Windows Home Server Hits RC1
Just got the email about Windows Home Server going RC1.
I think the list of features sounds pretty solid. Overall, I think the majority of those who use it will be using their for backup and restore functions, which is the main reason I would use it in the long term, though things like using it as a file server would be pretty cool. Ars Technica has a pretty good run down on the move to RC1 and when gold code should come out.
I’m sure many more of you will get this as well. The details are as follows:
The RC (Release Candidate) release is a feature complete build of Windows Home Server.
Here are the details:
Install options
As we stated in a mail earlier in May, we are only supporting one installation option with this RC release: New Installation. Server Reinstallation is not supported. Server Reinstallation will be supported from RC to RTM.
The New Installation option will wipe out all drives including drives where your backups and shares reside. Please be sure to backup any critical data off of your Windows Home Server installations prior to installing the RC build.
Enable Customer Feedback
We ask that you enable providing customer feedback information to Microsoft when you go through setup (or enable it later in Server Settings). We received VERY valuable data from Beta 2 and CTP via this mechanism and it is extremely important that any crash or failure you encounter get reported to us. For privacy reasons we cannot enable this feature by default now that we are this far along in our release schedule.
Things we want you to test:
- Run every app you can think of on your client machines accessing files on the server via SMB.
- Copy stuff on, copy stuff off, delete stuff, move stuff.
- Run lots of backups.
- Do single file/folder restores.
- Restore full PCs.
- Remote Access configuration
- Password policy
- Password reset
- OOBE from a home PC (the OEM experience)
- Full system restore of a home PC (test on a spare box)
- Adding and removing hard drives through the Windows Home Server Console
Again, we thank you for all the great testing and feedback you’ve given us so far, and look forward to you helping us insure this RC is really ready for release!
(Note - Let me know what features you plan on or have been using most, as well as how your experience with Windows Home Server beta has been going, and I’ll read them on the show. I can be reached at mediacentershow (at) gmail.com )
June 13th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Question about WHS:
Does it support Media Center itself? Meaning can I shove tuners in my WHS and have it handle all my media center duties? I’ve read all the papers on how WHS is supposed to be my main place for everything in my house (storage, backup and distro), but it’s hardly fantastic if I still have to keep a vista box around to record everything, and then send it to the WHS to distribute.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:06 am
I believe you still would need a Media Center PC to run the DVR functionality, the EPG, etc, all of which means the tuners will be in the Media Center box. I know Microsoft has the Windows Home Server team working closely with Media Center folks, but integration between the two (with Windows Home Server capabilities likely going into the Media Center at some point) is in a future version.
Update: You actually can record from your MCE PC to WHS, however. This is the value of having WHS, in many respects, having a centralized storage and management of your recordings for live TV. There’s a nice explanation of how to do so here.
June 23rd, 2007 at 4:53 am
what the hell was microsoft thinking. i refuse to install home server since the only options you have is to either disconnect the drives you do not want erased or allow all hard drives to be erased. i am sorry but the word stupid comes to mind. microsoft needs to correct their mistake.
June 27th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
One thing I was hoping was to reduce the excess of computers needed in the house, obviously Microsft is rying to acheive the opposite.
After playing with RC1 I must admit back up functionality is swish, but to be honest the second server concept is just rubbish.
July 18th, 2007 at 1:39 am
man,
I agree completely. I run MCE and like it quite well. I’d love to add the functionality of WHS, but I refuse to have another computer on 24-7. It’s one or the other until they are integrated.
No thanks.