Can Windows 2000 Server pretend to be Windows 2000 Pro?

Usually imaging software do not work on servers or not supported by the vendor.  The main reason is because of legal issues.  MS doesn't want any vendor to support "cloning" of their server software because of licensing.  Servers should also not be imaged because of the complexity nature of it.  I've seen weird behaviors of a server resulting from imaging - using sysprep and all. In addition, both softwares that you'd mentioned can be used to do what they do by installing them on one of your Win2k profs pc's - ie: pulling an image and remote backup.

All I'm trying to do is provide a way to recover from a future hard disk failure, or hack attack.  Any suggestions?

I understand you're trying to ensure the safety and uptime of your systems - that's why you need to purchase the appropriate software rather than find some way to pirate software that wasn't intended or sold to do what you are needing it to do.  Server Magic is your legal answer.  There may be others, but it's the only product from PowerQuest that supports and is sold to do what you want to do.

Yeh, yeh...but the point is, if Drive Image will work on Windows  2000 Professional, you know that it would work on Windows 2000 Server, IF the greedy folks at PowerQuest would permit an installation.    To pay $500 to make a copy of one hard drive on my server is robbery.   I'd prefer to use NT Backup and backup the drive to an external USB drive than pay the thieves $500.

>>IF the greedy folks at PowerQuest

Again, it's their software.  If you don't like the way they do business, buy elsewhere!

>>To pay $500 to make a copy of one hard drive on my server is robbery

No, it's not.  They do NOT force you to pay for this product.  That makes it YOUR CHOICE to pay or not to pay, therefore it's NOT robbery, which requires the use of FORCE!

>> robbery, which requires the use of FORCE!


Not always...   Robbery in this context is when the consumer is faced with suffering potential loss (a hard drive failure with no backup) or paying lots of money to prevent such loss from occuring.  When you are given the options of:

1) Doing nothing and running the risk of losing your hard drive contents

or

2) Paying $500 to ensure you have a backup

...then this leaves you will little alternative.  Much like when someone forces you into a corner and you have little choice... cough up the money, or suffer harm.   In this sense, requiring the customer to fork over the $500 to backup a single hard drive IS robbery.  It is out of line for the service being provided.

If you were buying a house, and you needed home insurance to close the deal, but every single insurance company wanted you to pay them 1 million dollars for insurance on your $250,000 house, then you would say you were being robbed, because paying $1 million to purchase insurance for a $250,000 house is ridiculous.   Likewise, paying $500 to backup a $100 hard drive is robbery.

You use 'robbery' literally.  I'm obviously talking about 'robbery' figuratively.

You have a really strange way of rationalizing things.

There are many options...

One costs nothing!  Get a copy of Linux (I like RedHat) and use the "dd" application to copy the contents of the W2K Server hard drive to another drive or a backup media.

No problem, I've done it many times...

You can even setup a minimal Linix on a floppy and boot it.

You also don't seem to understand the free market system.  People and companies can charge whatever the heck they want for their products!  It's up to you as a consumer to make smart buying choices and avoid those who are gouging.  In this case, PowerQuest is charging too much from my point of view but clearly SOMEONE believes this product is worth the money.  Otherwise, the free market forces in effect (and this IS a competitive market) would force them to lower the price since they are not selling it.

Quit whining and either pay their price, buy an alternative product, use a free alternative, or just risk it without a backup!

>>You have a really strange way of rationalizing things.<<

Thanks.

>>One costs nothing!  Get a copy of Linux (I like RedHat) and use the "dd" application <<

I don't want to have to learn a new operating system just to backup a Windows hard drive.


>>You can even setup a minimal Linix on a floppy and boot it. <<

That's not going to be of any help when the target hard drive I'm trying to copy TO is a USB external drive.

Sorry, but YOU are the one making the choices here.  You don't want to learn a new OS, you want USB support, you want etc....  Hmmm, looks like the $500 is not so out of line for a product that has all the things you require.

By your line of reasoning PQ should GIVE their product to you because you need it.

>> PQ should GIVE their product to you because you need
it.


You are missing the point.   Drive Image works fine on Windows 2000 Pro.  I have already purchased Drive Image.  I resent having to pay another $500 to copy a single hard disk on Windows 2000 Pro's twin sister "Windows 2000 Server".  The $500 is out of line for the task at hand, when you and they know very well that Drive Image would work fine on the server if they would simply permit an install.

I can buy a new hard drive for $100 and mirror the damn thing using W2K Server itself, since W2K server supports mirrors.

matt023 wrote: >>, both softwares that you'd mentioned can be used to do what they do by installing them on one of your Win2k profs pc's - ie: pulling an image and remote backup.<<

To matt023:

What does "pulling an image and remote backup" mean?

>>You don't want to learn a new OS<<

Life is short.  I have better things to do than spend weeks learning a new OS just to perform a backup on a single hard drive.  Just like spending $500 to backup one hard disk is ridiculous when I already own Drive Image and Veritas BackupExec Pro, so too it would be ridiculous to spend weeks learning a new OS just to backup one hard disk.

>>but YOU are the one making the choices here<<

No kidding.  I'm the one inhaling and exhaling too.  So what?

>>don't want to learn a new OS<<

You must have lots of free time on your hands.  I do not.

>>you want USB support<<

And what is so unreasonable about wanting USB support?

I realize this comment is very late and will probably not be read, but you people are completely ridiculous! It is well known that the server and workstation versions of Microsoft 2000 share the same binaries. The main differences lie in the registry (and some files).

(Albeit that if you change the registry from workstation to server, your server will be limited. For instance, you will not be able to go into Add & Remove Programs and add a DHCP Server. A simple work around is to reinstall server over the reghacked version of workstation. All apps, accounts, and settings should be fine. This is a good workaround for upgrading since the server CD will not allow you to do this.)

But I digress, with regards to the original question of changing 2000 Server to Workstation....

I could list the registry keys that you would need to edit, but that isn't necessary. All you need is a handy little tool named "NTSwitch" (no spaces, I think there's a copy on Astalavista). This will edit the registry, and after reboot Drive Image will install just fine (yup, it works!).

I do not understand why Experts-Exchange chose the "Accepted Answer" (more like an "Accepted Advisory"). Not to mention the fact that my answer proves the "Accepted Answer" to be incorrect.

jhance stated:
>> But to answer your question, no there is no practical way to make W2K Server appear to be W2K Pro other than formatting your drive and installing W2K Pro in Server's place. <<

Baloney...

You people should stop spending time arguing about your opinions, and try answering the original question.

>> I realize this comment is very late and will probably not be read

Your response was read.  Thanks for taking time to provide me with an alternative solution.

Yes indeed, I see that you are truly an "expert"...

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Date Account Created 01/24/03
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