There are two things to keep in mind when it comes to system requirements. First of all you need to make sure that your hardware is supported by Windows Server 2003. Second you need to make sure that your hardware meets at least the minimum requirements outlined by Microsoft to run the operating system.

For each operating system it releases, Microsoft also releases a hardware compatibility list (HCL). The HCL lists all the hardware supported by the operating system. If your hardware is not present on the list it does not necessarily mean you cannot proceed with the installation but you should verify with the hardware manufacturer that the component is Windows .NET ready. You can find an up-to-date version of the HCL on Microsoft’s Web site.

An alternative to checking the HCL is to run the hardware and software compatibility check. You can run the check by inserting the Windows Server 2003 CD and choosing the Check system compatibility option or by typing the following command from the command prompt:

X:\i386\winnt32 /checkupgradeonly

Where x is the letter assigned to your CD-ROM drive.

The Microsoft Windows Advisor Window will appear listing the hardware and software components that are not compatible.

When you start the actual Windows Server 2003 set up, the hardware and software are again checked for any incompatibility issues. So performing the pre-compatibility test is definitely not necessary. However it’s better to know of any issues before hand than having to halt an installation.

Most operating systems are designed to run on a minimum set of hardware requirements to ensure adequate performance and not meeting these requirements often results in a failed installation. So save yourself both time, money, and possibly even a little embarrassment by verifying that the hardware in your system at least meets the minimum hardware requirements.

The minimum requirements to install Windows Server 2003 Standard Server include:

Keep in mind when you’re choosing hardware that these are the bare minimum requirements to run the operating systems and does not take into account any network services or applications that may be running on the server. So plan to increase these requirements based on the role the server will play on the network.