Small business server 2003 download

[Red Squirrel]

Anyone happen to have a full functional version for download (A timed trial will do, this is only to test something, not for production). Miscrosoft seems to have pulled the download for some reason instead of waiting for the next one to be out. I've been searching and can't find a download, and p2p usually sucks, even bittorrent. Downloading at 0.345 bytes per sec is not very great.

This is for testing only, so a demo will do, I want this to be a legit copy.

 

[jlbenedict]

I'm not sure if it is available yet.

Here is what I gathered from the Microsoft SBS 2003 "trial" page:

"Until the availability of Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 this summer 2006, the trial software kit will not be available for ordering."

 

[TSCrv]

i got a trial kit layin around somewhere, 4 cds long... unfortunatly its a company key so i cant give that out

 

[Red Squirrel]

I dont think the key is an issue, I might actually be able to use our client's key, since our client has SBS (but lost the CDs somehow). And it is R2 that we need, I believe, not R3 (which is not out, like pointed out).

 

[spyordie007]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I dont think the key is an issue, I might actually be able to use our client's key, since our client has SBS (but lost the CDs somehow). And it is R2 that we need, I believe, not R3 (which is not out, like pointed out).

What?

SBS R2 has not been released yet, there are no plans for "R3" (Longhorn Server will be the next release).

 

[Red Squirrel]

Ok must be 1 then... I was just told I needed to install SBS 2003 on a server. I have to replicate a client's environment to test a piece of software but was not told the exact details yet, but if 2 is the one about to be out then I would guess the client is running 1.

 

[nweaver]

if you are supporting small shops, then an action pack from MS would be a godsend, (all media, with some resell rights in the action pack). Then you would have all the media you need.

If not an action pack, then an MSDN. I don't see how anyone can provide testing/support for a windows enviroment without a full, legit MS library.

 

[stash]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Ok must be 1 then... I was just told I needed to install SBS 2003 on a server. I have to replicate a client's environment to test a piece of software but was not told the exact details yet, but if 2 is the one about to be out then I would guess the client is running 1.

There's no '1'. And if you want to replicate your client's environment properly, you better get a better sense of what their environment is.

So they are running SBS2003. Ok. Are they running SP1? What SP is Exchange at? Sharepoint? Are they running the Premium Technologies? If so, what service pack is ISA at? SQL?

Downloading software off of BT is not a wise way to test a problem for a customer. Like nweaver said, there's no way you can be of any use to your customers without the appropriate tools.

 

[RebateMonger]

Microsoft hasn't had an SBS trial DOWNLOAD for almost a year. Typically, you had to order the CDs. There have been various trial version CDs and DVDs available, including an "Office Trial Suite" which included SBS 2003, ten licenses for XP Pro, and ten licenses for Office 2003 Professional. There've also been two partner-only Virtual PC images on DVD, but those have all expired now. Most MS Small Business Specialists probably have multiple copies of the SBS Demo version sitting around.

And, of course, there's always the Action Pack, but you can't legally install the Action Pack-licensed version at a client's office.

The current latest version of SBS 2003 is Service Pack 1. SBS 2003 R2 is scheduled for release very shortly (I'm a beta tester).

Microsoft considers offering downloads of Microsoft software or burning and distributing copies of their CDs a violaton of Microsoft's copyrights.

 

[440sixpack]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I dont think the key is an issue, I might actually be able to use our client's key, since our client has SBS (but lost the CDs somehow). And it is R2 that we need, I believe, not R3 (which is not out, like pointed out).

I don't know how much of an issue the test timeframe is, but the last time I ran a trial install of the SBS2003 demo I have, it needed to be activated within I think 12 days.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah 12 days will be plenty. I'll have to get info from the one who manages the client's server so I can know what to install and configure to do the replication, then after that I image it, and try to restore to a VM with universal restore to see if it works, then the test will be over.