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Published
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April 22, 2008 |
Last Updated |
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April 22, 2008 |
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Introduction |
Many administrators used Windows Server 2003 as their
daily workstation, either on their desktops or laptops.
Well this will be the same with Windows Server
2008. In this article, I'm going to show you how to
disable/enable few options and features in Windows
Server 2008 so that you can use it as if it were a
client operating system, with the advantage of having it
as a server operating system, benefiting from using its
different roles and features .
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I recently bought a new 64bit
laptop, so that I
can install Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V, and use it
as my daily operating system on my
laptop.
I intend to disable few options and enable
other in order to experience the Windows Vista visual
appearance, plus removing the extra security features
that one do not need on its client operating system.
The options I'm going to deal with in this
article are :
-
Disable Shutdown Event Tracker
-
Disable Password Complexity
Requirement
Disable IE Enhanced Security
Remove the requirement to
click CTRL+ALT+DEL
Install Desktop Experience
Feature
Install Windows Search Feature
Enable Audio Service
Adjust For Best Performance of
Programs
-
Disable Shutdown Event
Tracker
Local Group Policy Editor

Expand Computer
Configuration > Expand
Administrative Templates > Click on
System

Double click on Display
Shutdown Event Tracker > Select
Disable > Click
OK

Close Local Group Policy
Editor
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Disable Password
Complexity Requirement
Many users had difficulty to logon to
Windows Server 2008 when they completed installing
it and never knew how to log on to it, this was
discussed in the article
Well, as we are going to use Windows Server 2008 as
a workstation, and we might have family members that
would use this workstation, we do not wish to force
them to create complex passwords. So to disable the
requirement of the password complexity, follow these
steps :
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Click Start >
Run, type gpedit.msc
> click OK

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Expand Computer
Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings
> Account Policies > Password Policy

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From the right side pane, double
click on Password must meet complexity
requirements > Select Disable
> Click OK

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Disable IE Enhanced
Security Configuration ( IE ESC )
By Default, IE ESC is enabled for the administrators
and for the users as well. It configures a number of
security settings that define how users browse
Internet and intranet web sites, it also reduces the
exposure to websites that might pose a security
risk. This enhanced level of security can prevent
website from displaying correctly in Internet
Explorer and restrict access to network resources. I
do not wish to get prompted for every site I visit
to add it to the trusted sites zone, that's why I
prefer to disable it.
To disable it :
click on Configure IE ESC

You can disable it for both
administrators and users, or just anyone of these
groups.

Make your selection and then click on OK
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Remove the requirement to
click CTRL+ALT+DEL
Type gpedit.msc > OK
, this will open
Local Group Policy
Editor

Expand
Computer Configuration > Windows
Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies >
Security Options

Double click on Interactive logon : Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL,
and select Enabled > click
OK

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Install Desktop
Experience Feature
I have covered the Desktop Experience feature in a previous article, check it
here
Install Windows Search
Service
I will be using MS Outlook on my machine, and I will
need to search my emails. MS Outlook relies on Windows Search Service, so to install it :
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Click Start >
Server Manager
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From the left side pane, click
on Roles > then from the right side
page, click on Add Roles
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On the Before your Begin
page, click Next
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From the list of available
Roles, select File Services > Click
Next
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On the Introduction to
File Services page, click Next
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On the Select Role
Services page, select Windows
Search Service, click Next ( Note: Deselect the File Server role )

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Optionally, you can enable
Indexing on selected volumes, select the volume(s)
you would like to enable indexing on and then click
Next, note that if you do not wish
to enable indexing on any of the drives, then do not
select any drive and just click Next >
Install

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Enable Windows Audio
Service

To enable audio, click on Start
> Run > Type services.msc
> Click Ok

Double click on the Windows
Audio service

Click on Start
button, and set the Startup type to
Automatic > Click Apply >
Click Ok

Now you will notice that the audio icon in
the notification area is turned to green.

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Adjust For Best
Performance of Programs
For best performance as a workstation, I
choose to allocate processor resources for programs
more than background services.
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Click Start
then right click on Computer and
click on Properties
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From the left side pane, under
Tasks, click Advanced
system settings

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Under Performance,
click the Settings button

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Click on the Advanced
Tab, and then select adjust for best performance of
Programs, Click OK
> OK

Summary
Personally, I prefer using Windows Server 2008
as my daily operating system on my laptop. It performs
much better than any client operating system and it has
the Hyper-V role that enables me to have Client and
Server operating systems as Virtual Machines. By
disabling few options and enabling others, you will be
experiencing the Windows Vista visual appearance, and
have the feeling that you are working with a client
operating system.
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