Question: What is Microsoft's DNS server

[getting there]

Question: What is Microsoft's DNS server?

I was reading an article that involved the use of a null zone file, going further to explain its location at %SystemRoot%\system32\dns (or, C:\WinNT\system32\dns for most people).

I explored my computer in system32 to find the folder dns did not exist!

My software is Windows XP with SP3

Is Microsoft’s DNS server included with XP SP3 or do you have to download and install it?

And if so could someone be kind enough to give me a link to a basic version?

Still getting there

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Windows XP (Home or Pro) cannot be a DNS Server. The server version of Windows XP is Windows Server 2003.

[getting there]

Windows XP (Home or Pro) cannot be a DNS Server. The server version of Windows XP is Windows Server 2003.

Interesting:

This is not what I thought; Windows Server 2003 is an OS.

Is any XP software such as IE and Office compatible with Windows Server 2003, could I still use my general XP software?

I have not found anything specific on this subject.

Cheers

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Server versions of Windows are the same as the basic OS, plus all the server functionalities added. On Windows Server 2003 you can do all the things that you can do on Windows XP, plus it can act as a server for many things: DNS server, proxy server, terminal server, file server, FTP server, web server, exchange server - you name it.

Windows Server 2008 is based on Vista, and the same is true as for XP above.