Windows server


Haydon

Haydon

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Many, many moons ago, I experimented with a trial version of Windows server that I installed on a typical office machine (not server hardware)

The difference was like driving a car vs riding a bicycle.

What makes Windows server so good?

I drive a car in real life, I don't even own a bicycle. Why should I not drive a 'computer car' instead of riding a 'computer bicycle'?
 

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I'm not sure what your point is but if you're asking why not run Windows Server on your desktop instead of a desktop version of Windows it might have something to do with the price of the software.
 

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Windows 11 Professional 25H2Intel Core i9 11900K64GBNVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
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Windows 11 Professional 25H2
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Digital Storm VELOX
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Intel Core i9 11900K
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Haydon said:
The difference was like driving a car vs riding a bicycle.

What makes Windows server so good?
Click to expand...
@jimbo45 swears by it....

W22 Server Free 180 days evaluation -- how to extend period - works (legally)

Hi folks If you want to try and learn things about Windows servers then the W22 server Free evaluation is great -- It's a sort of W10/W11 hybrid - very fast and efficient and a great learning tool when at home etc -- and you don't have access to Ms courses etc. I've messed around with mine to...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com
 

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    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

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    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
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    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
The issue of running Windows server, aside from the obvious price implications, will usually boil down to third party software designed for home use which may or may not install on a server based operating system. Many of these vendors also have a commercial or enterprise application that is intended for a server install and this will be substantially more expensive.

Server is streamlined and has less desktop type things implemented. You typically have less eyecandy type GUI features on the server version.

Windows always offers a 180 day trial and you and rearm the trial a few different times, so you can run on a trial of Windows server for likely 2 years before you have to actually reinstall the software and start fresh.
 

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    Mini PC used for testing Windows 11.

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Yes, I meant running Windows server as a desktop OS.

It is not terribly expensive, Windows server 2022 essentials costs about double Windows 11 Pro (official MS prices)

On my 'essentials' I was able to run all of my common office productivity apps. It even has a browser to load a server with AdWare and PUPs, LOL. But no kidding, windows server has no special hardening against malware, I expected better at the time.
 

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OldMainframeGuy said:
I'm not sure what your point is but if you're asking why not run Windows Server on your desktop instead of a desktop version of Windows it might have something to do with the price of the software.
Click to expand...
180 days free trial and then extendable up to 5 times via slmgr -rearm !!
Cheers
jimbo
 

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2 X Intel i7
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pparks1 said:
The issue of running Windows server, aside from the obvious price implications, will usually boil down to third party software designed for home use which may or may not install on a server based operating system. Many of these vendors also have a commercial or enterprise application that is intended for a server install and this will be substantially more expensive.

Server is streamlined and has less desktop type things implemented. You typically have less eyecandy type GUI features on the server version.

Windows always offers a 180 day trial and you and rearm the trial a few different times, so you can run on a trial of Windows server for likely 2 years before you have to actually reinstall the software and start fresh.
Click to expand...
Hi there
The only product that I can't run on it is Macrium as it DOES detect a server.

Licensed Retail Office runs perfectly (LTSC 2021) without requiring CAL (Client access licenses). Photoshop / Lightroom also. Even VBOX and VMWare run on the thing without complaining that it's a server.

The only issue is to remove some of the nag things when running a server that you don't need as a desktop and install a decent desktop W10/W11 theme,-- otherwise it does work perfectly -- and is probably a better bet than the basic "Server essentials" version although that's fine if you want to run some VM's on it and are good with scripts / command line.

Cheers
jimbo
 

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Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-releas...2 X Intel i7
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Windows XP,11 Linux Fedora Rawhide pre-release 45
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PC/Desktop
CPU
2 X Intel i7
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4KUHD X 2
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