By Philip Churchill on June 21st, 2008
Do NOT use Disk Management Add-In with PP1
The Windows Home Server Disk Management Add-In may have compatibility issues with Power Pack 1 (PP1). The Windows Home Server partner team is working with the add-in author to identify and resolve the potential compatibility issue.
In the meantime it is advised that you refrain from using this add-in in conjunction with Power Pack 1.
UPDATE: For those of you enquiring what the compatibility issue is: When using the Disk Management Add-in to “remove” or “rename” a disk, the drive no longer shows up in storage. Since this can have a severe impact on a Home Server we wanted to let people know as soon as possible.
Share this WHS Article with Others:
I followed the forum links but found nothing posted about not using the add-in. Is this a “don’t install” or if installed “don’t use it anymore” or is it an “uninstall if installed?”
Good to know. The very first time I used this add-in after installing PP1, it locked up the console for a brief period. Since then, it has been fine.
I had it installed before PP1, and to this date I have no issues. So, that’s why I wanted more info and reasons.
I’ve had no issues with this add-in with PP1 so far, kind of curious what issues people have had?
Hi Philip,
Where did you see that Disk Management has compatibility issues with PP1? I’d like to get in touch with the partner team (who have yet to make contact with me) to get some more detail.
The only functionality that could have been impacted (based on the changelog released by MS) is the addition and removal of disks in Disk Management. All other functionality of the Add-In should be working as before.
However, from the testing I’ve done and the feedback I’ve received, the basic add/remove disk functionality in Disk Management continues to work in PP1.
The new PP1 features (adding a disk to be a target for server backups etc) have yet to be implemented in Disk Management.
Whats the source of this information?
As per Sam’s (the author of the add-in) post above he hasn’t been contacted by Microsoft so it will be interesting to hear your source for this warning.
I am using the Disk Management Add-in with PP1 RC4 and have not experienced any issues
This add-in is one of the most popular add-ins for WHS and Sam is regular contributor over on the WGS forums – http://www.wegotserved.co.uk/forums/index.php?showforum=68
Like a lot of us, supporting Microsoft as Evangelists, we have all been working behind the scenes to orchestrate “independent” praises of Microsoft’s software products. The only thing is, just like this website here, it’s NOT using Microsoft ASP.NET but FREE open source solutions like Apache, PHP and WordPress while pushing Microsoft’s all propriety software solutions!
Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer even has the the audacity to claim that Linux OS (operating system) infringes on his firm’s intellectual property! While knowing Microsoft denies the public from reviewing it’s own all intellectual propriety source code that free open source intellectual property allows everyone this right.
And if anyone just happens to criticizes Microsoft, their branded as a heretic and basher. The truth is Microsoft is a “propriety software pusher” that was proven by it’s own U.S. government to be guilty of anti-competitive behavior (United States v. Microsoft, Civil Action No. 98-1232 demonstrates even after two full years, Microsoft is guilty of still NOT delivering interoperability documentation just like the European Union’s Rule against Microsoft.
I have been told repeatedly by Microsoft employees that they themselves can’t find valid documentation for the things the DOJ is asking for. Thus they read the code and take their best guess. The end result is that there is no standard. Is it any wonder why so many of Microsoft’s software products, are full of bugs, glitches, defects and flaws having passed Microsoft’s own internal quality bar standards which fail to deliver OOBE (Out of Box Experience) customer expectations?
And for those customers that do decline the pre-loaded Windows PC as an only purchase choice, they must surrender to Microsoft’s draconian stipulations in the EULA (End User License Agreement) without negations. In fact, consumers don’t even get the legal right to declined the license for a refund, unless the entire whole PC is taken back to the retailer.
If Microsoft didn’t have every software and hardware developer building for Microsoft’s “Windows” operating system, there wouldn’t be this issue now, to deal with. Instead, there would have been an open computer platform in which everyone would be able to build upon, even if you don’t want to use Microsoft’s “Windows” operating systems.
However, the consumers now are locked out, with “Desktop Management Interface”, “Digital Right Management (Restrictions) and the use of “Trusted Platform Module” technologies. Why are you paying for all of this? Start supporting FREE “open source intellectual property” as FREE is a whole lot cheaper than Microsoft, and unlike Microsoft, you get to review and build upon the source code.
Philip, we would like to know where you got that info? Like Bodog said, Sam *has not* been contacted at all about it.
@Craig: “I hate microsoft, and all that it is.” Question for you, do you use microsoft products? At all? Yes you do. This is a Windows Home Server site, please go flame on the Apple forums or on the Ubuntu forums, whichever you commonly subscibe to, for which this sort of unfounded, baseless bashing is welcome. We read this blog because WE LIKE MICROSOFT. Blame a company for doing well? Microsoft makes great products, and if you can’t standing running XP or Vista on your P1, please go home.
