“Workstation” 2008 – four months later

It’s been a little over four months since I made the switch to Windows “Workstation” 2008 as my primary OS environment. Previously, I had struggled to make the generally sluggish and disappointing Windows Vista perform adequately as a Visual Studio development platform. However, the layers of DRM baggage and consumer-centric fluff made life under Vista unbearable –- to the point where I even dabbled with Linux for a while as a possible replacement.

When I finally tried Windows Server 2008 it was like a revelation. This was how a “power user” Windows was supposed to behave: Lean, efficient, and highly reliable. Since then, I’ve been sailing along nicely under my “Workstation” 2008 configuration, and I’ve picked up some tips and pointers along the way that I think are worth sharing.

1. If you’re looking for information on converting Server 2008 to “Workstation” 2008, check out www.win2008workstation.com. A kind of clearinghouse for “Workstation” 2008 tips and techniques, this blogs- and forum-oriented site provides a comprehensive guide to configuring the OS, enabling missing desktop features, and generally making Server 2008 livable as a workstation environment. The site’s author has even documented the entire conversion process in a handy PDF file that you can download for free from the site.
2. If you’re not in the mood to “RTFM,” grab a copy of the free Windows 2008 Workstation Converter utility from site regular “sawo.” Providing an easy-to-use, automated interface to the majority of changes outlined in the aforementioned conversion PDF guide, this tool makes it easy to quickly convert a fresh Server 2008 install without hacking the registry or manually installing/enabling lots of services and features. I only wish it had been around when I did my own conversion back in March. A must-have for anyone dabbling with a Server 2008-based desktop.
3. While most applications install just fine under “Worsktation” 2008, you will occasionally encounter a product that objects to being installed onto a “server” version of Windows. Typically, these products come in both desktop- and server-specific flavors, with the latter being the more comprehensive –- and thus expensive -– solution. In some cases, the OS detection logic is hard-coded into the installation process. In others, it’s simply that the vendor has configured a specific set of LaunchCondition variables in one or more MSI files. For this latter scenario, you can use the free Orca MSI editor utility to delete the LaunchCondition entries and free up the MSI so that it installs on any Windows version. Check out the special sub-section on the www.win2008workstation.com site for more information.

Overall, I’m genuinely pleased with “Workstation” 2008. With previous versions, I’ve found that I needed to do a fresh install of Windows every 2-3 months to regain performance lost to Registry bloat, code creep, etc. This hasn’t been the case with “Workstation” 2008. For the first time in recent memory, I have no desire to tinker with my Windows installation. “Workstation” 2008 has turned my Dell notebook into a well-oiled machine, one that never gets sluggish and that I rarely have to reboot. Here’s to hoping Microsoft is paying attention and incorporates the lessons and experiences of its guerrilla “Workstation” 2008 fans when tuning Windows 7.

Related articles Death match: Windows Vista versus XP Product review: Windows Server 2008 is the host with the most, and the perfect guest