Difference between Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008	Windows Server 2008 R2
It is based on kernal version 6.0 ( the same of Windows Vista)	It is based on kernal version 6.1 ( the same of Windows 7)
It use the same GUI introduced with Windows Vista	It use the same new GUI introduced with Windows 7
Is for both 32 bit & 64-bit platforms	Is only for 64-bit platforms
Its Hyper V does not have that feature	Hyper-V provides a dynamic, reliable, and scalable virtualization platform combined with a single set of integrated management tools to manage both physical and virtual resources
Not available in Windows server 2008, It is only having Basic Remote desktop Services.	Microsoft RemoteFX,  introduces a new set of remote user-experience capabilities that enable a media-rich user environment for virtual and session-based desktops.
Normal Power Management Service	Enhanced Power Management services which save up to 18 % more power than previous verison.
Normal Data managemnet server	Enhanced Data Management server using File ClassificationInfrastructure (FCI)

Features of Windows Server 8

1.       Installation Requirement:

 It requires a minimum of:

·         1.4 GHz 64 bit processor,

·         512 MB RAM

·         32 GB of free disk space.

2.       Metro-Style:

This next new feature is the Metro desktop interface. It is a tiled interface of the client—each tile allows administrators to quickly access commonly used server management tools:

·         Server Manager,

·         Windows PowerShell,

·         Task Manager

·         Control Panel.

·         Windows Explorer,

·         Computer,

·         Desktop (which brings the desktop back to the Sever 2008 interface),

·         Internet Explorer (it's IE 10 in Server 8, just as in Windows 8).

3.       Server Manager

Server Manager was a highlighted feature in the Windows Server 8. Server Manager can be launched right from the Metro-style desktop.

It is the central location for server management, and it features a wizard that will assist in adding server roles, managing remote servers, and creating server groups.

The wizard offers two installation options:

·         Roles-based,

·         Feature-based installation (which lets you configure the server by adding roles, role services, and features),

·         Scenario-based installation (which is for Remote Desktop Services and lets users select servers as components in multi-server workloads).

  

4.       Resilient File System

 Resilient File System (ReFS) is a new local file system in Windows Server 8.

 ReFS are having advantages over NTFS:

·         Extremely scalable volume size,

·         Maximum file length beyond the traditional 255 characters.

·         Maximizing data availability and integrity.

·         Verifying and auto-correcting data to limit data corruption

·         Isolating corrupt data

·         Automatically repairing data corruption

This new file system keeps data intact includes keeping metadata integrity with checksums, keeping user data integrity with integrity streams, verifying and auto-correcting data to limit data corruption, isolating corrupt data, and keeping an entire volume intact, online, and accessible.

ReFS is to be used in conjunction with Server 8's Storage Spaces feature for automatically repairing data corruption.

5.       Metro-Style Remote Desktop

Touch-capable Metro-style Remote Desktop client is available in Server 8 to access remote resources from Windows 8 client machines.

6.       Remote Desktop Services and VoIP Integration

VoIP applications is integrated with RemoteFX, a feature in Server 2008 (and now in Server 8 )which enhances the remote desktop experience especially with regard to video and 3D graphics.

7.       Hyper-V Increased Memory and Virtual Hard Drive Capacity

Windows Server 8 Hyper-V supports double the amount of RAM for virtual machines than was previously available—1TB. Virtual hard disks now support up to 64TB.

8.       Cluster Aware Updating Self-Updating Mode

Clustering is used to provide high availability of data and applications using multi servers, or to provide increased processing power. Windows Server 8's introduced Cluster Aware Updating (CAU)—a feature in which all nodes in a cluster are updates automatically with no downtime of machines in the cluster. Windows Server 8 includes CAU Self-Updating Mode which lets administrators to configure the CAU feature as a workload process on failover cluster with a customizable update schedule set by the administrator.

9.       SMB Encryption

 SMB encryption is used to protect sensitive data from eavesdropping. For instance, a client machine accesses data from a server via the SMB protocol (used in Windows environments for clients to communicate with servers). Typically, this data in transmitted is visible in clear text, and therefore accessible to those with permissions to the network.

Administrators can encrypt this data as it is sent back and forth between clients and servers.

