Windows Server 2008 may be installed using a number of different approaches. One such approach involves installing a an entirely new instance of the operating system on a disk or partition such that any previous operating system installation and associated data are destroyed. Another option is to perform an upgrade of an existing Windows installation such that user data, settings and applications are retained. In addition, the installation may be performed interactively where the user is required to respond to prompts during the installation, or unattended where pre-configured responses are supplied by an ''answer'' file.
The topic of this chapter is the clean, interactive installation of Windows Server 2008. The subject of upgrades is covered in the following chapter entitled [[Performing a Windows Server 2008 Upgrade]].
If you do not already have access to the Windows Server 2008 installation media this can be [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/trial-software.aspx downloaded] from the Microsoft web site. Downloads are available for the Standard, Enterprise and Web editions of the operating system (the Datacenter Edition can only be acquired with specific systems direct from hardware vendors). For detailed information on the features provided with each edition refer to the [[Windows Server 2008 Editions and System Requirements]] chapter of this book.
All downloadable editions can be run either without a key (i.e . in evaluation mode) or with a key (if a license has already been purchased). The evaluation period lasts for 90 days but may be extended twice up to a total of 270 days.
The Windows Server 2008 download is provided in the form of an ISO image which may burned to a DVD which may subsequently be used to perform the installation.
Select the appropriate language preferences and click "Next" to proceed with the installation process. On the subsequent screen the installation may be started by clicking on the ''Install now'' button. Alternatively, the ''What To Know Before Installing Windows Server 2008'' link will provide information of on system requirements and advice about issues such as application and driver compatibility. Clicking on the ''Install now'' proceeds to the ''Product Key Activation'' screen shown in the following figure:
== Windows Server 2008 Activation ==
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[9b9507dd] /index.php/Special:MobileDiff/7112 Error from line 434 of /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php: Call to undefined function each()
Backtrace:
#0 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(544): DiffEngine->diag()
#1 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(344): DiffEngine->compareSeq()
#2 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(227): DiffEngine->diffLocal()
#3 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(721): DiffEngine->diff()
#4 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(859): Diff->__construct()
#5 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DairikiDiff.php(980): MappedDiff->__construct()
#6 /home/techotopia/extensions/MobileFrontend/includes/diff/InlineDiffFormatter.php(99): WordLevelDiff->__construct()
#7 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DiffFormatter.php(140): InlineDiffFormatter->changed()
#8 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DiffFormatter.php(82): DiffFormatter->block()
#9 /home/techotopia/extensions/MobileFrontend/includes/diff/InlineDifferenceEngine.php(117): DiffFormatter->format()
#10 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DifferenceEngine.php(797): InlineDifferenceEngine->generateTextDiffBody()
#11 /home/techotopia/includes/diff/DifferenceEngine.php(728): DifferenceEngine->generateContentDiffBody()
#12 /home/techotopia/extensions/MobileFrontend/includes/specials/SpecialMobileDiff.php(241): DifferenceEngine->getDiffBody()
#13 /home/techotopia/extensions/MobileFrontend/includes/specials/SpecialMobileDiff.php(135): SpecialMobileDiff->showDiff()
#14 /home/techotopia/extensions/MobileFrontend/includes/specials/MobileSpecialPage.php(53): SpecialMobileDiff->executeWhenAvailable()
#15 /home/techotopia/includes/specialpage/SpecialPage.php(384): MobileSpecialPage->execute()
#16 /home/techotopia/includes/specialpage/SpecialPageFactory.php(553): SpecialPage->run()
#17 /home/techotopia/includes/MediaWiki.php(281): SpecialPageFactory::executePath()
#18 /home/techotopia/includes/MediaWiki.php(714): MediaWiki->performRequest()
#19 /home/techotopia/includes/MediaWiki.php(508): MediaWiki->main()
#20 /home/techotopia/index.php(41): MediaWiki->run()
#21 {main}