SERVER CORE 2008 R2 >>> SERVER CORE 2008 R2 WITH EXPLORER GUI WHY?... because i needed a X64 only(server core has the option to remove 32bit support making it a 64bit only OS) Microsoft os that was small,fast,stable, and would run only my Digital Audio Workstation Software. BUT.... Getting the Audio Drivers to load properly has so far been a real problem and i'm really stuggling with this issue, maybe someone far cleverer than me can sort it out...However i have managed to get the relevent audio services working, so no problem there. SO.. here's how... ----------------------------- i use the following tools etc.... (download) Microsoft Server 2008 R2 Sp1.. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ee175713.aspx (download and install) Microsoft WAIK.... http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=5753 (download) Gimagex(free, wim file manipulation with gui).. http://www.autoitscript.com/site/autoit-tools/gimagex/ (download) o&o Regeditor(free,has good copy and paste feature, does things regedt32.exe cant) http://www.oo-software.com/corp/en/download/current/ooregeditor/index.html (download) NotePad++ (free, and i preffer it to Notepad).. http://www.oo-software.com/corp/en/download/current/ooregeditor/index.html (download) VirtualBox, for testing.. http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads Finally, any Iso manipulation tool, i use ultraIso ------------------------------ create folders in the root of your drive - c:\SOURCES (this is where i put the *.wim files for mounting) c:\COREPLUS (this is where i mount 'CORE.wim' for manipulation etc) c:\STANDARD (this is where i mount 'STD2008.wim' for file and registry copying) ------------------------------- Extract 'install.wim' from the iso file of 'Server 2008 R2 SP1' to C:\SOURCES\install.wim Run GimageX and export image 1 to C:\SOURCES\STD2008.wim then export image 2 to c:\SOURCES\CORE.wim ------------------------------- Mount 'STD2008.wim' to C:\STANDARD then Mount 'CORE.wim' to C:\CORE (Remember to mount both wim's in read\write mode) ------------------------------- Copy all the files from the root of C:\STANDARD\windows\system32 to C:\CORE\windows\system32 (overwrite all files) Copy C:\STANDARD\windows\en-US\explorer.exe.mui to C:\CORE\windows\en-US\explorer.exe.mui Copy C:\STANDARD\windows\Resources\*.* to C:\core\windows\Resources\*.* Copy C:\STANDARD\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore\*.* to C:\CORE\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore\*.* Copy C:\STANDARD\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures to C:\core\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures Copy C:\STANDARD\Program Files\Internet Explorer\*.* to C:\CORE\Program Files\Internet Explorer\*.* -------------------------------- Now for the registry stuff, this might or might not be a bit tricky, depends on you user rights and ownership etc.... run regedt32, click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, file,load hive . then load C:\CORE\Windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE . use key name 'CORESOFT' then load C:\CORE\Windows\system32\config\SYSTEM . use key name 'CORESYS' then load C:\STANDARD\Windows\system32\config\SOFTWARE . use key name 'STDSOFT' then load C:\STANDARD\Windows\system32\config\SYSTEM . use key name 'STDSYS' Now close regedt32 and open O&Oregedit highlight 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Classes' right click on 'Classes'>permissions>advanced>owner , (make sure you are the owner and click on 'replace owner on subcontainers and objects)>apply>ok>ok . right click again and select 'clear'>'yes' 'Classes' should now be deleted(takes a few seconds) Highlight 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\STDSOFT\Classes' right click on 'Classes' and select copy, navigate back to 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT' and right click, select paste Do the same again but for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\Internet Explorer And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\Explorer And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\MMDevices And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SideBySide And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\WindowsNt\CurrentVersion\Multimedia And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\WindowsNt\CurrentVersion\Svchost ------ And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\Class And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\CoDeviceInsatallers And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\GroupOrderList And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\MediaInterfaces And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\MediaProperties And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Control\ServiceGroupOrder And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Services\AudioEndPointBuilder And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Services\AudioSrv And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Services\HDAudBus And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Services\ksthunk And for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESYS\ControlSet001\Services\MMCSS Also change HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CORESOFT\Microsoft\WindowsNt\CurrentVersion\WinLogon to "Shell = Explorer.exe" ------- Close O&Oregeditor Open regedt32.exe uload hive CORESOFT,CORESYS,STDSOFT,STDSYS close regedt32.exe ------------------------------- Open GimageX, Capture C:\CORE , maximum compression, SKU FLAG - STANDARDSERVER Destination = anywhere you want (i named mine coreplus.wim and put it in C:\SOURCE This may take a bit of time here, put kettle on, have a cuppa T / Coffe ------------------------------- Inject your edited wim file in to a bootable iso and install on your VirtualBox or HD