To enable this feature:

Go to Properties > Right-Click on a share within File and Storage Services> Check the "Encrypt data access" field.

10.   Microsoft Online Backup Service

Microsoft Online Backup Service is encrypted cloud backup for Windows Server 8. To access the service, users must request a Microsoft Online Backup Service account (which is currently given by invitation only) through: http://connect.microsoft.com/onlinebackup

An avail this user have to install a Backup Agent on server which need to be backed up. This Backup Agent Software will be  available at http://connect.microsoft.com/onlinebackup .

Other prerequisites are:

·         Windows PowerShell,

·         Windows Identity Framework,

·         Windows Live ID client authentication.

·         Local storage should be 10-15 GB free space for caching.

How to Reset Local Group Policy Objects to default

How to Reset Local Group Policy Objects to Default

If you want to reset Group Policy to Default on your system, then please follow the below mentioned Steps:

1. If you need to clear IPSec settings and software restriction settings

a. reg delete HKLM\software\policies\microsoft /f
b. regedit /s "c:\policies.reg"

(where c:\policies.reg is the exported from HKLM\software\policies\microsoft to target machine)

2. Rest GPO settings to their defaults :
        secedit /configure /db reset /cfg "c:\windows\security\templates\setup security.inf" /overwrite

3. Delete the registry.pol file if it exists from:
         del c:\windows\system32\grouppolicy\machine\registry.pol

4. Reboot

Convert Windows 8 start menu to Windows 7 Start Menu

Convert Windows 8 start menu to Windows 7 Start Menu

1. Open the Run command box on Windows 8 by using  win+r > regedit >enter

2. Type in "regedit" without the quotes and click Okay.

3. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

4. Double-click on RPEnabled

5. Change the 1 to  0 (Zero)

6. Hit enter or click OK

Now you will have classic style start menu in Windows 8.

