server os on my pc?

[jes]

What would happen if I installed something like Windows Server 08 on my PC?

[rond36]

It would work just fine but you would need to disable some features that you don't need that are enabled by default.

A server OS and a desktop OS have the same core but the server OS has added features and capabilities that a are not included when you install a desktop OS. If you don't need the added features of a server OS you are better off installing a desktop OS to save time and reduce config errors.

[Paul Komski]

A server OS can also be stripped down in some desktop "essentials" - to go in the other direction. Thus a gutsy ubuntu server is a command line only installation though you can add the desktop later if you so desire. Severs if used as hard working servers obviously require enough hardware to support their intensive use - but if they are going to serve little then they will run quite OK on much lesser hardware. I think that the word server alone just conjures up an impression that it is something much more special than it actually is.

I have a large 12volt battery on my tractor and a tiny one on my ATV. One obviously has more capacity than the other but both can essentially do the same tasks asked of them. Not a really good analogy - perhaps someone has a better one.

[Erik]

Can you install any server OS on a desktop or even a laptop (as long as the basic hardware requirements are met)? Sure. Aside from the purpose of testing and learning the OS I see no real reason for it. In fact finding the right drivers for desktop hardware on written for a server OS, and certain other software (security programs come to mind) can be more difficult.

I have a laptop that runs Server 2003 x64, but I also have a very particular use for it that required me to run that OS. I use it for running a bunch of VMware virtual servers so I can do application testing and other testing for work. This way I have a single portable platform for all of my various servers, basically an entire server room in a small box. Getting all of the drivers installed and working took me a few hours and fooling around with the various drivers for XP, Vista in 32 and 64bit versions, and making modifications to some .ini files.

As has been mentioned there isn't really much difference between a server and a desktop. The biggest difference is really a server (talking hardware) is designed to process many simultaneous requests. A desktop PC is designed to work on requests from a single user. Servers are also built with more redundancy and hot swap parts to make them as close to 0 downtime as possible.

[mjc]

Now to muddy the waters...

There is something about Sever 2008 that is very interesting. It is basically Vista but 'faster'.

http://vista.blorge.com/2008/03/11/windows-server-2008-is-20-faster-than-vista/

It can be configured to run in a 'workstation' format.