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68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
This is the most recent version of Windows Home Server (WHS)
At the time I'm writing this, Amazon has two versions of WHS listed: this one with a plain white graphic, and another more expensive one with a blue graphic. THIS is the more recent version, despite its lower price.
Microsoft hit a home run with Windows Home Server (WHS). It is one of the first times I've seen a sophisticated software product that is...
Published 18 months ago by Speednet
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3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Nice idea, but falls short!
I liked the idea of having a backup server solution that I could use with all my computers including a MAC. Unfortunately I cannot get the backup to work automatically with the MAC and must move files over manually to archive them. The remote capabilities using the WEB interface are a plus, but still cannot watch a slideshow without copying the files to my local PC. I...
Published 8 months ago by Mike Walker
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68 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
This is the most recent version of Windows Home Server (WHS), February 3, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
At the time I'm writing this, Amazon has two versions of WHS listed: this one with a plain white graphic, and another more expensive one with a blue graphic. THIS is the more recent version, despite its lower price.
Microsoft hit a home run with Windows Home Server (WHS). It is one of the first times I've seen a sophisticated software product that is perfect for regular non-techie consumers. It is easy to use, but does not assume the user is a moron. It does this by placing just the right warnings at the right times. Obviously, it's been user-tested a LOT.
Under the covers is is built on Windows Server 2003 SP2. That is an excellent choice, because it is a very mature operating system, and is in use in millions of computer servers around the world. In fact, one of the things I was surprised about when first booting up the software is that you really do have access to the regular Windows desktop, including Start menu and many of the normal programs and features you would expect to see.
So for me, as someone who is very comfortable working with servers, I was very happy to see that although the product does not NEED any kind of tweaking, I had full access to be able to make subtle adjustments that I wanted. For example, I was able to adjust the encryption level on remote desktop sessions to "High" (from the default Normal) in the Administrative Tools > Terminal Services Configuration application. What a great thing that Microsoft did not "dumb down" the product and restrict access for those who know what they're doing.
One of the first things you should do with any new OS install is to run Windows Update, so that it gets patched with all the latest updates from Microsoft. This install is no different, and there were in fact many updates to install (53 or 54 in total). So before playing with your new server, first run Windows Update from the Start > All Programs menu, select the "Custom" option, and check all the boxes to install everything.
Then, after you install the updates (which includes the upgrade from IE6 to IE7) and the computer reboots, run Windows Update again. Typically, in an update that large there are updates that don't install because of some dependencies, and there will be additional updates to the updates you just installed. This is common. Every time Windows Update finishes, immediately run it again -- until you see "0" (zero) next to every category on the left. Also, don't use "Express", keep using "Custom" (contrary to the "recommended" tag next to Express).
Another thing you may want to do is get rid of the Logon Warning that appears every time you log in to the server's desktop (either remotely or on the computer itself). You can do that simply by deleting "Logon Warning" from the All Programs > Startup folder in the Start menu. It is a simple HTML file, so deleting it does not do any harm.
I am really happy with this home server product from Microsoft, and I highly recommend it for any household that has more than one computer.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Best thing since sliced bread, March 21, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
I was wanting a Home "File Server" after seeing one in action at a local Attorneys office (I have been using macs for years until last year) and was pretty impressed on how well networking on domains/LAN, etc worked on Windows.
While googling "Home Server" expecting to have to setup a Linux server I found this little gem.
I downloaded the Eval Copy and installed it on an old P4 1.8 with 768 of memory, after install setup took 10 minutes.
I am completely impressed with this product, Microsoft put out such a killer product, I am amazed they don't advertise it more. My wife and I were swapping portable drives between the 2 laptops and her computer until now. I did not know or understand networking, all I knew was I liked how the network was setup at a friends business and wanted that, without having to buy expensive Server software, now all we did was take those external drives and put them in the new Home Server and loaded it will all of the pictures, music, documents, etc. Backing up my wife's computer is so much easier now, and I don't have to ask her if she did back it up, I know it happened.
This product is a must have if you have a computer (especially if you have a laptop) as you will never have to worry about where files are, if everyone can access them, and like me, you have no server experience.
Those little HP machines that are pre-configured with this software are a great deal to.
This is a must have.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Useful, and pretty good for a "first release" product, December 14, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
Like most other reviewers, I agree that Windows Home Server (WHS) is a pretty good product, and I recommend it as a good solution for backup and file sharing in a home environment. Having said that, the product strikes me as a "first release" that was put together at relatively low cost by Microsoft and thus suffers from a few limitations.
