2008 to 2003 Downgrade

A client of mine needs more memory on his server for an application using a
large graphics database. He was told by a Microsoft representative that he
could purchase Server 2008 and downgrade to 2003 in order to get the larger
memory support (16 GB is desired).

All the Microsoft tables that I can find show that Server 2008 Standard can
be downgraded to a Server 2003 Standard license, but 2003 Standard supports
maximum 4 GB (even 64-bit 2003).

He has a Dell Poweredge 2900 with 64 bit Xeon dual core that can handle it
with no problem.

Does anyone know of a workable solution without going to the Enterprise
edition?

Thanks in advance!
--
IT Consultant
Heartland Computer

You are correct - If you choose the downgrade, W2003 Std only supports a max
of 4GBs...

Maybe you want to call the Microsoft guy to verify?

Sorry but I don't think you can get >4GB memory support using Std.

--
Jabez Gan
Microsoft MVP: Windows Server
http://www.msblog.org


"chaswood" <chaswood@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1A069A3D-0414-4554-BAB6-8678D922097C@microsoft.com...
>A client of mine needs more memory on his server for an application using a
> large graphics database. He was told by a Microsoft representative that he
> could purchase Server 2008 and downgrade to 2003 in order to get the
> larger
> memory support (16 GB is desired).
>
> All the Microsoft tables that I can find show that Server 2008 Standard
> can
> be downgraded to a Server 2003 Standard license, but 2003 Standard
> supports
> maximum 4 GB (even 64-bit 2003).
>
> He has a Dell Poweredge 2900 with 64 bit Xeon dual core that can handle it
> with no problem.
>
> Does anyone know of a workable solution without going to the Enterprise
> edition?
>
> Thanks in advance!
> --
> IT Consultant
> Heartland Computer

chaswood wrote:
> A client of mine needs more memory on his server for an application
> using a large graphics database. He was told by a Microsoft
> representative that he could purchase Server 2008 and downgrade to
> 2003 in order to get the larger memory support (16 GB is desired).
>
> All the Microsoft tables that I can find show that Server 2008
> Standard can be downgraded to a Server 2003 Standard license, but
> 2003 Standard supports maximum 4 GB (even 64-bit 2003).


X64 Standard R2 supports 32GB of Ram

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win...s/compare.mspx

>
> He has a Dell Poweredge 2900 with 64 bit Xeon dual core that can
> handle it with no problem.
>
> Does anyone know of a workable solution without going to the
> Enterprise edition?
>
> Thanks in advance!

--
/kj

Hello.
I'm in the same situation.
I have:
- windows 2008 server enterprise edition, OEM (ROK) cd and product-key
- windows 2003 server enterprise edition, OEM cd, but I cannot find the sticker with product key.

Can I downgrade 2008 -> 2003? I mean: after installing 2003 when I call MS for activation will they ask me for the product key of 2003, which I don't have, or just the one of 2008?

Thanks for an answer.

regards, Fredd.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kj [SBS MVP]

chaswood wrote:
> A client of mine needs more memory on his server for an application
> using a large graphics database. He was told by a Microsoft
> representative that he could purchase Server 2008 and downgrade to
> 2003 in order to get the larger memory support (16 GB is desired).
>
> All the Microsoft tables that I can find show that Server 2008
> Standard can be downgraded to a Server 2003 Standard license, but
> 2003 Standard supports maximum 4 GB (even 64-bit 2003).


X64 Standard R2 supports 32GB of Ram

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win...s/compare.mspx

>
> He has a Dell Poweredge 2900 with 64 bit Xeon dual core that can
> handle it with no problem.
>
> Does anyone know of a workable solution without going to the
> Enterprise edition?
>
> Thanks in advance!

--
/kj

---