Ok, so I know there's some other computer guys on here. I was reading about a hack in Windows Vista/7 that allows you to have 2+ concurrent sessions on the same OS/machine. Does anyone here have any experience with that? I'd likely remote desktop into it on all sessions, and I'm not sure if the network can handle that either (smoothly). Anyone?

 

Are you talking about running a virtual machine window? Can't remember if that's what they call it.

 

I know your server os choices can do that as terminal servers (win 2003 and 2008). There may be terminal server options in win 7, I'll look in a bit cause I can't remember right off the top of my head. May also be some local security policy that can be set. Try googleing win 7 terminal server if you want since im not in a position to do it right now

 

No, that's not really what I'm looking for. But I think Scothew knows what I'm talking about.

That's what I'm really looking for. I don't really need a full featured server OS, just a simple terminal server that I can access with thin clients. But I'm a student, and can likely get Server 2008 for free if that's the easiest option.

From what I've read through google, Vista and 7 both have the capabilities. Microsoft just doesn't have it enabled, so it takes a little registry work. I just don't know how stable/fast it is, so I was hoping someone had tried it before. I'll likely try it out anyway. I'm just lookin' for some other opinions.

The reason I'm doing it is just to kind of self educate. I'm a computer engineering major and I usually learn a lot by just experimenting (I can't learn how to fix it, if I don't **** it up first. ). This will be my first attempt at RAID, NAT, servers, etc.

 

Nice man, have fun with that.

Yeah in talking with the other guys at the office, win 7 isnt going to have terminal services built in so your certainly gonna have to "hack" it in order to make it work. I'd go straight 2008 r2 personally and just be done with it

 

Hi

You can run virtual machines using virtual box which is a free app or VMware workstation which is a paid app, on win 7 or later versions you can run hyper v from Microsoft,

 

I suppose that could work. But wouldn't that require purchasing an OS for each virtual machine that I want to run? And would I be able to remote desktop into a specific virtual machine? Or just the host machine?

 

Yes to the having to have a license for each OS you install under vm. You can remote desktop into specific VM's because they show up on the network as an actual machine. You could get one copy of 2008 r2 and then from there put it on a VM in VMWare Workstation on your machine and from there have multiple term sessions running at once. You could make the 08 VM into a DC, DNS, DHCP, IIS, whatever you want to do with it. Granted its gonna share the system resources of the host machine so if you wanna do gaming and stuff, you'll want to shut that VM down for the time being.

 

I don't think multiple users can log in to windows at same time, it is possible with any unix/Linux/Mac os platforms, but you can still use a xp virtual machine in genuine windows vista or 7 using windows virtual pc application with xp mode. No license required for xp mode.

 

Ok, so I've been tinkering with Server 2008, VMware, etc...when using remote desktop, I get a lot of lag (especially when viewing video). I'm running it on rather old hardware for the time being (an old Pentium 4 HT with ****ty video card). But is this a hardware/software issue, or just a limitation of my network?

 

What's ur network? I have no issues with rdp on my LAN but its also a gig LAN and as much ram as my server wil allow

 

Verizon FiOS 15/5 Mbps...client and server all in the same network. So you have no issues even looking at a youtube video? I definitely plan to upgrade my network as well as my hardware, but I want to be aware of any roadblocks.

 

Wait ur running the videos on a 2008 box that's a vm? What kind of video and ran do you have allocated to the vm?

 

Not quite...let me try to clarify. I'm all on the same network. I've got Server 2008 as the host OS on my cheap old PC (the P4 HT one), and a few VM's running (Windows and Linux with 512mb-1gb ram each) on Server 2008. Regardless whether it's on one of the VM's or on the host, I get lag (I can watch the screen load from top-left to bottom-right) and videos are like stop-motion. This was also before putting any VM's on it.

 

Your prob having lag just due to lack of CPU power and ram

 

Ok, that's what I'm hoping. I'm also curious what program you're using for remote desktop?

 

Windows rdp client. On all of our client servers since they are all at around locations we use logmein. On a LAN though just start > run > mstsc > hit enter