Like many others these days, I have a small home network of computers owned by several family members who have typical needs such as:
- File sharing: have a central "library" for pictures, videos, downloads, etc. that can be shared by all users, and that is kept secure (protected from hard disk failure and from inadvertent damage by users).
- Backup: regularly and reliably back up the hard disks of each computer to a different hard drive.
- Print sharing: provide common access to several different printers.
To do this, I put together a low-cost, low-power "mini-server" that I built using Intel's Atom 330 processor on a mini-ITX board in a small form factor case with 2 WDC 1-TB "green" drives - a setup that is very quiet and draws less than 40 watts of power so it can be left on all the time. I have tried running Windows XP Pro and Ubuntu Linux on it to do the items listed above, but didn't find either to be completely satisfactory.
Then I discovered WHS, so downloaded and tried the free 120-day evaluation copy. My experience with that was worth the cost of purchasing WHS, so I did. However, WHS does have a few limitations and quirks that potential buyers should be aware of:
* Microsoft did a pretty good job of covering up the complications of the product's Windows Server 2003 underpinnings through the use of a remote WHS Console for connected machines, but this is incomplete and you still need to access the WHS machine directly via a directly-attached monitor/kbd/mouse or via RDP, even though you are presented with a screen in WHS that warns you against this. But for certain tasks such as applying fixes you still need to access the machine directly.
* It is specifically not intended by MS to be a print server - a very disappointing omission, because that is one the normal "shared" missions of a server. I suspect MS omitted this because installing printers is not something they could easily fit into the WHS Console. You can configure shared printers on WHS as you would in Windows Server 2003 - and I did - but one of my printers just wouldn't install for some reason. This whole area needs more work.
* As many others have pointed out, you can't easily upgrade from the eval version to the product version without doing a reinstall and re-registering users. Fortunately your data is preserved.
* I *strongly* recommend using multiple hard disks in your WHS machine to take advantage of the very nice "duplication" feature that MS has built in that replicates a copy of the precious data you have stored on WHS. Much easier than trying to do this via RAID.
* Another badly-needed missing feature is some type of mechanism that provides more control over what individual users can do to shared data. WHS only provides primitive controls such as granting read or write permissions, but this is not enough. For example, I want other family members to be able to add their photos to the shared photo library but not to be able to delete items, e.g. a "contribute" level of access to prevent a user from inadvertently destroying shared items. (I often use Microsoft's free SyncToy to do this.)
* The fact that there has only been one release of WHS (albeit updated with 3 service packs), that it still runs on a fairly old base system (Windows Server 2003), and that MS has not actively promoted the product does create some concern that it was only a trial balloon by MS that might not have a future and thus will leave users stranded. There have been rumors of a new version, but until we hear the facts this is still an area of concern.
Despite the above items, it's a great concept and it is a product that I really like because the parts that are there work very well. I just hope that MS sees fit to come out with a new version that addresses some of the obvious shortcomings of the initial version.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Good product, February 19, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
Easy to install, set up and maintain. This is a great product for any home user, or even small business, thinking of setting up a server for storage etc.
It was easy to set up an old unused Dell desktop, with the only problem being the network card was not supported. The solution was simple, just download the correct one from Dell.
Sadly these days printed documentation is a rarity, so I would suggest getting one of the many books available. I used Microsoft Windows Home Server Unleashed by Paul McFedries and so far it has covered everything I needed.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Just works, June 2, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
I have been trying to set up a home server for over a year (you could also say: I had been playing around) . My main requirements were:
- Network storage
- Streaming audio files (for Logitech Squeezebox/Slimserver)
- An automated backup solution for my PCs
I had tried different Linux solutions (Ubuntu Server, Debian, etc.), which was fun (and I think I learned a lot), but those were quite uncomfortable to maintain and my installation never did everything it was supposed to.
So I finally set up an Asus eee Box as a quiet, energy efficient little Windows Home Server, which works perfectly for my requirements. Setup was easy, and administration is very comfortable.
So you may learn more and save a few bucks if you build your own system using Linux, but Windows Home Server just works and will save you a lot of time.
