RJNox

Windows Server 2008 R2 is the server version of Windows 7. It is built on the same Windows NT version (6.1) as Windows 7 is. Although it is designed to be as secure as possible and focus on background processes, it can be configured to function like a desktop operating system.

The first thing you'd probably want to do is enable wireless LAN:

1. Open Server Manager
2. Select Features from the tree-view on the left
3. Click Add Features
4. Check Wireless LAN

At this stage you can also install the Desktop Experience feature but make sure you have downloaded and installed the your graphics card driver beforehand.

• Check Desktop Experience (along with .NET Framework 3.5.1)
• Click Next
• Wait for features to be installed and configured and computer to restart

Now that you have your video card driver and desktop experience installed, you can enable the aero theme by doing the following:

1. Open Services
2. Click on Themes and the service
3. Set it to Automatic and click Apply.
4. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize
5. Choose the Windows 7 theme

You can also download more Windows 7 themes and backgrounds from here and use one of them if you desire. Now, you may be wondering why you can't hear any sounds. To fix this:

1. Open Services
2. Click on Windows Audio and start the service
   
3. Set it to Automatic and click Apply.
4. Click on Windows Audio Endpoint Builder and start the service
5. Set it to Automatic and click Apply.
6. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize
   
7. Click on Sounds (along the bottom)
8. Change Sound Scheme to Windows Default

By default, a Windows Server operating system tells the processor to give priority to the background services since 90% of the time there is no user using the machine to open any applications. But to ensure your applications get all the processor power they need, follow these steps:

1. Open Advanced System Settings (in computer properties)
2. Go to the Advanced tab
3. Click Settings in the Performance group-box
4. Go to the Advanced tab
5. Select Programs under Processor Scheduling
6. Click Apply

You may have noticed that Internet Explorer blocks many websites, this is because Internet Explorer Enchanced Security (IE ESC) is enabled. To disable it:

1. Open Server Manager
2. Go to the root of the tree-view
3. Scroll down to Securtiy Infomation
4. Click Configure IE ESC
5. Select Off for your desired user group(s)
6. Click Apply

Server operating systems rely very much on logs so that the server administrator knows what problems have occurred and possibly why. This is why it asks you for a reason that the server's being shutdown. If you'd rather not have this then:

1. Open Run (from the Start menu)
2. Type gpedit.msc and click OK
3. Expand Administrative Templates (under Computer Configuration)
4. Select the System folder below
5. In the right pane, locate then open Display Shutdown Event Tracker
6. Choose Disable
7. Click Apply

If you are fussed about having to press CTRL+ALT+DEL before you enter your password for login then do this:

1. Open Local Security Policy (under Administrative Tools)
2. Expand Local Policies
3. Select Security Options
4. In the right pane, locate Interactive logon: Do not require CTRL+ALT+DEL
5. Open it and select Enabled
6. Click Apply

That concludes this article, I hope this has been of great help to you. If you have any problems or queries then please comment.

Until next time,

Kind Regards,

R.J Nox