Things in Win XP but not in Windows 2003 Server


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I just realised how much I miss System Restore... I accidentally added the Windows Media Player update from a few days ago on 2003 and it no longer worked (WMP9)... it took a deletion of my dllcache directory and disabling Windows File Protection to re-install it - normal reinstall would not work, although System Restore would have.

Wish they had left that in though - there are some administrators (not many) that aren't (this would be me) 1337 gurus... =)

Still, something I wish was in there...

i got the intelli mouse software to install using Install shield Developer Trial version. All i did was edit the .MSI file and removed the OS check and the Custom Scripts which Auto detect the mouse and keyboard. And it seems to work fine. i appear to have all the options in the control excpet the battery option were it checks your batter state. Other than that it works fine. I downloaded the version from microsoft and with power arc 8 i extracted the contents to the desktop the i edited the .MSI file and installed it. You have to run the .MSI in the Directory it is in because the other setup routines check the os also. I used Virtual pc to check it and it works.

can you please zip the modified IntelliMouse software and put it on ftp?

it should be around 10 mb... :cool:

or send it to my email?

Thanks!

RD

  • 2 weeks later...
Actually both Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching are still there "hidden" in Windows Server 2003. I got them unlocked by an easy way.

You need Windows Server 2003 "converted" to Windows XP Professional 2003 by ntswitch

Insall StyleXP and don't worry about it saying: Cannot enable under this build

Go to Logons and simply turn on Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching.

You are done! :)

Please Note: This is useful to you only if you are intended to use Windows Server 2003 as a workstation!

I've tried to see if I could find this in the forums, but have been, as yet, unsuccessful. I followed the above-mentioned procedure. I do, in fact, have "Switch User" as an option, but whenever I click it, I'm presented with the "This computer is in use and has been locked..." window.

Has anyone else run into this. It will mostly likely end up being something I've overlooked (at least I hope). I'm using the eval version from Microsoft for now. I've read many of the reviews that indicated it would be a superior workstation OS to Windows XP, but will have a hard time selling my wife on it if Fast User Switching isn't an option.

Nevermind everyone. Strangely enough, after a series of non-related system reboots, I've begun receiving the Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching is enabled. I'd have to say I'm impressed so far. Thanks to everone who's posted and compiled the information about how to accomplish this.

v\r

bitzer

You need Windows Server 2003 "converted" to Windows XP Professional 2003 by ntswitch

Insall StyleXP and don't worry about it saying: Cannot enable under this build

Go to Logons and simply turn on Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching.

You are done! :)

Please Note: This is useful to you only if you are intended to use Windows Server 2003 as a workstation!

Hang on. Are you saying you used NTSwitch to permenantly switch your OS to an 2003 XP OS? So what happens if you switch back again? Do you still get the welcome screens?

I don't really want to switch back full time to a workstation OS, it would kind of defeat the onbject of what I'm doing. Anyway I've had mixed luck with NTswitch, the last time I tried it it locked me out and Windows told me that it couldn't check product activation.

Easy enough to fix though I guess by just switching back again.

Q

Here's an nb. Don't do it, don't let your curiosity get the better of your good judgement. I just tested NTswitch and it hosed my Corporate install. Lol, oh well I guess somebody had to test the theory to try it out. MS have deliberately f*cked up NTswitch compatability, at least in their corporate versions. I mean what kind of lunatic would try to change a perfectly good $3000 server into a workstation? Erm... me maybe..? Oh what the hell, I hadn't done anything critical to it, just a bit of customisation.

Q

Hang on. Are you saying you used NTSwitch to permenantly switch your OS to an 2003 XP OS? So what happens if you switch back again? Do you still get the welcome screens?

I don't really want to switch back full time to a workstation OS, it would kind of defeat the onbject of what I'm doing. Anyway I've had mixed luck with NTswitch, the last time I tried it it locked me out and Windows told me that it couldn't check product activation.

Easy enough to fix though I guess by just switching back again.

Q

If you switch back to Server mode, then the Welcome Screen doesn't work - it goes back to classic log-in system.

For workstations: Windows XP Professional Version 2003

For servers: Windows Server 2003

Well I use it for a bit of both really. Maybe once all the hacks have been found I wont be curious any more and wont ever use it again. Mind you finding these hacks isn't easy, especially when you have a forum mod like creamcrakered who jumps up and down all the time shouting about how W2K03 isn't a workststion. Who cares if its a workstation or not? Its the hacking and making it do things it wasn't supposed to that intests me. Simple curiosity is what motivates me, not financial gain or prestige of any kind. I don't really get it. I mean people come here and ask questions about 2K03 as a workstation and then get it in the kneck for asking. Which pretty much sucks, since it was the offical Neowin guide that caused them to be curious in the first place. If you don't want people to ask about this, why not just take down the guide? Otherwise comming in here and shouting about it is just pure hypocrisy, plain and simple.

Then he goes about deleting links to leaked service packs and calling them spam, I mean come on, it isn't the first time (not by a very long shot) that there have been leaked beta service packs on Neowin. The only difference here is that most of them made the front page. (Hmm. did I use the word hypocrisy once already?) Then he goes about calling everyone pirates, like it isn't possible to download a totally legitamate free 180 day evaluation copy and hack away to your hearts content. I mean, what the hell does it matter to this guy anyway?

Anyway I'm p i s s e d off that my link was deleted and p i s s e d off at being insulted by a mod who thinks he's so important no one can do anything about it.

Well just a brief reminder, he may be a mod on this forum, but no way ever is he mod of my life or anything I may choose to do, legal, illegal or otherwise - provided I don't bring any illegal content to this site. In the meantime I don't need any moral advice about what I do, or don't get up to in my spare time in the priacy of my own home. But as soon as I do, you can be sure the last person I will ask is this guy.

Free speach and Neowin? Lol those were the days...

Q

Ps

How about this for a power trip mod? Are you going to delete my post and shout about how its in the wrong section? Or will you move it to the correct section? I would do that myself, but sadly you closed that thread. So it isn't possible, since you have now closed the 'correct' section. (Exactly to escape criticism like this I suspect).

  • 2 weeks later...
can you please  zip the modified IntelliMouse software and put it on ftp?

it should be around 10 mb...  :cool:

or send it to my email?

Thanks!

RD

yes please...can you send me a link to intellimosue software..the win2k3 version *LOL* i am getting a new mouse and would like to install the intellimose software on my win2k3 system

I got the InstallShield demo, and I was able to figure out what to disable for the OS check, now I just can't figure out what else needs to be done. If I run the msi in debug mode, it all installs without errors, but the intellitype doesn't actually function.

  • 1 month later...
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