Windows Home Server FAQ

Kulith said:
Ok, another question. Apparently MS doesn't offer student discounts on WHS, which sucks, so I would have to pay $99 for it. I get discounts on everything else though, and I could pick up windows 2008 standard server for $99 as well, which retails for over $1000

Should I still go with whs?
Click to expand...

Why dont you make a new thread in data storage, with what exactly you would like to do.
What your budget is, and what hardware you will be using.

That way we can give you the best advice and we dont clog up this thread with non-whs stuff.
:)
 
WHS is far from ideal for an HTPC, and it's a very different OS than the full blown Win Server (no drive-spanning for one thing, AFAIK). You can actually get Windows Server 2008 for free thru many student organizations tho (you'd usually just pay a $20-30 fee to join).
 
Thanks, I just have 2 more quick questions about WHS.

1) How does WHS and the data pool behave on a power loss? I get those frequently in my area.

2) Is WHS ideal to use some form of source control like TortoiseCVS?
 
Kulith said:
Thanks, I just have 2 more quick questions about WHS.

1) How does WHS and the data pool behave on a power loss? I get those frequently in my area.

2) Is WHS ideal to use some form of source control like TortoiseCVS?
Click to expand...

1) It just turns off like a normal computer. The pool isnt affected any differently than a single drive would.
Its essentially a JBOD system.

2) Do you mean like use an SVN to protect the data in the pool? I dont know how that would work.

If you mean run an SVN and use the Datapool as storage then it will work fine.
 
nitrobass24 said:
1) It just turns off like a normal computer. The pool isnt affected any differently than a single drive would.
Its essentially a JBOD system.

2) Do you mean like use an SVN to protect the data in the pool? I dont know how that would work.

If you mean run an SVN and use the Datapool as storage then it will work fine.
Click to expand...

Yea I just wanted to use it as storage, thanks. Setting up an SVN should be easy right?
 
Since I plan to stream HD off my WHS,

should I wait to install WHS on my X48 (out on an RMA) mobo instead of my current P35 motherboard that I have lying around?

I know there's PCI-e 1.x vs PC-e 2.0 here, but I'm really only using one Highpoint card and a nVidia 9300GS on the PCI-e lane and an older OEM Creative X-Fi on a PCI, so I shouldn't be really that bad off for bandwidth, right?

Considering I'm not aiming for speed or anything (just streaming/storage) that's why I chose WHS (instead of RAID + w/e other OS solution, prob would've been nix/EXT4).

Sound reasonable? Or hold out until the X48 comes back in the mail?
 
Doesnt matter WHS is a JBOD type Filesystem so you are limited to single drive speed anyways.

Just get a Intel Nic and your good to go.
 
whats the minimum specs to be able to stream 1080p to other systems on the network? i have an older amd system I'd love to just be able to install this one and go from there
 
Update:

So i pulled out my old hardware and installed the new one and it works :) better mobo and faster processor.

One question, i have the OS drive running off an old IDE 750gb. Technically, i can just mirror onto a new 750gb SATA and it should work right off the bat?
 
phiquach said:
Update:

So i pulled out my old hardware and installed the new one and it works :) better mobo and faster processor.

One question, i have the OS drive running off an old IDE 750gb. Technically, i can just mirror onto a new 750gb SATA and it should work right off the bat?
Click to expand...

Ive never been able to image a WHS os drive and it work, but it cant hurt to try.
Just dont nuke the original before you know its working.
 
veritas7 said:
Technically, i can just mirror onto a new 750gb SATA and it should work right off the bat?
Click to expand...
While that works (I've tried it myself by mirroring a drive, though I don't really remember the circumstances right now), the "Server Storage" tab on the Console will become VERY weird, complaining about a missing system drive.

WHS somehow builds a log of the drive IDs it has running, and though it can adapt pretty well to new environments, this is one that causes hiccups.

My best advice for such a change would be to mirror the drive and do a Server Restore so WHS can re-learn which drive does what and where it is.

Cheers.

Miguel
 
__Miguel_ said:
While that works (I've tried it myself by mirroring a drive, though I don't really remember the circumstances right now), the "Server Storage" tab on the Console will become VERY weird, complaining about a missing system drive.

WHS somehow builds a log of the drive IDs it has running, and though it can adapt pretty well to new environments, this is one that causes hiccups.

My best advice for such a change would be to mirror the drive and do a Server Restore so WHS can re-learn which drive does what and where it is.

Cheers.

Miguel
Click to expand...

thank you some one to conferm what i was thinking
 
nitrobass24 said:
Ive never been able to image a WHS os drive and it work, but it cant hurt to try.
Just dont nuke the original before you know its working.
Click to expand...

if the 750 ide is just the os then i dont feel they is any gain into changing this drive
the only time i see changing it is when it fails i run a 160gb my self on ide that leaves the onboard sata ports free for larger drives
 
Dasimpson said:
thank you some one to conferm what i was thinking
Click to expand...
NP, glad to help.