Windows 8 Shortcut keys

Windows 8 Shortcut keys

Metro App and Start Page Shortcuts
Keyboard	Shortcut Result	Mouse	Touch
Win	Open Start Page or Last App (alternating).	Hover bottom left corner -> click corner (repeat).	Swipe from right edge in -> Start.
Win + Tab (release Tab,  repeat)	Open next App (rotate through Metro Apps, Desktop is one App).	Hover top left corner -> click corner (repeat).	Swipe from left edge in then out -> App. Or swipe from left edge in.
Win + Tab (release Tab, repeat), Delete	Close a background App.	Hover top left corner then down -> right click App -> Close.	Swipe from left edge in then out -> drag App all the way to bottom of screen.
Alt + F4	Close active App.	Hover top middle -> click and drag app all the way to the bottom.	Swipe from top edge all the way to the bottom.
Win + Z	Open the App commands bar.	In App, right-click open space. On Start, right-click a Tile.	Swipe from bottom edge or top edge.
Win + . (requires 1366x768 resolution)	Snap App right. Move the split to the right. (Desktop is a single App.)	Hover top edge, click and drag app to right. Or select split line, drag right.	Swipe from top edge, drag app to right. Or select split line, drag right.
Win + Shift + .	Snap App left. Move the split to the left (Desktop is a single App.)	Hover top edge, click and drag app to left. Or select split line, drag left.	Swipe from top edge, drag app to right. Or select Split line, drag left.
Ctrl + -	On ­Start Page, Zoom Out.	Hover bottom right corner -> click corner (Summary View icon.) Or Ctrl + Scroll wheel down.	Pinch in.
Ctrl + =	On ­Start Page, Zoom back In.	Click open area. Or Ctrl + Scroll wheel down.	Pinch out.
Ctrl + Alt + Del	Access to Lock, Switch User, Sign out, Change a password, Task Manager, Ease of Access, and Power down choices.	Alternatives: Start Page -> [User] -> Lock, Sign Out, or Switch Account. Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> Task Manager. Hover top right corner then down -> Settings -> Power	Hold Win button and press Power button.
PgDn	Move Start page tiles to the left.	Scroll wheel down.	Slide left.
PgUp	Move Start page tiles to the right.	Scroll wheel up.	Slide right.
Arrows, Space, Tab	Move active tile, Select, move Focus	Move mouse, right-click Tile(s), click command	Swipe tile(s), tap command.
Metro Charm Shortcuts
Keyboard	Shortcut Result	Mouse	Touch
Win + C	Open Charms (also shows Date/Time/Power/Net).	Hover top right corner then move down.	Swipe from right edge.
Win + F	Open Search Charm on Files.	Hover top right corner -> Search -> Files.	Swipe from right edge -> Search -> Files.
Win + W	Open Search Charm on Settings.	Hover top right corner -> Search -> Settings.	Swipe from right edge -> Search -> Files.
Win + Q	Open Search Charm on Active App (on right side only if supported by App).	Hover top right corner -> Search.	Swipe from right edge -> Search.
Typing on Start Page	Search Apps.	Hover top right corner -> Search.	Swipe from right edge -> Search.
Win + H	Open Share Charm.	Hover top right corner -> Share.	Swipe from right edge -> Share.
Win + I	Open Settings Charm (plus Start Settings and Metro Help).	Hover top right corner -> Settings.	Swipe from right edge -> Settings.
Win + K	Open Devices Charm.	Hover top right corner -> Devices.	Swipe from right edge -> Devices.
Desktop Shortcuts
Keyboard	Shortcut Result	Mouse	Touch
Win + D	Show Desktop.	Click Desktop tile.	Start page -> Desktop tile.
Win + E	Open Windows Explorer.	Click Explorer tile.	Start page -> Explorer tile.
Win + I	Open Settings Charm (plus Control Panel, Personalization, PC Info, and Desktop Help).	Hover top right corner -> Settings.	Swipe from right edge -> Settings.
Win + X	Open Desktop quick menu (it’s like a mini Start Menu!)	Hover bottom left corner -> right click.
Win + R	Open Run Dialog.	Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> Run.
Win + T	Cycle through Desktop apps on the Taskbar	Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> click -> Hover across Taskbar -> click.	Start page -> Desktop tile -> Taskbar app
Alt + Tab (release Tab,  repeat)	Open next App (rotates through Apps, Desktop apps each have one place in rotation).	Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> click -> Hover across Taskbar -> click.	Start page -> Desktop tile -> Taskbar app
Alt + 1 to 9	Open the pinned Taskbar application	Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> click -> Hover across Taskbar -> click.	Start page -> Desktop tile -> Taskbar app
Other Shortcuts
Keyboard	Shortcut Result	Mouse	Touch
Win + L	Lock Computer.	Start Page -> [User] -> Lock.	Start Page -> [User] -> Lock.
Win + P	Second screen options.	Hover top right corner then move down -> Devices -> Second screen.	Swipe from right edge -> Devices -> Second screen.
Win + ,	Desktop peek (to see notifications I believe)
Win + O	Lock screen rotation (if PC detects this)
Win + V	Cycle through toasts.
Win + Shift + V	Cycle through toasts in reverse.
Win + U	Ease of Access Center	Hover bottom left corner -> right click -> Control Panel -> Ease of Access -> Ease of Access Center
Win + Enter	Launch Narrator.
Win + =	Magnifier, Zoom In.
Win + -	When Magnified, Zoom Out.
Internet Explorer Shortcuts
Ctrl + Tab	Cycle through open Tabs	Right-click an empty area -> Tab	Swipe from top edge -> Tab
Ctrl + Shift + P	Open an InPrivate Tab	Right-click an empty area -> (+)	Swipe from top edge -> (+)
Ctrl + T	Open a new Tab	Right-click an empty area -> 3 dots -> InPrivate	Swipe from top edge -> 3 dots -> InPrivate
Ctrl + F4	Close the active Tab	Right-click an empty area -> Tab (x)	Swipe from top edge -> Tab (x)
Tab Shift + Tab Enter	Move forward through items on a Web page. Move backwards. Activate the selected item.	Click the item you want.	Tap the item you want.
Ctrl + P	Print page.
	View page on Desktop IE (good for opening pages with Adobe Flash).	Right-click an empty area -> Page tools -> View on the Desktop
Ctrl + L Alt + D	Open Address bar (includes frequent and pinned pages).
Backspace	Go back to previous Web page	Move mouse to mid-left edge -> Click back.	Slide right.
Shift + Backspace	Go forward to previous Web page	Move mouse to mid-right edge -> Click forward.	Slide left.

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