I decided I was going to run Windows 2008 Server on my Asus G2S Laptop.

Not just any version, but the full blown 64bit version with Hyper-V. I found the experience Amazing. My Laptop runs much faster, and is rock solid. I even got Power Management to work the way I would expect. So here is what you need to know to do it for yourself on your Laptop or desktop.

Determine if your machine supports 64 bits and Hyper-V

SecureAble by Gibson Research Corp. supports both vendors, Intel and AMD, and determines 3 important processor features: Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Ability to run 64 bit code, and Support for hardware virtualization.

Now that you have determined if you can run 64 or 32 bit, and with or with out Hyper-V you are ready to do the install.

Install Windows 2008 Server:

You will be doing a clean install. Doing an upgrade leaves clutter that will slow you down, and since you can only upgrade from 2003 Server you likely have no choice.

The install is very straight forward. Just enter the Registration Key at the appropriate time and wait for the install to complete.

Once it is complete we need to add some features.

You need to add the Desktop Experience, Group Policy Mangement, Quality Windows Audio Video Experience and the Wireless Lan Service.

Do a reboot.

Now we need to start all of those services:

· Audio

· Windows AudioEndpointBuilder

· Themes

· Quality Windows Audio Video Experience

· Superfetch

To make Surfing work as it does on a desktop you need to Configure the Enhanced Security of IE.

Open mmc.msc

Add the Group Policy snap-in

Under Administrative Templates expand System

Set Display Shutdown Event Tracer to Disabled

Install your video drivers, and you are off to the races.

If you want to run the aero theme to look like Vista, just go in to control panel and set your theme to Aero.

Voila!

Overall Experience:

Windows 2008 Server even as 64 bit seems to run everything I have thrown at it.  Video Editing, Games, anything that would run on Vista seems just as happy on 2008 Server.  Anything that doesn’t run well I can run in Virtual Machines, which are a lot faster on 2008 with Hyper-V than any virtual machine I have played with.

Drivers for Vista 64 work just fine.

I installed Glide Point for 64 bit Vista to get my track pad working with scroll functions, that was the only "weirdness". 

I was unable to get my "Turbo Memory" from Intel to work.  This is essentially a always present Readyboost drive.  I’m confident I will figure out why this isn’t working.  It didn’t work under XP either, so I didn’t lose anything.

My Webcam connected right away.  My OLED doesn’t seem to work but I don’t really care.  A Definite bonus was that the RED LED on my track pad doesn’t light up on 2k8, (I hated that thing).