Yes, but I want to clarify something because you are using an older OS. In your case, you will probably not be able to use the MSSQL/
SQLSRV drivers with XAMPP 1.8.0.
XAMPP 1.8.0 contains PHP 5.4.x and
SQLSRV 3.0 drivers contain the correct libraries for PHP 5.4.x but
SQLSRV 2.0 only goes up to PHP 5.3.x
SQLSRV 3.0 has dropped support for all OS's under Vista and Server 2008 (which means those drivers as well as the Microsoft SQL 2012 Native Client required by the 3.0 drivers will not install on Win Server 2003).
You will most likely need XAMPP 1.7.7 to get PHP 5.3.x which are compatible with the
SQLSRV 2.0 drivers. You should be able to mostly follow those instructions in the other link you found (Just make sure you get the SQLSRV20.exe download and the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Native Client from here(about halfway down the page):
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download ... x?id=16978 )