Windows 2003 eXPerience Edition Rev01——BT
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eXPerience Presents...
Windows 2003 eXPerience Edition Rev01
Unattended 3-in-1 Multi-Boot CD
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Thank you for trying this eXPerience edition of Server 2003.
Based on Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition SP2 Corporate,
this custom edition of Windows is up to date as of July 2007.
All hotfixes (Windows Updates) after SP2 are integrated into
this installation and also, Internet Explorer 7 and Windows
Media Player 11 are both integrated.
This special edition of Windows Server 2003 has been
fully tweaked to work as a desktop operating system.
Some items have been removed from this edition of Windows in order
to fit the added drivers on the CD. Please see below for a full list
of removed items. This installation is not a "Tiny2003" installation
and Windows is very close to being fully functional.
This info guide is split into the following sections:
[INSTALLATION]
[REGISTRY TWEAKS]
[WPI]
[eXPerience Desktop Folder]
[DRIVERS]
[REMOVED COMPONENTS]
[INCLUDED HOTFIXES]
[GENERAL INFORMATION]
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[INSTALLATION]
Only install this Operating System onto a freshly formatted partition
or hard drive. You cannot upgrade Windows or install this edition of
Windows from within Windows itself. To install, you must set your PC
in the BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD-ROM drive first, then reboot with
this CD in the drive and press enter when the message comes on. When
you press enter, you will see the following three choices:
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1 - Install Windows With Driverpacks (Recommended)
2 - Install Windows Without Driverpacks
3 - Boot Into Acronis Backup + Restore
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Option 1: This will install Windows with complete support for SATA
hard disks and other Mass Storage devices. You do not have to load
your own SATA driver or press F6. As well as SATA drivers, this
option also includes many more drivers - see below for the full
list of added drivers.
Option 2: This will install Windows normally, there are drivers that
are already in Windows itself, but this option does not install any
of the additional drivers from Option 1. This is here as a choice
in case you have problems with any of the drivers from Option 1, or
if you just want to install your own drivers.
Option 3: This will boot into the "Acronis True Image Home 10" boot
CD - with this, you can easily back up your current Windows partition,
or restore a previous backup. NOTE: You must have a spare partition or
disk thats a seperate partition to back up Windows, for example, you
have a 120Gb hard drive, if this was split into two partitions, one is
20Gb (C:\ for Windows) and one is 100Gb (D:\ for storage) then you can
boot from this Acronis option and back up the C:\ drive onto the D:\
drive. When you back up a partition thats say 20Gb, your backup is not
going to be 20Gb in size... Acronis does not take empty space into
account and so you could in theory back up a 500Gb drive and if it
only had 1Gb of data on it, your backup of the 500Gb drive would only
be 1Gb (or even less because Acronis can also compress the backup)
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[REGISTRY TWEAKS]
All of the things in Server 2003 that would normally stop you
using it as a desktop OS have been tweaked, this includes:
Server 2003 services are disabled
Able to detect added external drives (External USB drives)
Disabled query when copying/moving files from a network drive
Does not show "Windows Server Post Setup Security Updates"
Disabled "Manage Your Server" wizard on Startup
Enabled "DirectDraw" and "Direct3D" in DirectX Diagnostic Tool
Programs are set so they have priority over background applications
Disabled all "Ctrl+Alt+Del" prompts (login, resume & standby)
Windows Audio Service is started
Windows Themes Service is started
Disabled Shutdown Event Tracker
These tweaks are just the tip of the iceberg, there are more than
230 tweaks altogether! These tweaks are to give you the best user
experience when using Windows.
