Windows home server questions.

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bobbylx

Weaksauce
Joined
Feb 20, 2007
Messages
91
Hello all, long time lurker, first time poster.

So, this past weekend I decided to change my server at the house from Win Server 2K3 to WHS. Everything is setup on the server side, all my data is there and I seem to have the server setup just how I want.
I've installed the connector software on my other machine and can connect everthing seems fine there.
Here's my question/s. Now what? Unless I am missing something, it's seems like WHS is doing the same thing that my Server 2K3 box was. From my client machines all I have done is mapped a network drive over to my home server, which is what I did before.

Basically, what I want to know is there more that I can do to get the most out of this? Let me give you a rundown of my network.

Machine 1. WHS running headless in a closet.
Machine 2. My main rig, running Vista Ultimate.
Machine 3. Windows MCE edition 2005 connected to crappy TV in living room.
Machine 4. Vista home premium laptop.

So, on my main rig all I do is game and work. No video or anything, listen to some music and so forth. On my MCE box, I use it for movies, no TV tuner card. So, I've got a folder on my WHS with videos, a mix of DVIX and DVD ISO files. On the MCE box, I just pointed to the shared Video folder on WHS and play whatever I want either using VLC or WinDVD or DVIX player. On the laptop I just use shares for music and misc data, again no video or anything.

So, am I doing this all wrong? Are there add-ins that would make this easier? Like I said, it seems like I'm doing the same thing as before, just mapping shared drives. Of course I like WHS and the backup tools and drive management, but I was hoping for more automation. Any suggestions or advice?
 
Install the connector software on each computer on your LAN (not the WHS machine). After that, each computer will automatically be backed up every night.

Once you have a backup sequence stored, you can restore any machine on the network to it's last (and I believe any previous) backup simply by booting that machine from the provided restore CD.

Any critical shares on the WHS server you can set to individually mirror, providing security of your data.

You can use it for remote access into your home network from anywhere in the world, if you turn on this feature. You can access not only shares, but the actual computers on your network as long as RDC is turned on for those computers and the necessary rights are assigned to the account attempting access.
 
dahlhana said:
You might want to be carefull actually using WHS as a server. Apparently, there is a recognized bug that will either scramble your files or replace them with old backup copies of certain files:


http://www.computerworld.com/action...ame=software&articleId=9054178&taxonomyId=150

It would appear that WHS is more of a backup server than a file server..
Click to expand...

I've held off "modifying" files over the network until MS releases an update that fixes this issue. That being said, I rarely, if ever, edited pictures over my network. I usually copy the file to my desktop, make changes, then copy it back with a filename that refects the changes I made. Original photos stay that way.

I wonder if this issue is related to WHS's data duplication function in some way.
 
Thanks. I've had a day or so to play with it more and am finding more uses for it now. WeGotServed is a very good resource. I've put a few add-ins that are really useful. Right now I'm using the Whiist add-in, very nice for creating simple file sharing web pages, the Windows Home Server disk management add-in, just an extension of Server Storage tab but shows physical drive info, like controller and target # for SCSI, and WebGuide for streaming video and music.

Also, I don't modify anything on the server with regards to files. Mostly using it for a dump for all my movies, music, software and photos. With pictures, I always keep the originals on my main rig, and duplicate them to the WHS just for backups, so any editing is done on the file on the main rig.

Also, the remote access feature is really awesome! I like being able to log into my own DNS site and hit the server config page, then being able to access any compatible PC in the house.

Now I just need a speedfan add-in or something similar, I did some drive rearranging last night, and have 2 x 36gb SCSI drives, 3 x 72gb SCSI drives and my 80gb IDE drive with the OS on it. Considering the poor layout of the case, I like to keep and eye on drive temps.
 
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