Dasimpson said:
if the 750 ide is just the os then i dont feel they is any gain into changing this drive
Click to expand...
Well, while I do understand where you're coming from, and I do agree with you to some degree, do keep in mind that a slower drive means longer boot times (I know, not really a problem for 24/7 usage, especially if you have the server plugged to a UPS), and slower transfer rates if/when the D:\ partition on the system drive is used for storage pool (which WHS seems to avoid if possible - my 3-drive WHS only has a small (2%) amount of data on the system drive's pool area).

Though, tbh, that was a scenario I actually considered for my WHS build: small IDE system drive + larger pool drives.

Dasimpson said:
i run a 160gb my self on ide that leaves the onboard sata ports free for larger drives
Click to expand...
The other way to handle that one is to get an IDE-SATA converter, and plug a SATA drive to the IDE connector. Best of both worlds, especially if you can find an adapter that works with two SATA drives (some have problems with master and slave modes), though throughput might be sub-par.

Cheers.

Miguel
 
I have searched for the best method to use utorrent with the WHS only found 1 or 2 that rreally work. Can a few guys chime in with some of the pros/cons of the methods that they are using right now.

Thanks
S
 
best method i found is to run utorrent in a XP virtual machine on WHS.

Con is that i have to login to WHS to start virtualbox

Pro is I can login into XP Pro when its running, do all my torrent managment, and if something happens like a virius or RIAA attack, just delete the file and start over.

Might not be the easiest way to use it, but gives me a fuzzy feeling knowing utorrent and the nasty that is the internet (trackers and other virius happy places) are in a VM locked away from my server and data.
 
It doesn't have to be XP does it? I feel like the functionality of a full blown operating system is wasted here
 
Doesn't have to be, i have a technet sub so I had a xp key to use for it. anything would work.
 
shftup said:
I have searched for the best method to use utorrent with the WHS only found 1 or 2 that rreally work. Can a few guys chime in with some of the pros/cons of the methods that they are using right now.
Click to expand...
Hi.

I'm using the approach described a few pages back: uTorrent running as a service with WebGUI and using UNC shares.

It works... mostly.

Caveats of this approach are:
1) Rather user-unfriendly to setup (you actually have to know what you're doing, or else you'll end up with a big question mark over your head rather quickly);

2) Sometimes, there are file lock issues (which eventually sort themselves out, but still...);

3) Auto-load torrent files doesn't work using a UNC path;

4) For some reason, my WebGUI lacks the top toolbar using this setup, so I have to use 3rd-party software to access the GUI (not a big problem, though);

5) WHS seems to be unable to properly handle HDD spin-ups from UNC writes (or what is considered an "idle" drive for purpose of HDD spin-down), so I've experienced file access errors within uTorrent if HDDs are allowed to drop below D0 states (gotta love ACPI notation... lol).

Right now, and after a couple of months' experience on this subject, I'd recommend a small dedicated always-on HDD not part of the pool for uTorrent/eMule services. It seems to be a better fit for WHS, and you can always create a separate network share to the uTorrent folder.

BTW, a small question on non-pool drives: If you assign a drive to backup WHS, can you still use it for other stuff (like uTorrent/eMule)? Or does it just drop out of the "available drives" list?

Cheers.

Miguel
 
i would just get an old p3 or summin stick utorrent on it put it out of the way and access it remote thru the whs online remote desktop thing
 
Dasimpson said:
i would just get an old p3 or summin stick utorrent on it put it out of the way and access it remote thru the whs online remote desktop thing
Click to expand...
Power draw of a P3 machine is about 60~100W. Not to mention there would be at least one more HDD and a couple of extra fans making noise. AND a P3 machine would be on the descending reliability scale...

My WHS server, with three HDDs, probably draws around the same as the aforementioned P3 machine, so if you want to go the dedicated machine route, a virtual machine would be MUCH better in just about every single way. Sure, installing a virtual machine on WHS is a pain in and of itself, but it's doable...

Cheers.

Miguel
 
If you are going to install a VM anyways you could use it as an HTPC then too right?
 
Anyone running symantec on their whs?

..long story short roomie decided to install it on the WHS.

It nommed the piss out of files in 5 shares, now whs reports those shares are "failing"

I have rarely used symantec, I tried recovering the files it fucked with, I will just have to replace them.. after I uninstall symantec. Will WHS return to normal after removal of symantec, and replacing the disrupted files?

Fucking annoyed.
 
Just uninstall symantec, the issue may go away.