There are far too many tweaks to list here, if you want to look at
the entire list of 230+ tweaks, please see this file on the CD:
"TS01\$OEM$\OTHER\List Of Tweaks.txt"
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[WPI]
After the installation of Windows, you will see a green square icon
on your desktop called "Install Programs". This is a Windows Post
Install wizard where you can instantly install the following items:
DirectX DLL Libraries - D3DX9_24.dll to D3DX9_33.dll
Flash Player for IE7 - v9.0.28.0
FoxIt PDF Reader Pro - v2.0 Build 1312
Movie Maker - Windows XP Movie Maker
Perfectdisk Defrag - v8.0.64
Prio Task Manager Plugin - v1.9.6c
Sygate Firewall - v5.6.3408
uTorrent BT Client - v1.6.1.490
WinRAR - v3.70
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[eXPerience Desktop Folder]
This folder will save you a lot of trouble!
This folder contains helpful tools and accessories,
specifically for use with Server 2003...
Change Windows Product Key - This is a one-click program that will
automatically change your Windows Product Key to a unique generated
random key.
Data Execution Prevention (DEP) - This is normally enabled in Windows,
but certain programs, like for example DVD Shrink, will not work, so
by default in this eXPerience Edition, DEP is disabled. You can enable
or disable this again, with the two files included in this folder.
Desktop Icon Layout - This adds 2 options when you right click the
recycle bin, "Save Desktop Icon Layout" and "Restore Desktop Icon
Layout". This is handy in case you change your monitor resolution
and doing this moves your icons into the top left corner of your
screen, you can just restore the icons to their original position
as long as you already saved the layout. If you do not want these
two options on your context menu, you can easily remove them again
by running the "REMOVE.reg" registry file included in this folder.
File Sharing Fix Tool - People have trouble with file sharing on a
home based network in Server 2003. With this fix, you are able to
share a hard drive so other users on your network can access that
drive from their machine. NOTE: This does not actually "share" the
whole drive, it only makes it possible to share files and folders
on that drive. This can apply to a drive, a folder or just a single
file. You still have to share the folder the old Windows 2000 way,
but this is easy and full instructions plus the specially made
programs to allow file sharing are all included. This ability to
share files across your network from your Server 2003 machine can
easily be set back again so the file sharing is disabled like it
is on first installation.
Hard Drive Not Showing - Quick link to Disk Management, where you
can assign a letter to any external drives you plug in - Server
2003 does not always recognize USB drives, although now there is
a registry tweak in this edition of Windows which enables this,
you should not need to manually assign a drive letter.
Hardcore Ad-Blocker - Never see another advertisement in your
browser again regardless of what browser you use. Adverts are
even blocked in MSN Messenger! This trick may slow down your
browsing experience, if so it can easily be changed back to
normal again.
Hardware Acceleration - Use this if you want to instantly set
your Hardware Acceleration to full. This is the same as right
clicking the desktop, choosing Properties, choosing Settings,
choosing Advanced, choosing Troubleshoot, then putting the
slider all the way to the right.
Keyboard Settings - This edition of Windows is set to the U.S.
keyboard layout, if you are in the UK this means your "@" symbol
and your double quote symbol will be swapped, so this provides
a quick shortcut to Regional and Language options where you
can add-in your own country 39;s keyboard layout.
MSI File Install Fixer - Some MSI installers pop up a message
telling you that you cannot install their program or game on
Server 2003. This is true, but once these programs and games
are installed they run like a dream. Use this MSI install file
fixer to remove those ridiculous blockers on MSI files that
stop the program installing. Doesn 39;t work on every single
MSI file, it depends how much the developer doesn 39;t want you
to install their program on a Server (.NET) OS.
Registry Backup - Makes a complete backup of your registry.
Save Some RAM Memory - Here you can "DISABLE STUFF" or "ENABLE
STUFF". These files let you enable or disable the following:
Application Compatibility, Automatic Update, Built-In FTP
Functionality, CD Autoplay, Dial-Up Connections, Digital
Cameras/Webcams/Scanners, External Hard Disks, LAN + Domain
Networking, Performance Logs and Alerts, Printing, Remote
Desktop, Remote Registry, "Run As..." Functionality, Smart
Card Reading, Task Scheduler, Themes, Uninterruptible Power
Supply, Windows Firewall + ICS, Wireless Connection.
