Windows Server 2008 Aero Theme

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contitego

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 19, 2011
Messages
173
I installed Windows Server 2008 on my laptop. Works pretty good once I got the drivers installed.

I added the desktop feature which helps out since I need to use some of the applications that are in there.

In addition, I turned on the Themes service which allows me to use the Window's Aero theme. Has anyone had any issues with using Aero?
 
I've never enabled those features on a Windows 2008 server. I'm not sure what value it adds but I suppose it's a good thing if you are going to use a Windows 2008 server as a workstation.
 
contitego said:
Exactly what I am doing:) I might remove themes. Just not sure.
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Aero uses your video hardware to render the desktop. On a technical level, you can actually gain a slight bit of performance vs. the 2D desktop being rendered via your CPU essentially.
 
Server 2008 fails as a 'workstation' because you lose a lot of the user friendly and multimedia functionality that you have with Home Premium/Professional. By the time you enable all of those settings, you end up with an OS that still can't do everything for end-users, is incompatible with some software, and has a whole bunch of bloat you don't need (the server stuff). On top of that, your using just as many services/memory as a home os, or more, so it's not a performance gain.
 
People are going to run 2k8 if they want to run 2k8 as their OS. It's not always about a performance boost, either -- many developers code on Win2k8 to make testing easier. There are tons of reasons.

and has a whole bunch of bloat you don't need (the server stuff).
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I'm not really sure what you're talking about. Out of the box, with a default install, Win2k8 isn't much more than a glorified workstation. It isn't until you start enabling things that this "bloat" starts to become apparent. I can't see someone blindly adding roles and features assuming they're using it for a performance boost. Now -- is it going to give a performance boost -- I would expect it wouldn't.
 
We have desktop features with aero enabled on one of our terminal servers with RemoteFX and it works nicely. To be honest other then taking more resources and look pretty it doesn't add anything.
 
C7J0yc3 said:
We have desktop features with aero enabled on one of our terminal servers with RemoteFX and it works nicely. To be honest other then taking more resources and look pretty it doesn't add anything.
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I tshouldn't really use much if any more in the way of resources.
 
bigdogchris said:
Sand has a whole bunch of bloat you don't need (the server stuff). On top of that, your using just as many services/memory as a home os, or more, so it's not a performance gain.
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Only if you install those "server stuff" services. A bare default install of Server 08 is lean and mean and runs lightening fast, it'll run circles around a default "bloated" install of a desktop OS. You don't NEED to install Active Directory, DNS, WINS, file and print services, DHCP, blah blah.

Using a Server OS as a working desktop OS...but with more features, has been commonplace with IT people since way back in the NT 4 days. Yes you don't get an "uber gaming rig"....but we usually don't build them for that. You get a lean mean machine (depending on how you build it).

Advanced *nix users have been proud of their ability to build/customize their *nix installs to exactly how they want them for many years. Bummer some Windows peeps don't grasp this with server installs.

" But you need a server grade antivirus and..." you say? Well.again, most people are in IT that do this stuff so having access to server grade AV products (and other apps) is usuall a no brainer for us.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Only if you install those "server stuff" services. A bare default install of Server 08 is lean and mean and runs lightening fast, it'll run circles around a default "bloated" install of a desktop OS. You don't NEED to install Active Directory, DNS, WINS, file and print services, DHCP, blah blah.

Using a Server OS as a working desktop OS...but with more features, has been commonplace with IT people since way back in the NT 4 days. Yes you don't get an "uber gaming rig"....but we usually don't build them for that. You get a lean mean machine (depending on how you build it).

Advanced *nix users have been proud of their ability to build/customize their *nix installs to exactly how they want them for many years. Bummer some Windows peeps don't grasp this with server installs.

" But you need a server grade antivirus and..." you say? Well.again, most people are in IT that do this stuff so having access to server grade AV products (and other apps) is usuall a no brainer for us.
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Well said.
 
I agree with yeoldestonecat. I have never had problems running 2003 r2, 2008, or 2008 r2 as a workstation.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Only if you install those "server stuff" services. A bare default install of Server 08 is lean and mean and runs lightening fast, it'll run circles around a default "bloated" install of a desktop OS. You don't NEED to install Active Directory, DNS, WINS, file and print services, DHCP, blah blah.

Using a Server OS as a working desktop OS...but with more features, has been commonplace with IT people since way back in the NT 4 days. Yes you don't get an "uber gaming rig"....but we usually don't build them for that. You get a lean mean machine (depending on how you build it).

Advanced *nix users have been proud of their ability to build/customize their *nix installs to exactly how they want them for many years. Bummer some Windows peeps don't grasp this with server installs.

" But you need a server grade antivirus and..." you say? Well.again, most people are in IT that do this stuff so having access to server grade AV products (and other apps) is usuall a no brainer for us.
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Excellent!

Server 2008 fails as a 'workstation' because you lose a lot of the user friendly and multimedia functionality that you have with Home Premium/Professional.
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I don't watch movies, play games, nor do I download and listen to music on this pc. I could careless about mulitmedia, and games.

Is Server 2008 for everyone: no, Ye is correct. It works great for an IT professional who knows what they are doing.
 
I used to run win2k8 on my desktop/laptops. If you want to use free AV, then stay desktop. It is appealing to run win2k8 on a laptop with hyper-v...wait...MS doesn't let you do that, however there are work-arounds.

I am running win7 ultimate x64 on my work laptop. i've been debating about doing a fresh install and using my TN iso to "test" it on my laptop with hyper-v, but what I like after having this install for a year is everything is installed and good to go. I could grab a drive from the shelf and swap them though...
 
My Windows Server 2008 install with updates and Office (word/powerpoint) was only 12.5 Gb. I am installing VS 2010 Prof which will get me to about 20Gb used. Not bad!
 
Enabling aero makes the GUI much more responsive. Do it. Doesn't add functionality, but makes life easier.

2008 makes a great workstation OS.
 
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