Nvidia or ATI? Some claim XP drivers work, others not so much.

When I do my next system build I'll be looking for something a little higher-end than the Radeon X300 I'm using now.

Kevin

[Jammrock]

You could always do Windows Server 2008 R2