Windows server 2008 cannot enable Aero

[jimbo45]

Hi all
Running Windows server 2008 as a VM using vmware workstation (am testing at the moment before I move it to ESXi)I can't get Aero activated.

Not a real problem but it would be nice to enable it -- I've plenty of Machine resources so I'm sure its not a lack of graphics etc.

W7 Virtual machines seem to work just fine with Aero enabled.

Cheers

jimbo

 

[Wallonn7]

Hi jimbo45.
As far as I know Windows Server 2008 has no Aero.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

Thanks -- It's not a real issue since its a SERVER but would be nice.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Wallonn7]

My pleasure!

 

[pjhutch]

To get a Windows 7 like desktop on Windows 2008:
1. Load services.msc and enable and start the Themes service so you can Personalize the desktop. The win 7 style desktop image is called img0.jpg (copy it from a windows 7 PC).
2. Load System control panel, click on Advanced System Settings, Performance Settings, and change it to Adjust for best appearance. The windows will now have curved corners, the Start menu will change to a Win 7 style button and use Win 7 type menus.

 

[logicearth]

See: Desktop Experience Overview

 

[mckillwashere]

Jimbo,
You may like this website.
I used this to setup server 2008r2 on my laptop.

http://www.win2008workstation.com/

Ps if the scripts dont run, disable UAC and they will run fine. For some reason run as admin didnt work.

 

[hechicero]

Aero on Windows server 2008 r2

You certainly can activate it. Check here: Windows Server 2008 “Aero Enabled” Workstation Edition – Intel Software Network Blogs - Intel® Software Network

 

[Darician]

You need to install the "Desktop Experience" feature from Server Manager. After that, you need to start the "Themes" service from the Services applet under Administrative Tools. This should give you the option to enable Aero provided that in VMware Workstation, for the display configuration, "Enable 3D Acceleration" is checked.

 

[Coram Daes]

Daricians post is important. If you dont do that, you wont even get it listed among Services. I ran into an issue while experimenting with XBMC (media server) and I have a pretty low end gfx card (its a server, not a game machine), so despite enabling that I was unable to run XBMC. I would imagine Aero also need some minimum hardware to run properly.

Thats interesting, Mckillwasherel!

 

[pparks1]

Unsure why somebody would want aero on a server? The majority of servers that I manage are Linux and they don't even have a desktop...let alone one full of eye-candy. If you want eye-candy, workstations are great for that.

 

[KimJong]

This should do it.

To enable Aero - From a command prompt type the following

ServerManagerCmd -i Desktop-Experience

Reboot, then right click on the desktop -> personalize -> select an areo theme.

 

[Coram Daes]

pparks1: in general you may of course be right, but Windows Media Services are not that great for a media library that contains a number of file formats that are not supported by it. I wanted to complement my server features/roles with DLNA but failed using XBMC (an pretty obvious choice for many), due to poor gfx performance, so I went for Tversity.

After all, its up to each and every one what they want to do with their software, right?