Microsoft are currently internally testing an x64 Connector for Windows Vista Machines, which should be available between December 07 – March 08. Unfortunately a Connector for XP x64 will not be available, but what can you do in the meantime if you want to install the Connector software on your Vista x64 machine. Well, good news, we have a solution for you.
You can easily install the Windows Home Server Connector software on Vista x64 by running the following in an elevated command prompt (Start > All Programs > Accessories and then right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator”) in Windows Vista.
msiexec /i "\\SERVER\Software\Home Server Connector Software\whsconnector.msi" WHSMSI="RUNSETUP"
It will then install the connector software fine on that Vista x64 machine without running the SETUP.EXE bootstrap. Backups won’t work, but everything else will on that machine, so just disable backups for that machine in the console once it’s installed.
Thanks to Jerry Zeisler for bringing our coding mistake to our attention, which has now been corrected.
November 9, 2007 at 3:47 am
[...] to this post on the Ms Windows Home Server blog for the [...]
November 10, 2007 at 11:20 pm
It is unbelievable that Microsoft would put out a product and not support x64 Vista. Way to marginalize those users Microsoft!
November 12, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Hi dropshadow,
Thanks for your comment. At least it will be with us soon, thank goodness.
November 14, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I tried that, but I get an error message stating “This installation package could not be opened. Contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer package.
November 14, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Hi Nick,
Tried it this end and it is working fine. Are you using XP or Vista. If Vista are you following the directions above. Are you using cut and paste (avoids typing errors) and is the file “whsconnector.msi” in the following share location: “\\SERVER\Software\Home Server Connector Software\”.
December 3, 2007 at 3:06 pm
For those who are having problems with the command line above not working, you can run it from the “Install Connector” CD. Just replace ‘\\SERVER\Software\Home Server Connector Software’ with the drive letter of your CD:
‘E:\whsconnector.msi’
for a CD assigned E:
However, if you can’t get the \\SERVER\ETC line to work you may
1. Have named your server something other than ‘SERVER’
2. Have a workgroup NOT named the default ‘WORKGROUP’
3. Have a disconnected/non-functional network card in the server.
I had all three….
December 3, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Hi Keith,
Thanks for the workaround.
December 16, 2007 at 10:48 pm
You have to use this command:
X:\whsconnector.msi WHSMSI=”RUNSETUP”
to get setup going from CD. X=your CD Drive.
This was the only method that worked for me on 64bit Vista Ultimate.
December 19, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Hi Jacek,
Thanks for the info.
December 20, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Philip-
I’ve tried the command line. The installation starts but after a while, it gives an error saying “Installation did not finish – an error occured that prevented WHS connector from completing successfully.” I tried repairing but it keeps giving me the same message.
After the “partil” installation, I can run the WHS console, but my computer doesn’t show up in the computers list.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance…
December 21, 2007 at 10:49 am
Hi Cetin,
The only thing that may help is make sure that the DVD is clean and re-boot the PC before using the command line. Anyone else?
January 17, 2008 at 9:36 am
Cetin’s symptoms occured for me when I forgot to “run as administrator”. I ran it again and it offered a repair and that seemed to fix it up. Oops.
January 17, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Hi Mark Walker,
Glad it worked for you.
February 3, 2008 at 12:52 pm
I tried using the installation method here on Windows XP x64 SP2 and to my surprise, found that it detected the computer on the network as “Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition” and allowed me to perform a backup. I haven’t tested the restore procedure but I assume it would work. Thanks for the tip. So much for not supporting XP x64 in Power Pack 1, it’s already supported in this one, they just don’t want you to know it?
February 3, 2008 at 10:12 pm
I put together a few screen shots showing the backup status of XP x64 and the WHS component versions. With current patches available through Windows Update, it does appear the current version of Connector software is compatible with XP x64 using this installation command.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/7026/whsxpx641hc1.jpg
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/2114/whsxpx642ky9.jpg
February 4, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Thanks budious.
February 24, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Dear Sir,
Your workaround worked like a charm. I really appreciate the time you spent figuring this out. I don’t think I could have done it myself….Everything performs perfectly.
Thank You,
Respectfully
Arthur
February 25, 2008 at 9:20 am
Hi Arthur,
Glad we could help.
February 26, 2008 at 3:50 am
I used your workaround to install Connector on WinXP x64 and obtained the same results as budious. I am running the first backup on the x64 computer right now! It appears to have full functionality.
February 27, 2008 at 3:29 am
Continuing yesterday’s post. The backup was created and can be viewed on other clients, but I cannot view and restore on the x64 computer. Is there an issue with the backup reader in XP Pro x64?
February 28, 2008 at 1:00 am
I did not recognize that it required an x64 driver which apparently does not exist when reading or restoring from an existing backup through the WHS Connector software. The driver supplied is x86 only. However, I’m guessing that backups would work as normal using the restore CD… though I have not tried it. If you are experimenting with it, give that a try.
February 28, 2008 at 3:14 am
I performed a restore using the Restore CD. It appears to have worked normally. I guess if I need to restore single files, I can open them on another computer on the network, then move them onto the x64 client.
