Windows Home Server 2011 hits release candidate status

DorsetBoy · Feb 04, 2011, 12:35:23

Still missing the feature everyone wants

Quote
By Lawrence Latif
Fri Feb 04 2011, 11:37

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER Microsoft has announced that its Windows Home Server (WHS) 2011 has reached release candidate status.

Formerly known by the Vail codename, Microsoft's second version of Windows Home Server has generated grumbling among users after the firm decided to dump the popular Drive Extender feature. While users bemoaned its loss, Microsoft decided to outline a wizard designed to make moving files from one drive to another easier, which didn't go down well.

Microsoft had a rare success with WHS, with OEMs and users liking its features and ease of use, however by dropping the ability to 'merge' drives making them appear as a single volume, Microsoft has managed to alienate a number of users. The firm claims that as hard drive capacities are getting so large, there is no longer need for the Drive Extender feature.

Microsoft has seemingly not considered the fact that while hard drive capacities are increasing, so are users' libraries of videos and music. For many users buying a new hard drive to replace a previous unit not only offers poor value for money but adds the task of copying all the files over or rejigging software configuration files to recognise new file paths................. (more)

Rik · Feb 04, 2011, 12:37:34

MS knows best, Dorset.

Glenn · Feb 04, 2011, 12:38:17

You can read detailed info at http://www.wegotserved.com/

Rik · Feb 04, 2011, 12:41:59

I wonder if they're going to find they shot themselves in the foot?

Glenn · Feb 04, 2011, 12:42:57

I'm looking at adding a couple of 1Tb drives to my current WHS machine.

Rik · Feb 04, 2011, 12:45:15

Go for broke and use a RAID.

wecpcs · Feb 06, 2011, 23:28:54

Quote from: Glenn on Feb 04, 2011, 12:42:57
I'm looking at adding a couple of 1Tb drives to my current WHS machine.

I am just about to take the plunge to update to this new RC1 version from my existing WHS1 server. I have downloaded the software and just waiting for another 1Gb ram to be sent then it will be all systems go, with a total cleanup of my existing server, removing all remaining IDE drives and just keeping to the larger SATA drives and cleaning fans etc. If it all goes well and I buy the RTM product then I will build a totally new server with all the latest specs.

I have read all of the concerns on the various forums and have decided that it will not really affect me as I do not have huge multi terabyte systems streaming HD movies etc so the 2 terabyte share limit will not be a problem. If it does cause me any problems I will just revert back to my existing WHS software which has worked faultlessly and saved my bacon many times with badly written updates etc. My main use is just for backing up my PC systems and streaming photos and FLAC lossless quality music to my Netgear Digital Home Entertainer in the lounge (hard wired).

Colin

Technical Ben · Feb 07, 2011, 09:53:37

Gah. New file paths. That's why I love Firefox and most open source software. They do it RIGHT. Where as, the games/software I BUY throw a hissy fit when I change drives etc, and refuse to work ".DLL missing, file path not found etc". Then they put copy protection on them, so a reinstall is a pain, or impossible.

esh · Feb 07, 2011, 11:58:44

While I am currently using a 3.5TB (2.5TB useable) RAID-5 array on a dedicated unit I'm increasingly looking to move this towards a software RAID either with LVM and XFS or perhaps ZFS if I can be bothered learning Solaris. This data amount is being used up fast, and the amount of files in 2.5TB brings the possibility of unrecoverable read errors becoming unreasonably high. I fear a large amount of people are going to get stung by this as people store more data without really understanding the problems of it.

Steve · Apr 01, 2011, 21:26:15

Status has now changed with MS announcing the RTM, no pricing details available yet.

http://www.wegotserved.com/2011/03/31/windows-home-server-2011-grows-19-languages/

wecpcs · Apr 01, 2011, 23:00:31

Quote from: wecpcs on Feb 06, 2011, 23:28:54
I am just about to take the plunge to update to this new RC1 version from my existing WHS1 server. I have downloaded the software and just waiting for another 1Gb ram to be sent then it will be all systems go, with a total cleanup of my existing server, removing all remaining IDE drives and just keeping to the larger SATA drives and cleaning fans etc. If it all goes well and I buy the RTM product then I will build a totally new server with all the latest specs.

I have read all of the concerns on the various forums and have decided that it will not really affect me as I do not have huge multi terabyte systems streaming HD movies etc so the 2 terabyte share limit will not be a problem. If it does cause me any problems I will just revert back to my existing WHS software which has worked faultlessly and saved my bacon many times with badly written updates etc. My main use is just for backing up my PC systems and streaming photos and FLAC lossless quality music to my Netgear Digital Home Entertainer in the lounge (hard wired).

Colin

Since stating the above, I found that I could not stream media (mp3's mainly) to my Netgear Digital Home Entertainer 8000HD despite it seeing the shares on the server, so I had to buy another copy of WHS1 as I gave my previous one away to a friend prematurely as I thought everything was perfect and the streaming was overlooked which I thought was just a formality. An expensive mistake on my part, so I will not be purchasing the new version any time soon. I may download a trial version when available to give it one last try. I could not get any help on either the MS Home Server forum or the Netgear forum as I was totally ignored in both despite 'bumping' it a couple of times.

Colin