Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Installation and Configuration
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If you spend enough time working with Windows Server 2003, you undoubtedly will be required to install this software on multiple systems. This job can be more "interesting" than it has to be - not to mention that it can take more time than you may want it to.
This chapter provides some fact-filled sources of information, some tried-and-true guidelines, and some great repair tools and techniques to help you successfully survive the Windows Server 2003 installation process. Knowing these ten tips and not needing them is better than not knowing and needing them.
Exceed the Minimum Requirements
Table 22-1 offers a quick rundown of the minimum requirements to run Windows Server 2003 (and bonus realistic recommendations).
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| Item | Minimum Requirement | Recommended |
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| CD-ROM | None | CD-ROM (12X or better) or DVD player |
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| CPU | Pentium 133 MHz | Pentium 550 MHz or better |
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| Disk space | 1.5GB+free | 4GB free or more |
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| Display | VGA | SVGA 800 x 600 or better |
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| Floppy drive | 3.5 inch (optional) | 3.5 inch |
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| NIC | At least one | PCI bus mastering NIC (at least 32 bit) |
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| Pointing device | MS-Mouse or compatible (optional) | MS-Mouse or compatible |
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| RAM | 128MB or more | 256MB or more (4GB max) |
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To configure a production server to simply meet the minimum requirements is a recipe for disaster. The performance (or lack thereof) you'd be able to squeeze out from such a machine would have a mob of users at your heels in no time at all.
When building a Windows Server 2003 computer, more of just about everything is better: This applies to more powerful (and more) CPUs, more RAM, and more powerful network interface cards (NICs). Servers do their things in quiet obscurity in most cases, so you don't have to install a 16MB graphics adapter, a fancy monitor, or a top-dollar mouse or touchpad. You can opt to skip the CD-ROM or DVD player on the Windows Server 2003 computer as long as you can access the server across the network from another machine where the contents of the CD-ROM have been copied to a hard drive.
| Warning | If you install Windows Server 2003 on a machine that doesn't include a NIC, you won't be able to install or configure any of its network- related aspects. We're convicted that there's no point to installing a server that's not attached to a network, so don't install Windows Server 2003 on a machine unless it has a NIC (even better, a NIC connected to a real, live network). |
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