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 Server 2003 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.

[tags]windows,microsoft,diana huggins,server 2003,system requirement[/tags]