The Windows Home Server Thread
02-21-2011, 09:19 PM
#161
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
Speaking of cool add-ins. here's a free add-in from a nice Canadian group that allows you to use WHS as a Time Machine backup!
http://www.wegotserved.com/2011/02/2...backups-addin/
http://www.wegotserved.com/2011/02/2...backups-addin/
02-21-2011, 09:56 PM
#162
That article pretty much says what I said. Atom and it's ilk can do basic WHS backup stuff but if you start wanting to do more stuff (which you may) like video transcoding, running add-ons etc then performance can suffer. They said the Core i3 offers the same low power consumption at idle that the atom does but is much more powerful and can use a lot more power if really stressed but that's not likely with WHS load.
I just don't want you to get an Atom set up and then 6 months later you see a cool add-on that you want to use then when you add it performance grinds to a halt cause it maxes out your CPU.
I just don't want you to get an Atom set up and then 6 months later you see a cool add-on that you want to use then when you add it performance grinds to a halt cause it maxes out your CPU.
02-23-2011, 01:55 AM
#163
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Drive Bender released, offers to fix your WHS Drive Extender woes
By Tim Stevens posted Feb 23rd 2011 2:34AM
When Microsoft indicated it was killing off Drive Extender tech for its upcoming Vail release of Windows Home Server, many WHS fans poured a 40 onto the lid of their MediaSmart servers. In response to all the sodden warranty claims HP decided to kill off the series and, well, things were looking dire. Indeed Drive Extender will not be a part of Windows Home Server 2011, meaning no integrated ability to easily add and remove disks from a single pool of storage -- but leave it to the individuals offer your fix. You can now try Drive Bender, a sort of alternative Drive Extender developed by a company called Division-M and said to work with any flavor of Windows and offer the same sort of disk merging and replicating functionality, but do it in an unofficial way. The beta is now available if you're feeling rather more brave than we.
By Tim Stevens posted Feb 23rd 2011 2:34AM
When Microsoft indicated it was killing off Drive Extender tech for its upcoming Vail release of Windows Home Server, many WHS fans poured a 40 onto the lid of their MediaSmart servers. In response to all the sodden warranty claims HP decided to kill off the series and, well, things were looking dire. Indeed Drive Extender will not be a part of Windows Home Server 2011, meaning no integrated ability to easily add and remove disks from a single pool of storage -- but leave it to the individuals offer your fix. You can now try Drive Bender, a sort of alternative Drive Extender developed by a company called Division-M and said to work with any flavor of Windows and offer the same sort of disk merging and replicating functionality, but do it in an unofficial way. The beta is now available if you're feeling rather more brave than we.
02-23-2011, 01:59 AM
#164
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
Yea there's at least two other companies offering a DE replacement. none have been released yet and I'd hesitate to put all my data on an untested 3rd party add-on.
02-23-2011, 02:00 AM
#165
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yea, but i like that i could add that to my Win 7 machine.
02-23-2011, 02:05 AM
#166
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
There's a good article here talking about the latest DE-less version of WHS Vail.
I agree with the conclusion
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/...rver-2011.aspx
I too am looking for a carbonite add-on for WHS. The ability to backup the client backups, server OS and shared files is great. It helps alleviate the lack of DE. Then the lack of storage pooling is remedied by bigger hard drives. It seems my 1.5TB drives aren't going to cut it. I'm gonna have to get a couple 3TB drives in order to backup 4 Macs and probably 4 PCs. Then I'd like carbonite to back that up off-site too.
I agree with the conclusion
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/...rver-2011.aspx
I too am looking for a carbonite add-on for WHS. The ability to backup the client backups, server OS and shared files is great. It helps alleviate the lack of DE. Then the lack of storage pooling is remedied by bigger hard drives. It seems my 1.5TB drives aren't going to cut it. I'm gonna have to get a couple 3TB drives in order to backup 4 Macs and probably 4 PCs. Then I'd like carbonite to back that up off-site too.
02-23-2011, 03:57 AM
#167
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
here's a cool add-in for you 
It's a free add-in that enables you to remotely manage your WHS, it pretty much eliminates the need to ever RDP into your box. It's got explorer, device manager, task manager, server manager, etc. all able to be accessed in the dashboard via App-v.
App-v is cool, it's the tech that MS is using to run the dashboard. The dashboard app runs on the WHS but just the app window appears on your desktop almost like it's a local app on you PC. This is similar to how XP apps can run side by side with windows 7 apps when using XP mode. So this little add-on takes advantage of App-v and just adds shortcuts to other useful apps to the dashboard. You can also add your own apps that you have installed on WHS to the list. It seems that apps don't have to be written to support App-v it's all handled by windows. Purty cool I think.
Check it out!
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLuSJigSsTo?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLuSJigSsTo?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
http://www.awieco.com/Products/RemoteLauncher
It's a free add-in that enables you to remotely manage your WHS, it pretty much eliminates the need to ever RDP into your box. It's got explorer, device manager, task manager, server manager, etc. all able to be accessed in the dashboard via App-v.
