Can you build a SQL Server?

I was invited by a large Microsoft Gold Partner and SQL Server specialist consultancy firm to come in for a chat to see if my skills and experience could be a good fit for their team. We went through the usual pleasantries and talked about their business and where they saw it going and how I might fit into a mentoring/architect type role.

We then got onto the topic of building and provisioning SQL Servers. They said that hey used automated builds, or provisioned into a number of different cloud providers. My question to them was, could you build a SQL 6.5 Server?

The immediate response was that they only supported SQL Server 2008R2 and beyond and that even Microsoft doesn't support SQL 6.5.

I asked that if they had a client, who for whatever reason (legal, ethical etc) needed a 6.5 server and be able to restore a backup could they do it? It left them scratching their heads - it is the clients requirements and they are a SQL Server consultancy firm. Dilemma.

What would you need, firstly some hardware - might be a 2nd hand desktop or laptop, low spec but would need a CD-ROM. Secondly media (could be hard to find unless you keep some old MSDN subscription). Windows NT 3.51 or NT 4.0 Server and then SQL Server 6.5 with SP5a.

It might take a while and be a bit painful, but it could be done.

Restoring the backup may be a whole different load of pain.

So could you build a SQL Server?