Windows 2008 R2 Server to Workstation Tips and Tricks.

So, I have started to use Server 2008R2 Standard as my workstation machine. It supports 8 gig of ram easily, DX 11 support, the new features. Technology marches on, and my long standing favourite of windows 2003 Enterprise 64bit has had to fall to the wayside to allow for new technology.

Windows 2008R2 Server is Microsoft's latest server operating system. Boasting new kernel technology, better multitasking and multithread support, IPV6 out of the box, and a bunch of other cool features, one of its outstanding features is that it installs clean, with nothing added into the OS. When you want features installed, you must install them manually one by one, allowing for great customisation of your server. Even basic features in windows 7 like aero is not installed. As well, all basic multimedia services and features are not installed, as being a server, there is no need for them.

So for those who like clean systems and want to customise it to their liking, 2008R2 fits the bill.

Of course, there is issues. It is a Server OS, not a desktop OS, so there are going to be issues. Some software refuses to either install or installs, and then refuses to run.

The windows 7 kernel is the same as the 2008R2 kernel, just like Server 2008 and Vista having the same kernel. Service packs for those operating systems are in the same package.

So as a workstation OS, 2k8R2 offers the same levels of security and stability as 7. 2k8R2 only comes in 64bit flavours as well, which can be another stumbling step for those after a conversion.

I would like at this point to point users to Here, as it is the basic first step at the conversion. There is a software package that allows for most of the basic conversions that allow audio to work, install Aero, windows imaging and other basic settings.

After running the software here you get your converted OS running in what amounts to a clean and fast windows 7 lookalike system.

Now comes the specifics and oddities that I have found in my own conversion experience.

So, what follows are a bunch of steps and programs that I have used to fix and modify 2008 to my own liking.

So...

Problem 1.
When I used 2003 server, I was fond of the windows classic interface. Fast, simple, minimalistic. As of windows 7, the windows classic menu that a lot of people are used to is GONE. There is no way to get it back, it just is not inside windows 7/2k8R2 anymore.
Solution! Classic Shell Menu!
An open source free replacement that gives you the windows classic menu back! Here is the site, I recommend donating, as this software is one of the most useful bits of software I have found for 2k8R2/W7.

Problem 2.
TweakUI. A lot of people remember and use/used a bit of software called TweakUi. Its been around for a decade, and its been finally outed. Refuses to run on W7/08R2, and if you manage to get the CPL file to load, most of the features refuse to work, or even crash.
TweakUI had a beautiful feature called X-Mouse. Its a feature "borrowed" from the *nix community GUI's and it offered the ability to bring to focus any window under the mouse, but not bring it forward. It saves a mouse click to activate an app, you just move your mouse over it.
W7/2k8r2 has a feature under Ease of Access that will activate and then bring forward any window. This is annoying as hell. Trust microsoft to break something thats been working fine for over 10 years.

There are two possible solutions.
Solution One is actually a little app that adds "true" x-mouse capability to windows. x-mouse is not just activate, its also a bunch of keypress free copy and paste functions. Most people dont use this, and its only really useful for those who use the native x-mouse capability of their *nix oses, and also use Windows. Here it is here. It however does have a problem with W7, as the taskbar jump lists and action center break when there is a 0ms delay on activation.

Solution Two.
Thanks to some fine registry hacking, I "broke" the ease of access functionality feature of bringing the windows to the foreground built into 2k8r2. I have stopped activated windows from coming forward, but still retain focus. I have also programmed in a 50ms delay instead of the 500ms delay. This brings more of the old school tweakui x-mouse functionality back to windows, without breaking aero peek, jump lists, and action center. You can change that delay, as some people can find it either too slow or too fast. Here is the registry key that brings back x-windows from the era of tweakui! Save it to your desktop, and you can either merge it, or edit first. The time delay is "ActiveWndTrackTimeout". Its set to a hex value of 64, which is 50 in decimal. You can modify that and test it if you want. Merge it, then logoff, log back on, and see if you like its settings. DONT change the preference mask. Its the magic value.
This registry key will possibly modify menu fading and animation effects, so you may have to reset them.

Problem 3.
Lack of tweaking software. As mention in problem two, tweak UI no longer works. However there are replacements out there.
Solution 1. XDN Tweaker. Made by a member of the something awful forums.
Solution 2. Ultimate Windows Tweak. From www.thewindowsclub.com
Solution 3. Workstation Convert by Sawo. from Here. The guide site for converting 2k8R2 to Workstation.

There are a bunch of other registry files and software packages that help with the conversion below.
None of these come with any kind of warranty, so if you break your machine, oh well.

This software allows you to change your logon wallpaper.

IRPstacksize increase. Helps with odd network issues.

Move background tasks lower in priority. Helps with media playing if you have problems. Its not needed usually.

Orca MSI editor. Ideal for modiying MSI install files to work on 2008 R2.

Display Fusion. Perfect Multi Monitor software. Buy it, its worth it!

Cheers.