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I would like to test Windows server (any version) , how do I install Windows virtually on my Windows XP machine? I donot have a CD of Windows Server, is it available freely? Please guide me .

Thanks in advance.

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closed as off topic by joeqwerty, Holocryptic, Iain♦ Feb 15 at 22:18

Questions on Server Fault are expected to generally relate to servers, networking, or desktop infrastructure, within the scope defined in the faq.

3 Answers

up vote 8 down vote

You can download Microsoft's Virtual PC 2007 for the hypervisor.

As for the CD's you can download 180 day trials of most Microsoft software.
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008

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up vote 6 down vote

I concur with @Blake about Virtual PC, but rather than download ISO images and install the OS from scratch, why not download a pre-installed test VHD file? Good for 180 days as well. Here you'll find all available VHD images from Microsoft.

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Most of Microsoft's prebuilt vhd's are only compatible with Hyper-v which is alot harder to come by than virtual pc. – BLAKE Nov 15 '09 at 2:20
Not necessarily. I've been using their VHDs with Virtual Server 7 for over 2 years now. Also, Hyper-V is a free product as well now (although MS thought about charging for it at first, they soon realized the technology is out there for free already). – Traveling Tech Guy Nov 15 '09 at 18:53
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up vote -2 down vote

My guess is you are someone looking to teach themselves Windows Server, this is not directly what you asked in your question but I have some good certification material which could help you explore fundamentals like

DNS, DHCP, IP addressing, IIS, RAID etc get in touch if this is of interst.

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