App-v is cool, it's the tech that MS is using to run the dashboard. The dashboard app runs on the WHS but just the app window appears on your desktop almost like it's a local app on you PC. This is similar to how XP apps can run side by side with windows 7 apps when using XP mode. So this little add-on takes advantage of App-v and just adds shortcuts to other useful apps to the dashboard. You can also add your own apps that you have installed on WHS to the list. It seems that apps don't have to be written to support App-v it's all handled by windows. Purty cool I think.
Check it out!
<object style="height: 390px; width: 640px"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLuSJigSsTo?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tLuSJigSsTo?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></object>
http://www.awieco.com/Products/RemoteLauncher
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; 02-23-2011 at 04:05 AM.
02-23-2011, 03:15 PM
#168
Well I ordered the fractal array box. itchy trigger finger this one has. I'm still deciding on mobo/processor combo though. since this is basically a nas I think I'll be alright with a Zacate chip, but the inner me that always wants the best is saying otherwise.
02-23-2011, 03:19 PM
#169
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
better safe than sorry....
02-24-2011, 08:14 PM
#171
Sanest Florida Man
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02-24-2011, 08:18 PM
#172
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
I bought a 2TB Caviar Black today! I might end up needing another one. I need to backup about 5 PCs and 4 Macs. Then backup the server OS and backup the backups and backup all the movies and TV shows too.
So I'd have 6TB of storage spread amongst 4 drives (1TB, 1.5TBx2, 2TB)
So I'd have 6TB of storage spread amongst 4 drives (1TB, 1.5TBx2, 2TB)
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; 02-24-2011 at 08:21 PM.
02-24-2011, 09:21 PM
#174
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
Oh also I should mention that I upgraded my Server to 12GB of ECC Unbuffered DDR2 800 RAM tonight!
My server has gone from a budget POS to a pretty bad ass system!
AMD Phenom X4 945 2.4GHz (the more efficient 90w TDP one (normally it's 125w TDP))
12GB ECC DDR2 800 RAM
2x 1.5TB caviar Blacks
1TB Seagate
500GB Hitachi (spare)
500GB Seagate (Exchange 2010 drive)
320GB Hyper-V OS Drive
550w Power Supply
4x 120mm Fans
140mm Fan
My server has gone from a budget POS to a pretty bad ass system!
AMD Phenom X4 945 2.4GHz (the more efficient 90w TDP one (normally it's 125w TDP))
12GB ECC DDR2 800 RAM
2x 1.5TB caviar Blacks
1TB Seagate
500GB Hitachi (spare)
500GB Seagate (Exchange 2010 drive)
320GB Hyper-V OS Drive
550w Power Supply
4x 120mm Fans
140mm Fan
02-24-2011, 09:24 PM
#175
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my porn downloads have stopped, just like when egypt lost its internet.
so im not sure i really need one of these, unless of course i want the fancy stuff like connecting to it while away from home.
of course i still got my 4 football field sized servers chock full of my stuff
so im not sure i really need one of these, unless of course i want the fancy stuff like connecting to it while away from home.
of course i still got my 4 football field sized servers chock full of my stuff
02-24-2011, 10:34 PM
#177
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
It's more stable and reliable due to the ECC. It's mainly used for servers. My hyper-v started condemning me because I wasn't using ECC RAM so since I was gonna upgrade to 12GB anyways I figured I might as well go ECC too.
I'm glad I went with AMD CPUs since they support Virtualization and ECC RAM. Only the Intel Xeons support ECC which are expensive.
I'm glad I went with AMD CPUs since they support Virtualization and ECC RAM. Only the Intel Xeons support ECC which are expensive.
02-24-2011, 10:58 PM
#178
Team Owner
12GB on a WHS? Will it ever come close to using it?
02-24-2011, 11:03 PM
#179
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
12GB for my Hyper-V which runs Server 2008 R2 Enterprise with Exchange 2010 SP1, Ubuntu 10.04, XP Pro, Vista Ultimate and of course WHS. 8GB wasn't enough for all that.
WHS uses usually less than 2GB, my Server 2008 R2 with Exchange is around 3.5GB so that didn't leave much left for the other 3 and the Host OS.
So on that note I do have now have 8GB (4x2GB) of DDR2 800 for sale $80.
WHS uses usually less than 2GB, my Server 2008 R2 with Exchange is around 3.5GB so that didn't leave much left for the other 3 and the Host OS.
So on that note I do have now have 8GB (4x2GB) of DDR2 800 for sale $80.
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; 02-24-2011 at 11:05 PM.