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[DRIVERS]
If you choose option #1 when you boot from the CD, you will have
drivers automatically installed to support the following:
Broadband
Chipset (Motherboard Chipset drivers)
CPU (AMD driver)
Graphics Cards (ATI, NVIDIA)
Input Devices (Mice, Keyboards)
LAN (Ethernet Cards)
Monitors
SATA (Mass Storage)
Scanners
Sound Cards
TV Cards
USB Devices
Windows XP Drivers
Wireless LAN
If you choose option #2 when you boot from the CD, the above
drivers are not installed. This is in case you have RAID array
problems, SATA problems with the wrong driver loading, or any
other problem like that, or if you just want to install your
own drivers.
(All drivers thanks to "Bashrat The Sneaky")
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[REMOVED COMPONENTS]
The Following Components Have Been
Removed From This Edition Of Windows
[Drivers]
Modems
Printers
[Languages]
Algeria, Azeri, Azeri, Bahrain, Belarusian, Egypt, Estonian, Farsi,
FYRO Macedonian, Georgian, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hong Kong
SAR, Iraq, Japanese, Jordan, Kannada, Kazakh, Konkani, Korean, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvian, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuanian, Macau SAR, Maldives,
Marathi, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepali, Oman, Pashto, PRC, Punjabi, Qatar,
Sanskrit, Saudi Arabia, Simplified Chinese, Singapore, Syria, Taiwan,
Tamil, Tatar, Telugu, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Tunisia, Turkish,
UAE, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Yemen
[Multimedia]
Images and Backgrounds
Music Samples
Windows Sounds
[Operating System Options]
.NET Framework
Administration Tools Pack
Help and Support
Manual Install and Upgrade
[Services]
Indexing Service
UDDI
Windows Media Services
[Directories]
DOCS
PRINTERS
SUPPORT
(Thank you to "nuhi" for nLite which allowed
components to be removed from Windows)
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[INCLUDED HOTFIXES]
IE7-WindowsServer2003-KB933566-x86-ENU.exe
msxml4-KB927978-enu.exe
msxml6-KB927977-enu-x86.exe
Windows-KB890830-V1.31.exe
WindowsMedia6-KB925398-v2-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB924667-v2-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB925902-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB926122-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB927891-v5-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB929123-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB930178-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB931784-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB931836-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB932168-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB933566-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB935839-x86-ENU.exe
WindowsServer2003-KB935840-x86-ENU.exe
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[GENERAL INFORMATION]
NOTES ABOUT ATI DRIVERS: If you choose option #1, when you restart
Windows, you might get an ATI warning about the driver not being
installed - this only happens because your "Hardware Acceleration"
is turned down after these drivers install - the easy fix is just
go in the eXPerience folder on the Desktop and in there you see
another folder "Hardware Acceleration". Simply run the file inside
that folder to enable full hardware acceleration. Next time you
reboot, you will get another ATI window popping up - just set it
how you want (personally I untick it not to show again when Windows
restarts) then the next time you restart, you might have your
colours set on 16 colours instead of 32 colours, if this happens
just right click the Desktop and choose "Properties" then the
last tab "Settings" and set the "Color Quality" on 32 colours.
Yes it might take 3 reboots before the ATI sorts itself out but
you get there in the end. This is only my personal experience,
it is a while since I had an NVIDIA card on Server 2003 but I
know the drivers for NVIDIA don 39;t turn down your Hardware
Acceleration like ATI do.
Server 2003 outperforms XP, it installs faster, it boots faster,
it runs applications faster, it manages programs better, it never
slows down (even after days of being left on) and it even gives
better frame rates in games over XP.
