couple beginner questions

[breadandbubbles]

im at my wits end here. i jsut got a new computer running Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, and i threw Windows Server Enterprise 2008 on my old pc.

when i boot up windows server 2008, and log on, theres sposed to be some 'initial configuration' wizard?, but it crashes immediately.

im jsut trying to run a few hard drives off of this server with music and video, that i can access from any computer on my network. i heard theres a way to make it so you can access your server from any internet based computer through a 'Remote Access VPN'? id LOVE to do that, but im not TOO worried about it right now. i jsut want to access the server from my home computers.

i tried installingsomething from microsoft. something called 'remote server 2008 administration tools for vsta sp1'. i ran it on my Vista pc, and it did some update thing, and then...nothing. i guess i was hoping for some sort of GUI that would let me change the 'roles' of my server allowing me to set up a 'remote access vpn'

so basically, without any of the wizards on ym server working, or at least, not accessible, i have to do everything the hard way. i dont mind using command line type stuff, but i just....i dont know. im not that smart. i like gui's.

can anyone get me started here? ive spent hours looking for guides, but they all refer to these wizards and initial configurations. am i screwed...?

[Tripredacus]

Are you using certified hardware? We only run 2008 on certified hardware because we also tried running it on "our old system" and it didn't work properly.

[fizban2]

can you actually logon onto the server?

if so you can launch Server manager and add the roles that you want to your server.

the RSAT (remote server administration tools) were loaded to your machine but you have to choose what tools are installed, go to your add/remove programs and go into windows components. there you will see the Remote Administration tools, add the tools you want and let them install.