I believe that this OEM version is the cheapest way to get a WHS license, so I can recommend it.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
Windows Home Server trial upgrade to OEM, May 28, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
I had been using the trial version of Windows Home Server for the last 4 months and really like it. I ordered the OEM version of Windows Home Server to upgrade to a permanent license. When I began the upgrade it did not give me the option to "re-install". Without this option I would not be able to keep all of my files and backups that were already stored on the trial system. I found a post on the Internet that said to disconnect all drives other than the system boot drive and begin the installation. This will then give the option to "re-install". When the system first shuts down to reboot after selecting "re-install", that is the time to turn off the system and re-connect all hard disks that have data stored on them. Then power up and let the re-install continue. This all went smoothly with many reboots at various points in the install process. When it was finished all of my files and previous backups were still there in the shares. The only other thing I had to do was re-create the user ID's and passwords, enable the network interface, and re-install the connector software on my other home computers.
WHS is really Windows Server 2003 small business with the Windows Home Server software running on top of it. It is a very powerful and stable operating system for use as a file server. It is not a game system and does not even need a display after the software is installed.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
The Best Product Microsoft Ever Made!, June 23, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
This product is great, the best part about it is that you get 120 days to try it before you have to buy it. I was sold after 30 days and paid the 100 bucks for this outstanding software. The upgrade from the trail to the full version took 45 minutes and all of my stuff was still there just like I left it. I slapped 2 more 500 Gig Hard Disks in this bad boy and now I have a 2 Terabyte storage solution for under 300 bucks software included!
If you looking for a central storage solution for multiple machines this is the ticket. Additionally you can access it from anywhere in the world with the remote access activated. I have also added a PS3 and a iTunes server to this thing, so all my media is in one place!
Take an old P3 or P4 machine with 512 of ram and a 60 gig hard drive (minimum requirements) and make it into a server. You can't go wrong! This thing works great!
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
It Does The Job with little hassle., June 21, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
I had some spare pc parts and I found the Windows Home Server demo online so I decided to give it a try.
After a few weeks I couldn't live without it. It was nice to have all my media in one place plus backups of all my pcs.
The real deal breaker was when my laptop crashed after an update, it was very simple process to restore my windows partitition from a backup.
The trial lasts about 6 monthes so when the warning message came up I started browsing for the real thing.
Amazon has the best price especially with free shipping.
So in conclusion, I highly recommend WHS and I built my own 2TB for about half the price of an HP Home Server.
I would also suggest if starting from scratch do some research first so you can hit the ground running. Try the wegotserved forum its very insightful plus has a lot of useful FREE addins.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
A well designed product of the masses, June 21, 2009
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
I bought WHS to aid in the backup of 5 computers in the house. I've been using this now for a few months and I have to say I'm quite impressed. For the record, I'm not a Microsoft lover or hater; I buy whatever works and does not complicate my life. In my configuration all the PCs connected to the server are some flavor of Windows XP.
This product is intended for people that have a few computers in their house (one of which they're not using) and they want to create complete backups of those computers. They're willing to leave one of those computers running 24/7. They're comfortable installing an OS (if not you can buy this pre-installed by a big-name computer maker). They don't have the time or inclination to manage the backup process. They just want it to work... pure and simple.
Pure and simple is probably the best way to describe WHS. Once the server is built, you simply run the connector installer software (conveniently located on the install CD) and you're basically done. Your computer will now run daily-incremental backups of your entire hard drive. If you want to tweak things a little, you can connect to the WHS management console remotely and change access levels to shared folders, adjust backup time-frames, reboot the server, create user accounts, allocate storage, you name it. The server is meant to run headless (no keyboard, monitor, or mouse) so throw it in a closet if you can get Ethernet into it. If you run out of hard drive space, no problem, pop an external hard drive on, tell WHS what it's for, and your done.
[...]Any problem, bug, or glitch I've come across has already been answered in the forums. Also, there are numerous 3rd party add-ons (add-ins?) that you can download, so... if there's a feature you don't see, chances are somebody has created an add-on for that.
The best part about WHS is that my family is barely aware that it's running and I've practically forgotten about it myself. It's completely self-maintaining and is exactly what every Household-IT-Rep wishes he/she had. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to backup 2 or more computers, but doesn't want to spend a lot of time initiating or managing such a project.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Best if Used on its Own Terms, February 26, 2010
This review is from: Microsoft Windows Home Server System Builder with URP1 (DVD-ROM)
NOTE: This product has gone far beyond the item listed here and is, as of 12/2009, up to "Power Pack 3". If you cannot find a newer release of this product, make it a point to allow it to update itself before trying to properly set up your Windows Home Server. It will save you a lot of trouble if you do this because the updates resolve a lot of issues. Most importantly, Power Pack 3 adds compatibility with Windows 7 and fixes some serious problems with file indexing.