The add in works fine for me and have had it installed for some time now. Installed PP1, but have not added a HD or anything, so it works great!
Thanks for the info Phillip.
I’ve just opened a console and the add-in seems to be working fine. Can someone please explain what the problem is?
Cheers,
ALH
The U.S. DOJ Investigators are Investigating Windows 7 for anti-competitive behavior!
http://www.dailytech.com/DOJ+Investigators+Dig+Into+Windows+7/article12155.htm
As the article says, Microsoft is under investigation because they tried to prevent competitors from running their applications under Windows.
See the REAL FACTS, as told by the U.S. Department of Justice!
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/ms_index.htm#settlement
Microsoft-DOJ Joint Status Report June 17, 2008
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080620164127151
And where was the DoJ on the whole DX10 for vista only issue? What about all those still using Windows XP locked into using DX9.0C? Is forced migration to Windows Vista the only solution for Microsoft’s own loyal customers?
Will Vista become another example of declining investment, as Windows 7 (Fuji) establishes all new protocols that will NOT be offered in Vista?
Will the same be true for WHS “Vail” with the Windows Server 2008 Kernel? What else isn’t going to work in WHS RTM? WHS PP1 clearly doesn’t allow WHS RTM to work with WHS PP1.
Microsoft uses it’s secret ALL proprietary intellectual source code as a weapon against anyone else that isn’t building upon Microsoft’s newest software platforms. If you still think Microsoft is “open” prove it by providing the interoperability documentation for the public to review the real facts!
Open source intellectual property isn’t hidden and doesn’t keep anyone from reviewing the open intellectual source code, unlike Microsoft’s ALL proprietary intellectual source code.
Just how much how much Open Source Intellectual Property is Microsoft infringing upon?
Maybe it would just be better to have Microsoft acknowledge it’s wrong doing, and allow everyone else to build upon prior intellectual property to benefit ALL of society?
How can Gates talk about helping others, when his own Microsoft business is denying society to build upon and improve Microsoft’s proprietary source code?
I’ve been wondering what Philip has been smoking. Or did you actually tested Version 1.0 Alpha on your PP1 powered WHS?
I’m using it without ANY problems! Period!
This add-in still works fine I’ve added an eSATA raid to the wireframe and it works perfectly.
Holy crap this website is being trolled out of existence. Aaron (a great poster) has had his identity stolen. Fuck off all you MS haters. Leave this site to the people who read it for the information therein.
@Aaron
FYI your not the only person with the same name. Did you ever stop to think about that?
And YES, there is a compatibility issues with Power Pack 1 of which I have personally experienced.
Unfortunately, I’m using the Vista 64bit version of the Windows Home Server software which doesn’t allow the Windows Home Server Toolkit to be installed. So it’s difficult to trouble shoot the problem, as I’m only able to provide the bug details over to Microsoft Connect in a limited fashion.
I also want to say, having waited since last November 2007, for Vista 64bit support all this is extremely disappointing! When will WHS function correctly without having to experience so many broken defects in the product?
Sometimes WHS doesn’t successfully uninstall some Add-Ins; you end up in a state where the WHS Add-Ins tab shows that an Add-In is installed, but the Add-In isn’t loaded and you can’t install an updated version.
Thanks for the update, Philip.
There’s no way that renaming a disk would cause any issues for WHS – I don’t change any data. The disk PNPDeviceID and new “name” are stored in an XML file and retrieved later to display in my Add-In.
I’ve made contact with MS now, and I’m working with them.
“Do NOT use Disk Management Add-In with PP1” says Philip Churchill — June 21, 2008
And Philip is RIGHT!
I just experienced this myself, and it’s so disappointing how yet another bug continues to get by Microsoft’s own internal quality bar standards. It’s just like with the data corruption KB 946676 defect in WHS, having slipped by the $M quality control system that went ahead and sold WHS anyway!
Then everyone continues to wait for some resolution, since last year in 2007! Now, it’s the end of June 2008 and still NO resolution for a proven defect in WHS, as promised way back in December of 2007!
Microsoft took my money and sold me a crippled, broken and proven defect product. I’m still waiting to have Microsoft fix it…
Must customers need to beg for that?
PP1 is also buggy! Don’t expect it to work with WHS original. It will NOT. And that’s suppose to be fixed, improved and better, given the huge amount of time gone by, as everyone waits just to use Vista 64bit (64bit isn’t correctly supported in WHS)?
Blunder after blunder… No wonder Bill G. is leaving his own company… As he doesn’t want to go down with the sinking ship…