Installing Windows Server 2003
This morning I'm installing Windows Server 2003 for the first time. I always work on XP Pro on my development machine, but a change that good friend Dave Wanta requested can only be tested on Win2k3.
I'm using Virtual PC 2004, something that I've meant to blog about for some time. I already use VPC extensively to test ASP.NET 2.0 and SQL Server Express 2005 - VPC allows me to install the latest betas with no possibility of it messing up my day-to-day o/s!
The key for me is the ability to close the sessions without saving; leaving it always clean ready for more testing.
For those who haven't used it; read about VPC and download a 45 day trial from Microsoft. Others swear by VMware.
I didn't think the opening paragraphs of that page make it very clear how VPC works though; VPC allows you to create new virtual computers that run in a window. You install almost whatever o/s you'd like onto that computer. When you "turn on" these VPC sessions it even goes through the bios boot sequence!
Handy Tips:
- Note that VPC does not come with free licenses of o/s to run in these sessions. You'll need MSDN, Action Pack or perhaps a free trial to get the o/s.
- When running VPC your mouse might get captured and not be able to leave the VPC window. Press the Right Alt key to release the mouse. (Forget this and you are screwed)
- Create variations by having a base VPC with just the o/s, then more with .NET 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0 installed, and still more with SQL Server versions installed, etc. This allows you to test many different combinations very easily. Investigate Differencing disks on Google. I use them successfully, but there are caveats.