Also why does your roomie have the admin password?
 
LOL.

He's not a total moron, just felt we needed AV at that moment..
 
Last edited:
__Miguel_ said:
Hi.

I'm using the approach described a few pages back: uTorrent running as a service with WebGUI and using UNC shares.

It works... mostly.

Caveats of this approach are:
1) Rather user-unfriendly to setup (you actually have to know what you're doing, or else you'll end up with a big question mark over your head rather quickly);

2) Sometimes, there are file lock issues (which eventually sort themselves out, but still...);

3) Auto-load torrent files doesn't work using a UNC path;

4) For some reason, my WebGUI lacks the top toolbar using this setup, so I have to use 3rd-party software to access the GUI (not a big problem, though);

5) WHS seems to be unable to properly handle HDD spin-ups from UNC writes (or what is considered an "idle" drive for purpose of HDD spin-down), so I've experienced file access errors within uTorrent if HDDs are allowed to drop below D0 states (gotta love ACPI notation... lol).

Right now, and after a couple of months' experience on this subject, I'd recommend a small dedicated always-on HDD not part of the pool for uTorrent/eMule services. It seems to be a better fit for WHS, and you can always create a separate network share to the uTorrent folder.

BTW, a small question on non-pool drives: If you assign a drive to backup WHS, can you still use it for other stuff (like uTorrent/eMule)? Or does it just drop out of the "available drives" list?

Cheers.

Miguel
Click to expand...


I think this is very good info.
I am thinking to use a HDD outside of the WHS pool for torrents, then have them copied over to a share when completed.
 
__Miguel_ said:
Hi.

I'm using the approach described a few pages back: uTorrent running as a service with WebGUI and using UNC shares.

It works... mostly.

Caveats of this approach are:
1) Rather user-unfriendly to setup (you actually have to know what you're doing, or else you'll end up with a big question mark over your head rather quickly);

2) Sometimes, there are file lock issues (which eventually sort themselves out, but still...);

3) Auto-load torrent files doesn't work using a UNC path;

4) For some reason, my WebGUI lacks the top toolbar using this setup, so I have to use 3rd-party software to access the GUI (not a big problem, though);

5) WHS seems to be unable to properly handle HDD spin-ups from UNC writes (or what is considered an "idle" drive for purpose of HDD spin-down), so I've experienced file access errors within uTorrent if HDDs are allowed to drop below D0 states (gotta love ACPI notation... lol).

Right now, and after a couple of months' experience on this subject, I'd recommend a small dedicated always-on HDD not part of the pool for uTorrent/eMule services. It seems to be a better fit for WHS, and you can always create a separate network share to the uTorrent folder.

BTW, a small question on non-pool drives: If you assign a drive to backup WHS, can you still use it for other stuff (like uTorrent/eMule)? Or does it just drop out of the "available drives" list?

Cheers.

Miguel
Click to expand...

Well first off i have autoloading working on my UNC shares, so im not sure whats up with that.
Secondly you dont have to pull a drive the pool, to use a dedicated drive.
Just pick a drive in the pool that you want to use.
Open up disk management and add a drive letter to it.
It will still work in the pool because you are not deleting the symbolic link. Just also assigning it a drive letter.
 
Has anyone ever tried moving their WHS drives to a new motherboard without doing a full reinstall? I'm thinking of upgrading my hardware, but don't really want to do the disc-shuffle to move everything off the server, upgrade and reinstall, and then move everything back (including PC backups).
 
Forceman said:
Has anyone ever tried moving their WHS drives to a new motherboard without doing a full reinstall? I'm thinking of upgrading my hardware, but don't really want to do the disc-shuffle to move everything off the server, upgrade and reinstall, and then move everything back (including PC backups).
Click to expand...

Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. just kinda have to try and see.
Your data is safe either way.

When you do it just connect the system drive. Then it will complain a bunch and probably make you reactivate windows.
After you have reactivated just shutdown and connect the pool drives and should be fine.
 
nitrobass24 said:
Sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt. just kinda have to try and see.
Your data is safe either way.

When you do it just connect the system drive. Then it will complain a bunch and probably make you reactivate windows.
After you have reactivated just shutdown and connect the pool drives and should be fine.
Click to expand...

Sounds risky. That was my initial plan but I am afraid of losing the data. Maybe I'll back it up first on a new drive and then try it.
 
Forceman said:
Has anyone ever tried moving their WHS drives to a new motherboard without doing a full reinstall?
Click to expand...
I have. However, keep in mind mine was a "sideways" upgrade, so YMMV.

I had my WHS on an ASRock 945G-based mobo (so ICH7 base as the main storage controller), with an E1200 Celeron CPU. I moved everything (or, to be more precise, I removed the mobo+CPU combo from the case and installed the new one :p) to the new setup, an ASRock G31-based mobo with a Celeron E3200 CPU and fired up the machine.

