[Tutorial] Enable Aero and multimedia features in Windows Server 2008

[NIM]

For all those wanting to know Media Player 11 is in Server 2008 "YES"

you just have to enable it. Other features like the Sidebar are also enabled too.

How to do this:

1. Open the Server Manager

2. Scroll down to the Features Summary and go to Add Features

3. Now tick the following:

Desktop Experience

Quality Windows Audio Video Experience

4. Now hit install (a reboot is required after the installation)

5. After the following have been installed go to Personalization - Theme and look for Aero.msstyles

(eg. C:/WINDOWS/Resources/Themes)

6. Finally go to the Window Colour and Apperence and open the classic apperence properties and Windows Aero should be listed select it and apply and ok.

7 Now you should have Aero Glass and other Media applications like Windows Media Player 11, Windows Photo Gallery, Windows Sidebar etc.

[windowsguy]

wierd..

i didnot no that server 08 had aero

[MrNxDmX]

Thanks for the tip.

Its working great for me. Using windows sidebar, photo gallery, aero, wmp11. I couldnt find media center

But this is enough for me. I got the OS from ms download center. It says build6001: service pack 1, v.126

Will expire on 08.04.2008.

[windowsguy]

what do it look like w/o aero, wmp

[//WIN//]

Ehm, i know that this it's a old topic, but do you know if that i can enable Aero following that example in the Stable Release of Windows Server 2008?

Thranks, And Greetings From Argentina

[NIM]

I'm not sure, but surely can try it

Ehm, i know that this it's a old topic, but do you know if that i can enable Aero following that example in the Stable Release of Windows Server 2008?

Thranks, And Greetings From Argentina

[MrNxDmX]

Yep, you can do that. Just use a theme that uses aero functionality, like Vista Glass theme.

JUst dont forget to enable the "Themes" and "Windows Audio" and "Windows Audio Endpoint Builder" services in services.msc.

I've been using aero on my real machine till i've formatted it (more than 2 months). Also, i've setup a wim file that installs required Features (Desktop Experience, Quality Windows Audio Video Experience), added my own language pack, also i've modded Ricks Sidebar addons and it works perfect here

I've collected reg tweaks in order to easily make 2008 a workstation. Will share them later here.

I just couldnt manage to make applications run during setup. I got errors with my xml file, that i'm still working on them.

I love 2K8 that it runs much more faster than Vista, also it has nearly all GUI experience that Vista has.

I've added Wallpapers from Vista and Win7, User Account Pictures, Pictures, Sounds from Win7. Will share them all.

Movie Maker 2,6 works on 2008 too. The only thing i couldnt run is Media Center.

Cheers

Edit: Here's a screenie for you:

PS: Yes, Winodws DreamScene works too

Edited June 24, 2008 by MrNxDmX

[Kelsenellenelvian]

I WANT THAT THEME!!!

Pretty please???

[//WIN//]

Ok, thranks, well i will make a question, i have this in my PC:

AMD Phenom 9750 (QuadCore)

2GB Ram

320GB Hard Disk

And the Operative Sistem it's Windows Vista Home Premium, i use the PC for Games, and i need a Operative System that have a good administration of ram, etc. I have listen that Windows 2008 Server its better than vista, is that true? It Have DirectX10? Im asking that because I have a some problems with Vista...

[MrNxDmX]

Get it here kelso

@ //WIN//: This explains ur question imo:

But, i know that some games requre the gameux.dll file to be present on system. After adding that, you shouldnt have any other problems with 2008 though.

I've played Need For Speed Carbon, Battle For Middle Earth (1+2) with success. I'm not a game fan, but those runs perfect here.

And ur system seems a lot better than mine, mine has only 1gig ram and its not quad core (and still runs great)

And finally, there are lots of forums on net that are talking about modifying 2008 for being a super workstation os. There are guides on msfn.org too. But this one is my favourite: http://www.win2008workstation.com/wordpress/

You might want to check this out (msdn blog): http://blogs.msdn.com/vijaysk/archive/2008...desktop-os.aspx and this one too: http://www.tech-forums.net/pc/f9/windows-w...testing-169556/

Cheers

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Mwahhaahahahh THAT THEME ROX!!!

[NIM]

Cheers MrNxDmX, very useful to know this

[MrNxDmX]

You both welcome

[//WIN//]

Wow, well it seems that i will have to buy or download a Windows 2008 CD, Thranks!

[MrNxDmX]

Get the enterprise one here: Windows Server 2008 Enterprise

You can see other useful links here: Trial Software

No need to buy it, you can use it as trial for 240 days

Thats official not warez

[rubab]

Can anyone kindly post the MD5 Hash of the Windows Server 2008 Enterprise . I mean this file 6001.18000.080118-1840_x86fre_Server_en-us-KRMSFRE_EN_DVD.iso

Thanks everyone but at last i found it. Here they are:

6001.18000.080118-1840_x86fre_Server_en-us-KRMSFRE_EN_DVD.iso

MD5: 89fbc4c7baafc0b0c05f0fa32c192a17

SHA1: f3932932e41a0a29b11eb2e4aad6ac7ac1bc565a

CRC32: c3866280

6001.18000.080118-1840_amd64fre_Server_en-us-KRMSXFRE_EN_DVD.iso

MD5: 0477c88678efb8ebc5cd7a9e9efd8b82

SHA1: c5541e66803e99cb4573fdae385028e42a39cef8

CRC32: 3d521f73

6001.18000.080118-1840_x86fre_ServerWeb_en-us-KRMWFRE_EN_DVD.iso

MD5: A95097778CB2B20B53C8C73A039E6897

SHA1: 5ECE3AAA878DB003728D75A9E617D5D1F3812D84

CRC32: DC3A250A

6001.18000.080118-1840_amd64fre_ServerWeb_en-us-KRMWXFRE_EN_DVD.iso

MD5: a95ad42cee261333d28891f4868e6d3b

SHA1: 6152d188b9ba47b38583eabfca418d81abe22800

CRC32: 0ed04d3e

6001.18000.080118-1840_ia64fre_ServerEnterpriseIA64_en-us-KRMIAIFRE_EN_DVD.iso

MD5: 76e203f03a537f846e1a997e9d79f5b8

SHA1: 791ce2a395e74df7915aa6746242efe521516128

CRC32: a7a9fadd

Edited July 26, 2008 by rubab

[Jonnyboy]

Get it here kelso

Some very nice backgrounds in this theme.

BTW How do you enable dreamscenes?

Edited August 13, 2008 by Jonnyboy

[shahed]

i've setup a wim file that installs required Features (Desktop Experience, Quality Windows Audio Video Experience)

How did you do that? i have been trying to get desktop experience and other stuffs installed via xml, but no luck yet. i use Servermanagercmd to install features on first logon, which is quite time consuming and boring...lol.

Can you please tell me how you got Features (Desktop Experience, Quality Windows Audio Video Experience) setted up in your wim file.

I got everything setted up in my server 2008 install.wim, including dreamscene sidebar, tvcard(bda), themes, etc....except for desktop experience.

Please let me know. thanks

EDIT:

I finally got it.

Edited February 25, 2009 by shahed

[AMIRZ]

Thanks everyone for the info

[Jatin Beniwal]

Gr8 Guide

[IiTz ShAnE]

Nice. Would it be possible to do all this to include in a custom build. I'm planning on doing one you see and well so save users the job really.