02-25-2011, 12:31 AM
#180
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
WHS just saved me! IDK what happened but I uninstalled my nvidia graphics driver an wasn't able to reinstall it for some reason and I couldn't do a system restore for some other reason. So whipped out the WHS restore disc booted off of that biiih and went back to the last update. This is my first time using restore with the Vail OS
02-27-2011, 02:08 AM
#181
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Compatibility
Interoperable with Wi-Fi Certified 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n enabled Mac computers, iPhone, iPod touch, and Windows-based PCs
NAT, DHCP, PPPoE, VPN Passthrough (IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP), DNS Proxy, SNMP, IPv6 (6to4 and manual tunnels)
Interoperable with Wi-Fi Certified 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n enabled Mac computers, iPhone, iPod touch, and Windows-based PCs
NAT, DHCP, PPPoE, VPN Passthrough (IPSec, PPTP, and L2TP), DNS Proxy, SNMP, IPv6 (6to4 and manual tunnels)
should i go with one of those HP media smart servers even thou they are discontinued?
just throwing this out there, say i got a mac mini server, would i be able to do the things i want to do?
02-27-2011, 02:17 AM
#182
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
VPN passthrough isn't the same thing as being a VPN server. Almost all routers have VPN passthrough which means they don't block VPN traffic. You still need something to serve the VPN. DD-wrt adds that capability to the router you don't need another device to do the VPN, it does it. Why would you buy a mac mini server?
Sent from my mac mini server
Sent from my mac mini server
02-27-2011, 02:26 AM
#183
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forget this.
02-27-2011, 02:37 AM
#184
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i dont understand it, and it seems like too much money to get this running.
ill just stick with my archaic ways.
ill just stick with my archaic ways.
02-27-2011, 02:43 AM
#185
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
What don't you understand? WHS lives on your LAN much like a NAS device and costs about the same but has way more functionality and expandability through add-ins.
If you want VPN capability you either need a router that can do it or you need a server OS like Windows server, Linux or OS X server. The best and very easy way is to get a decent router that supports dd-wrt, flash it with the dd-wrt firmware and enable VPN.
If you want VPN capability you either need a router that can do it or you need a server OS like Windows server, Linux or OS X server. The best and very easy way is to get a decent router that supports dd-wrt, flash it with the dd-wrt firmware and enable VPN.
02-27-2011, 02:54 AM
#186
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so if i set up a WHS it wont give me VPN capability?
02-27-2011, 03:16 AM
#187
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
sort of. It would be much more difficult to configure VPN via Server Manager and since I've never done it I don't know for sure if it will actually work. Since WHS is based off of Small Business Server 2011 the capability seems to be there but IDK if it will work. If it requires a domain then it's not gonna work. Basically no, don't bother going that route. With DD-WRT you can have VPN configured in a couple minutes, VPN on WHS would take you days to figure out if it's possible at all.
02-27-2011, 12:55 PM
#188
stunna is it possible for WHS or Win 7 to power down HD's that are not being used? I'm still planning my build and figured I would grab a small SSD for the os then have my storage pool, I'm curious to know if it's possible for drives that are not being used to spin down.
02-27-2011, 01:12 PM
#189
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
yes! In fact during the beta of the first WHS I pointed out that since this was targeted more for consumers that the drives should spin down when not in use instead of running all the time like a normal server drive does. They added that feature in the that capability to RTM.
In vail the drives are set to spin down after 30 min
In vail the drives are set to spin down after 30 min
02-27-2011, 02:08 PM
#191
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sort of. It would be much more difficult to configure VPN via Server Manager and since I've never done it I don't know for sure if it will actually work. Since WHS is based off of Small Business Server 2011 the capability seems to be there but IDK if it will work. If it requires a domain then it's not gonna work. Basically no, don't bother going that route. With DD-WRT you can have VPN configured in a couple minutes, VPN on WHS would take you days to figure out if it's possible at all.
02-27-2011, 02:22 PM
#192
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
no it doesn't. Don't get one. If you want to spend that much on a router and run dd-wrt then get the Netgear 3700 that I have, it's the same price and it's a fantastic router! Best wireless router I've ever owned.
You're pretty intoxicated with the Apple kool-aid lately aren't you?
You're pretty intoxicated with the Apple kool-aid lately aren't you?
02-27-2011, 02:23 PM
#193
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i already have it....
02-27-2011, 02:24 PM
#194
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i only bought it because it had pretty good reviews back when i was looking into routers.. 
02-27-2011, 02:54 PM
#196
Sanest Florida Man
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02-27-2011, 02:57 PM
#197
Sanest Florida Man
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FTR I've never tried wintoflash with whs but it's worth a shot. Or if you need an optical drive you could just use one temporarily from another PC.
02-27-2011, 03:49 PM
#198
question about mirroring or Raid 1. Is this possible using software or is it native to whs? I want some level of redundancy, but don't feel like dealing with more advanced arrays. So bascially I just want 2 drives to act as one. if one fails I want to be able to just toss it and replace without having to do anything.
02-27-2011, 04:15 PM
#199
Sanest Florida Man
Thread Starter
Not sure how they're handling RAID with WHS Vail