Windows server 2003 on Vostro 1400

Hi, I've recently bought a Dell Vostro 1400 with Vista Basic. I'll soon receive both a Windows Vista Business and a Windows Server 2003 license through my IEEE computer membership (Microsoft is offering them for free for student members through msdn).
I'd like to install Server 2003 as a workstation OS on my laptop since it's the closest thing to XP and I haven't much money to buy a retail XP license. So, my question is: Will the drivers for XP work on server 2003? will I have to renounce to some of the functionality of my laptop to use 2003 or should I install Vista Business?

Thanks a lot,
Gaston

PS. Sorry for my English grammar, it is not my native language.

 

why would you install server 2003 and use it as a workstation os?

stick with xp or vista for home use. just because you have the license doesnt mean you NEED to use it.

 

Well, the thing is that I really don't like Vista and I don't have a license for XP for this laptop.

 

doesnt your msdnaa give you an xp pro license?

 

No. Only Vista, Server, and Visual Studio and Project. It's not a full license, the academic ones are limited (at least those that are offered through my IEEE membership).

 

That stinks...I have three different msdnaa memberships through different universities (don't ask) and they all have about 30 software licenses including xp on each.

If your really unhappy with vista, microsoft had a downgrade program where they let you convert your vista license to xp. I forget the link, but if you google it you should be able to find what i am talking about.

 

Install W2K3 then get a program that will turn on the services that will make it function like XP. I can't remember the program used it a while ago and it was in a review here 2 weeks ago.

Here's the tricky part. Drivers. You should try to get as many of the W2k3 drivers and install as possible but you won't get everything. So using the transformation program you can use XP drivers.

You should install W2K3 then the drivers for 2k3 then the program to do the transformation then XP drivers then install your apps.

2K3 is way better than all the current OS's out. It's got a newer kernal for better mem mgmt and better CPU timing. No matter how you tweak XP to use memory or CPU timing it'll never be as good as 2K3. I get to use it all the time on Servers and once on my own home workstation. If IBM didn't have their own preinstall I'd set my laptop up with 2K3 again.

If you're savvy enough I'd go with 2K3 over XP anyday.

 

Does anyone know if the driver model changed from XP to Server 2003?

 

Server 2003 has more in common with Vista than XP. Just as 2000 was "built on NT", so Vista was "built on 2k3".

edit: my point is that if you "really don't like Vista", you're probably really not going to like 2K3 either.

 

Thing is all three are very similar. Which is why you get some people using XP drivers on Vista.

All these new MS operating systems are very similar to 2K which started the whole NT method of OS.

All MS did was tweak out of box policies and used updated kernels in each iteration. W2K3 is a REALLY REALLY polished kernel that they later bloated to create Vista.

There is a downside to using W2K3 most utility software will require Server license editions.

 

Well, server's got the XP UI and that's what I dislike about vista.

 

yeah, i thought vista was built off of 2003...

 

You can turn all of that off and use the XP Style.

If that's all that's holding you back from Vista it's not worth the trouble for W2K3. If you're looking for total performance and it's worth it for you to tweak things then W2K3 will give it to you.

 

While Vista is built upon 2K3, 2K3 took a different approach to the technology. 2K3 is like XP Pro in it's execution. A no-nonsense basic tried and true workstation/Server.

Vista Business was supposed to take the place XP Pro on Desktops but it went over the heads of many people. There's a learning curve, while for home use this is fine but when you're just using it for spread sheets and Email in business why should there be a learning curve?

 

Even disabling most services and switching back to the classic UI vista performs worse than xp on the other computers I've tried it.

 

That's a given. I'd say try out W2K3 and if it doesn't work for you go back to Vista. It's best to do this before you get too much time invested in the OS and the back up process becomes harder.

 

Yep, that's what I'll do, but the question remains, are the xp drivers stable under 2003?

 

They'll react pretty much the same way as on XP with the odd one sometimes acting up. Like I said you gotta be pretty savvy and willing to do some testing.

In most cases I've had no problems.

 

Alright, thanks a lot. I'll try to install 2003 and I'll post my findings when I'm done.