Zero problems whatsoever, though WHS did require a reactivation (exceeded the maximum number of hardware changes allowed before the activation trigger kicked in).

My guess is, if your motherboard drivers are the same (or similar), you might get lucky, especially since WHS seems to be somewhat image-based, like Vista and W7.

nitrobass24 said:
Well first off i have autoloading working on my UNC shares, so im not sure whats up with that.
Click to expand...
Probably some random weirdness happening, typical of my Windows installs... lol

Since the WebGUI also doesn't work correctly, I'll put that up as a uTorrent installation failure, or something that went wrong with the service installation. YMMV on this one, then.

nitrobass24 said:
Secondly you dont have to pull a drive the pool, to use a dedicated drive.
Just pick a drive in the pool that you want to use.
Open up disk management and add a drive letter to it.
It will still work in the pool because you are not deleting the symbolic link. Just also assigning it a drive letter.
Click to expand...
But doesn't that have the possibility of messing up file attributes? It's a very clever solution, but I'm very weary of touching the DE drives (or anything DE-related, for that matter), after I've read those hideous M$ warnings about messing with DE...

shftup said:
I think this is very good info.
I am thinking to use a HDD outside of the WHS pool for torrents, then have them copied over to a share when completed.
Click to expand...
Remember, uTorrent can auto-move completed torrents, including to a UNC share. AND it will continue seeding them automatically.

Forceman said:
Sounds risky. That was my initial plan but I am afraid of losing the data. Maybe I'll back it up first on a new drive and then try it.
Click to expand...
When I did it, I had only one drive, so I can't really tell you how that works.

However, according to M$, you should be able to reinstall WHS without touching the DE data... Never done it, though, so big "?" for me on that one.

Cheers.

Miguel
 
@ miguel

It wouldnt mess up file attributes and the data would not be available on the WHS shares unless you had a share mapped to the same location.

Also how is this different than MS assigning the D: drive.....its part of the pool too ;)
 
I have moved to a new mobo/cpu and it worked fine. no problems at all. installed the new drivers and everything worked the same
 
I just rebuilt my WHS and it is acting weird....before i did anything I updated it completely.... all million updates.

then installed drivers for GPU and motherboard.

now here is the weird part. my dual core AII 240 is pegged at 50% load, and when i look at the processes nothing is using any CPU.

everything is super slow...

but when i boot into safe mode, it is lightning fast and does not have the 50% load issue.

anyone have any ideas?
 
nitrobass24 said:
It wouldnt mess up file attributes and the data would not be available on the WHS shares unless you had a share mapped to the same location.
Click to expand...
Good to know.

I might try it someday. Thanks!

Adidas4275 said:
I just rebuilt my WHS and it is acting weird....before i did anything I updated it completely.... all million updates.
Click to expand...
That is usually a bad idea. Installing too many updates at once (usually, 20+) might trigger something going VERY wrong somewhere. There are various reports of stuff messed up after a mass update.

I usually install Service and Power Packs and separately (one at a time), then critical patches in batches of 20, then recommended updates (also in batches), then finally optional updates (those can usually go in a single batch, I don't remember having more than 20 optional updates at any given time).

Adidas4275 said:
now here is the weird part. my dual core AII 240 is pegged at 50% load, and when i look at the processes nothing is using any CPU.

everything is super slow...
Click to expand...
Go over at Sysinternals and get your hands on Process Explorer.

Check what's causing that load. I suspect you'll find the "culprit" to be either the DPC or Interrupt "tasks". DPCs are "Deferred Procedure Calls", or stuff that's waiting for something else to be ready (usually the CPU), and Interrupts are CPU calls made by hardware (usually caused by the driver) or software that ask the CPU to stop processing something and start processing something else. Too many interrupts (it's like having someone constantly shouting "Teacher, could you explain that to me again" in a class) usually lead to high counts of DPCs, since processing is halted and the queue builds up rather quickly.

If that's NOT the case (in which case you're lucky), then find the offending process and either disable it or upgrade its software.

If it's either the DPC or Interrupt "task" that's causing high CPU usage, then you have either a software or driver issue. My Samsung multifunction printer drivers and software, for example, are HORRIBLE. It took me like two months to find out why I couldn't hibernate properly, and why I had so many DPCs and Interrupts.

If it's a case of excess Interrupts/DPCs, do a safe boot and check which drivers are loaded and which ones are not (and also which software ISN'T auto-loaded). Then, either remove the offending software, or upgrade it.

Biggest causes of DPCs and Interrupts are network-related and video-related hardware drivers, btw.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Miguel
 
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