The reasons for using a terminal server for me are:

1. I already have a Windows server running.
2. I can run Windows software on each “terminal” it provides
3. I can  centralize my Windows settings

So, Yesterday, I got terminal services perfectly configured on my server 2003 machine.  With everything working perfectly, including the thin client, I started installing the typical applications that I use for windows.  The problem I quickly ran into was that some applications won’t install on Server 2003, yet they will run fine on it.  For example, Adobe Photoshop CS3 will run perfectly after you fool it to initially install.

Question: how would one fool the Adobe CS3 install program to install an application to Server 2003?

Answer: You are going to need a program from Microsoft’s website called Application Verifier.  Here is the link, it may or may not be valid, so use Google if it doesn’t work.

After Application Verifier is installed, pop in the Adobe install disk and exit any installer program that pops up.  Now open up the application verifier (probably in your start menu).  Now that you are in Application Verifier, do the following:

1. click ‘Add Application’ from the file menu
2. browse to the setup.exe program: cd-drive\CS3\setup.exe
3. Once added, find the application, expand it, and look for ‘compatibility’, expand that and check ‘HighVersionLie’
4. Right click ‘HighVersionLie’ and click properties.

To fool the app into thinking its on XP SP2, teh following options should be used:

• Major Version: 5
• Minor Version: 1
• Build Number: 2600
• Service Pack Major: 2
• Service Pack Minor: 1

Now save everything (don’t exit Application Verifier though).  Now goto my computer, browse to the cd drive, right click and open it, go into the CS3 folder, and double click the setup.exe program.  With application verifier running, this should install fine now.  After the installation is complete, you can remove Application Verifier as you probably won’t need it again.

Hope this helps anyone with this problem.