Windows Home Server (or "WHS") seems to serve two purposes:
1) to provide a very simple way of doing every useful "home network" type of task without having to know much about servers
2) to prevent anyone who is not a home user from trying to use the OS as any sort of formal Windows Server (such as for a business or as a web server)
This means that if you come from a background of managing servers and are used to managing things at the OS level, you really need to let that go. Things that seem like a can't-fail performance tweak or a standard "best practice" will actually destabilize Windows Home Server and eventually lead you off to rebuild-land, wondering how things went wrong. Remoting into a Windows Home Server using anything besides the Windows Home Server Console will corrupt the installation and cause problems (more on this in a moment), once again leading you to rebuild. This is a case where when Microsoft says, "We don't support you doing that," they mean it.
The good news is, if you want to have your own server at home and you want it to be hassle-free, Windows Home Server will fit your needs. 99% of the tasks you perform are all in one place: the Windows Home Server Console. This rich graphical interface drives everything you'll do in managing and configuring your server. It simplifies tasks and provides quick at-a-glance information on your server's status.
So what are some of those features?
Backup and mirroring: Windows Home Server will enable you to back up your home computers to it. These backups update themselves on a schedule that you set and can later be used to restore the machine if things go wrong. Instead of using RAID for disk redundancy, Windows Home Server uses a technology called "folder duplication." It seems bizarre to omit RAID from a server that's supposed to keep redundant copies, but here in Windows Home Server, it really is better suited to the OS' design. It is also closely customizeable, allowing you to specifically set which folders should be duplicated for data protection.
Disk management: it's easy to add or remove extra drives. WHS uses drive letter mapping to make all volumes the "D:\" drive. This drive letter is a logical mapping off the root physical volume, and your C:\ drive is deliberately limited to a much smaller volume in order to make restoring the server a snap on those hopefully-rare occasions when you have to. Storage is balanced across volumes automatically and while watching it happen on my MediaSmart Ex495 I rarely see it impact performance.
Media sharing and streaming: Using simple "Music, Photos, Videos" categories, you can control how to share media and also enable or disable streaming. You can also enable/disable integration with Windows Media Center. Windows Media Center on your PCs will easily pick up on the existence of the server and walk you through installation of the plug-in once you have enabled this feature. I found WMC integration to really be dirt-simple to set up and useful to have on all my machines, and I'm betting it integrates really well with an X-Box 360 as well. I've used it with my Playstation 3 and it's been very easy to access through the PS3's Media Bar (or "XMB"). There are also the Firefly Server (which I have not used closely) and TwonkyMedia, which provides an alternative way of managing and streaming your content. Last, there is iTunes functionality but I have not used this feature (there are many, MANY forums that can help you with this if you'd like to learn more).
The hard part of Windows Home Server is recognizing that it is best used on its own terms: use the Windows Home Server Console to access the server and its settings, use the Windows Home Server Toolkit to do deeper "expert" tasks (and try to avoid doing these unless you have to), and most importantly do not remote into the box. Windows Home Server carefully manages the installation and configuration of software, and accessing these programs from outside the console can cause problems. More importantly, Microsoft's Windows Update pushes updates based on the machine's server core. Windows Home Server uses Server 2003 as its core. In plain English this means that Windows Home Server appears to Microsoft Update as if it's a Server 2003 box. When the Console controls the updates, it is capable of filtering out the Server 2003 updates that are intended for WHS and those that aren't. Remoting into the box will cause Windows Update to call and answer with the full list and add updates to the queue that WHS really shouldn't have. Which is to say nothing of the default behavior of Remote Desktop Connection, which is to assume you want to share resources (such as printers, faxes, scanners on the network) with your remote session and try to install the drivers on the server while you're connected.
If you want a simple home media server, Windows Home Server will provide an easy-to-use, easy-to-manage, self-maintaining way to do it. However, you have to work within its rules and you need to be willing to let go of the lower-level things a typical Server administrator will do. If you want a robust and configurable server machine that allows you to customize to your heart's content, you may not be happy with the loss of control WHS requires. You might consider just installing your own server and being done with it.
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