March 9, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Thanks for the helpful tip! I had to use D:\whsconnector.msi WHSMSI=”RUNSETUP” to get it to work.
March 13, 2008 at 3:56 pm
[...] have shown you before how to install the Connector Software on Vista x64 machines even before Power Pack 1 with that [...]
March 24, 2008 at 2:00 am
“should be available between December 07″ but it’s now 24th of March 2008!
So when will vista 64bit be supported guys? WHS PP1?
April 7, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Support fro Vista x64 will be avilable in Windows Home Server Power Pack 1
http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/archive/2008/01/06/windows-home-server-power-pack-1.aspx
June 1, 2008 at 6:56 pm
For the people who are having trouble with their HP Mediasmart Servers, ensure you refer to your server as “HPSERVER” and the utility will run correctly. E.g.: C:\Windows\system32>msiexec /i “\\HPSERVER\Software\Home Server Connector Software\whsconnector.msi” WHSMSI=”RUNSETUP”
June 22, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Big thanks to Keith for his post. I have a machine with dual connections and had one unplugged. Once I disabled that nic and added my server name to the command line, the connector ran flawlessly. Thanks to all for the support that MS won’t provide.
July 26, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Thanks, worked like a charm on my vista x64!
August 12, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Don’t forget to run the CMD as a administrator… Then the install complete fine…
December 19, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I have purchased the WHS OEM SP1. I upgraded one of my computers to Vista 64 in 12/08. When I tried to install the connector software it aborts after it locates the server. My server is a DELL PIII 1.0GHz with 512MB.
What can I do to solve this problem and have auto-backup functional?
December 25, 2008 at 2:37 am
I have tried everything.
It worked right after I bought my Vista x64 about 45 days ago and then stopped working. don’t know why.
now I cannot get the software to recognize my HP Media Smart Server EX470.
I can access my shared folders, but cannot connect to the Windows Home Server Console.
I get the command prompt, running as administrator, but will someone please give me exactly what I need to type in after the command prompt….C:\Users\MyName>….then what?
January 5, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Hi
I have just installed vista ultimate 64bit and used the command line install for WHS above. It seems to install the console and connects to WHS (PP1), but fails just before the end trying to configure the backup. If i cancel it, WHS console remains and runs, but when I type in the password, it can’t connect. Any ideas?
kind regards
Dean
January 26, 2009 at 3:38 am
I am having the same issue as Dean and would appreciate any assistance. Like Dean I have just installed Vista Ultimate 64bit on a new build as the third machine on my home network and cannot get the WHS Console to connect to the WHS machine. It sees the machine even though it is not named the default “Server” but will not connect. Please help.
April 6, 2009 at 12:29 am
It’s funny I never even thought to look if my home server would work once my workstation is upgraded to Vista 64bit but wow what a surprise. i bought a new pc with Vista 64 my hold pc was then converted into the server of course I bought the OEM version of windows home and for some reason once I moved the hard drives over the OEM version would not let me reinstall but instead I had to do a fresh install. This then means that 2.5Tb of data had to be moved around and then moved back still working on this part and my server had to be reset up all the way. Now I get to loading my workstation and bang it also does not work. MS really needs to work out how much money they want from us but then give us products that work together and are upgraded together to still work as they should.
OK back on track I’m ok with this but can you use the build in backup program in vista to backup to the server then if I ever have problem I would just need to load on the OS and do a restore? Also any way I can automate this as like yep doing the work of the server myself.
I’m open to suggestions?
the start of the states that they will release it March 08 but it’s now April 09 and nothing they really need to move on this almost all the new home mid to high end pc’s come with Vista 64 pre installed on them this starts to make the home server useless or at least for one of the biggest selling points
sorry had to get this off my chest but I’m still looking for suggestions I’m sure I’m not alone
Thanks
May 24, 2009 at 7:40 pm
This fix will not work on my Windows Vista Ultimate 64 system. It says the installer has an error. I cannot find a place to get a 64bit connector version. Is there one out? Any other options?
June 9, 2009 at 3:30 am
I’m having the same problem as Dean and Gentry, trying to install on xp 64. It fails on “Configuring computer backup” and I can’t connect to the server via the console. I can connect via explorer, though. Any advice would be much appreciated.
July 19, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Wow worked like a charm. I just copied the link as in the post into the run command box and ran the setup.exe file as run as admnistrator, followed the prompts and boom it’s done. Thanks for the great help.
Rick
August 19, 2009 at 6:23 am
The advice should be reviewed and include solutions for Windows 7 64-bit. My problem is that the installation CD won’t recognise Windows 7 and run the setup. What does the WHS team have to say about this?
August 19, 2009 at 6:29 am
So what good is that piece of advice? I do want to backup my computer. It is the main reason for my server’s being. And what is Microsoft doing about this problem?
September 8, 2009 at 9:18 pm
I know microsoft could care less what i think, but why can’t they fix this issue. Maybe they don’t think anyone would want to use whs with a 64 bit client. I think I will try free nas.
ralph