Almost every single program and ALL games (bar none) that I run
on XP... I can run on Server 2003 and not only that, but they run
much faster on Server 2003. Some people say "Server is not suited
to games" but this is just not true. Granted, there are a few
programs here and there that won 39;t work on Server 2003, for example
"Partition Magic" but you can just use the alternative "Paragon
Partition Manager Enterprise". Also "Acronis True Image Home" will
not install on Server 2003, but you can just use the server version
of that software. The same goes for "PerfectDisk Defragmenter" you
can just use the server edition (this is actually included in this
install of windows).
I have not found one single game that does not work on Server 2003.
Someone once reported that "Roller Coaster Tycoon" would not install,
but I have never tried this game myself. I have tried Grand Theft
Auto III, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, Doom III, Quake IV,
Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2, Battlefield 2142, Medal Of Honor
Pacific Assault, Call Of Duty (and expansion pack United Offensive),
Need For Speed Underground, Need For Speed Black Edition, Need For
Speed Carbon... all these games work on Server 2003 (they also run
a lot better than on XP too) and therefore it is safe to assume that
99.99% of games work on Server 2003.
If you have an MSI based installer that tells you it won 39;t install on
Server 2003, you can use the included fix that is in the eXPerience
folder on your desktop, you can find this fix in the folder "MSI
File Install Fixer". This allows some programs and games like Doom 3
to be installed, once installed these run fine - actually more than
fine, they run like lightening compared to XP.
Remember, this special edition has all the necessary tweaks included,
automatically applied on installation, for running this Operating
System as a home user would, including a file sharing fix so other
machines can "see" your Server 2003 machine over your network - the
file sharing fix is included in the eXPerience desktop folder in the
folder called "File Sharing Fix".
If you have never installed the normal version of Server 2003, you
cannot appreciate how much simpler this special eXPerience edition
makes things! You would have a hard time if you just installed
Server 2003 without the tweaks this special edition has got, for
example, your Hardware Acceleration is turned up, you won 39;t get
that "Shutdown Event Tracker", you have Direct3D and DirectDraw
enabled in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, you have programs set so
background applications do not have priority, you have "Data
Execution Prevention" disabled, you have "Windows Audio" enabled,
the list goes on and on... the full list of registry tweaks
(more than 230 tweaks) is listed in the text file included in
the folder: "TS01\$OEM$\OTHER\List Of Tweaks.txt"
Every single little thing has been taken care of to ensure that
this Operating System runs as close to being like XP as possible,
whilst not actually converting it to a workstation. By the way,
never use the tool "TweakNT 1.21" on this corporate version of
Server 2003, because although this tool does convert Server 2003
into a workstation (meaning programs see it as a workstation and
not a server which is handy sometimes) the TweakNT tool will
cripple this corporate version of this OS and you will not be
able to log on again due to a license error! It is tempting to
use TweakNT, but DO NOT use it on this particular OS.
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7z File Checksum (SHA-512)
To get the "SHA-512" checksum for this 7z
file calculated, use the included program
"HashCalc" and...
1 - Run HashCalc.
2 - Tick the "SHA512" tick box.
3 - Untick all other tickboxes.
4 - Click the browse "..." button (next to the white box)
5 - In the window that pops up, double click the 7z file.
6 - Click "Calculate"
7 - After about one minute you will see a 128 digit number.
Make sure that the number shown in
HashCalc is the same as this one:
204fa700370c92f575832a08e75d1c77
b0f1bffc4b9c60136f8f1d7ce8fba4a8
e3a1926726c6a614ec34a575d4a488c3
08ea2b7c4a73407218aa1a7511a01072
If your checksum number is not the same as above, don 39;t use
this release, because it is not a genuine eXPerience release!
This same checksum code can be verified again if you want,
with the one in the post for the release on
Remember this checksum is NOT for the ISO file that is inside
the 7z archive, it is the checksum for the 7z archive itself.
To extract the ISO from the downloaded archive, just open the
7z file with WinRAR or 7-Zip.
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Don't Forget To Join SnipeR 39;s Redemption Network!
http://www.retestrak.nl/Board/
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Enjoy This Fine Release From eXPerience
Release Date: 20th July 2007
