Add-In: ISO Mounter v1.30

The add-in ISO Mounter has had an update.

ISO Mounter for WHS 2011

ISO Mounter is a software add-in for Microsoft Home and Business server which allows you to mount ISO files (DVD and CD images) stored on your server so they can be viewed directly through your servers folder share on all of your PC’s and laptops.

Here’s what’s new in version 1.30

New Features:

  • Support for Blu-ray iso images (now you can stream Blu-ray movies from your WHS to your XBOX or other DLNA device)
  • Added a 15 day free trial
  • Updated user interface for German localization          

Enhancements:

  • Fixed issue where some iso images would not automatically remount after a server reboot
  • Updated the installer package to be friendlier with older versions of the Microsoft "C Run Time Library"
  • Minor bug fixes and enhancements

ISO Mounter is available for WHS (both v1 and 2011) and Small Business Server 2011 for $14.99.

More information plus a 15 day trial version are available from here.

UR3 Beta Bug List and Test Guidance

With the beta release of Update Rollup 3 for WHS 2011, SBS 2011 Essentials and Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials, Microsoft have also released a bug list highlighting 15 issues with test guidance to reproduce the issues which will help them with their testing procedures:

UR3 Beta Test Guidance Document

Issue 1 – Windows 8 client hits an error when connecting to WHS 2011
Test Steps:
Connect a Windows 8 client computer to Windows Home Server 2011, verify that the client is connected successfully without errors; Verify that the client features, including the client backup, Launchpad works afterwards.

Issue 2 – RWA folder cannot display thumbnails correctly on Windows 8 client.
Test Steps:
Launch RWA from Windows 8 client machine (Internet Explorer 10); Verify the thumbnail for folder and files are displayed correctly, instead of a black square.

Issue 3 – Power settings for backup does not work on Windows 8 clients.
Test Steps:
Connect a Windows 8 client to the server, and set the client backup property to “Automatically wake this computer up from sleep or hibernation to run a scheduled backup”.
Set the client computer to sleep or hibernate, verify it will wake up and run the scheduled backup successfully.

Issue 4 – “Computer Monitoring Error” Alerts are generated every 30 minutes
Following issues have been fixed:
1. Computer monitoring Error alert triggered by client synchronization timeout.
2. Computer monitoring Error alert due to staled computer record of a client computer that was removed. (Hotfix KB2686867, KB 2685867, KB 2686857)
3. Computer Monitoring Error Alert when Router Manufactory information cannot be retrieved.
4. Computer Monitoring Error Alert when a RWA Domain socket connection was aborted.

In addition, the alert description will display the failed component name, to improve trouble shooting experiences.

Test Steps:
If your computer had this issue, after applying UR3, check whether the alerts are disappeared.
If the alert still exist, please file a connect bug with logs and error descriptions.
Note, if the alert shows that the failed component is from 3-rd party Add-ins, please work with the 3-rd part for fixes.

Issue 5 – Launchpad could be configured to start minimized.
Test Steps:
On the Launchpad setting page , check  “Always minimize the Launchpad at start”, and verify the Launchpad starts minimized.

Issue 6 – Incorrect warning alerts when UPNP on the router is not available
Test Steps:
You may receive following alert because your router’s UPNP is not available:
“The router is not configured correctly for Anywhere Access. You must configure the router to remotely access the network”. After UR3, Verify that this alert is not generated.

Issue 7– Launchpad does not link to the right RWA site if the RWA domain is set manually.
Configure your RWA domain manually, Verify the “Remote Web Access” link on your Launchpad can correctly pointing to the new RWA domain, instead of https://[servername]/remote

Issue 8 – Client Computer Connecting fails if the domain name is more than 15 characters
Test Steps:
Verify client connector can complete successfully if server’s domain name contains more than 15 characters. Note normally server’s domain name can be longer than 15 characters if it is migrated from Small Business Server 2011 Standard or earlier version.

Issue 9 – Watson Crash caused by WSSBACKUP.EXE
Test Steps:
Verify client backup works well and there is no alerts or errors after UR3.

Issue 10 – Improve the Client Restore/Backup performance
Test Steps:
Run “File and Folder Restore” wizard, ensure the wizard completes successfully. The performance should be 2 times better on average, depends on how large the file is and how many the files are.

Issue 11 – Client Connect wizard fails if server’s NetBIOS name is different from Server’s domain name
Test Steps:
Verify client join succeed if server’s NetBIOS name is different from Server’s domain name. Normally it happens when server is migrated from Small Business Server Standard.

Issue 12 – O365 customer SharePoint URL is invalid on RWA page
Test Steps:
Verify the SharePoint link point to the right URL on the Remote Web Access page.
Only applicable to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essential

Issue 13 – Most Metro Apps will fail after Windows 8 client computer connects to SBS 2011 with local profile migration
Test Steps:
Only applicable to Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essential.
Connect a Windows 7 or Vista (non-home edition) client machine to the server, and verify there is a profile migration page displayed, and profile migration completes successfully.
Connect a Windows 8 Professional and Windows 8 Enterprise client to the server and verify that there is no profile migration page displayed. Verify there is a warning dialog indicating that the profile migration is not applicable to Windows 8 client.

Issue 14 – RWA Downloading failed when too many files are deployed
Test Steps:
Verify that downloading multiple files form RWA with one request will complete successfully, it is suggested to use over 500 files or long file names for stress test.

Issue 15 -Some health alerts do not work on Windows 8
Check the alerts on your Windows 8 client, it should be the same set as Windows 7 or earlier, for example “Firewall is not turn on”, “Antivirus software is not installed”, etc.

Update Rollup 3 Beta Available for WHS 2011

Microsoft have released the beta release of Update Rollup 3 (UR3) for WHS 2011.

Download UR3 for WHS 2011

Update Rollup 3 for WHS 2011 (and SBS 2011 Essentials and Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials) contains 19 fixes that address top customer issues and Windows 8 client compatibility issues.

UR3 also includes UR2, UR1, as well as the hotfix for Computer Monitoring Error KB2685867 KB2686867 or KB2686857.

To install UR3:

  1. Download the package to any folder on your server from here.
  2. Double click the .msu file to install the package, make sure the package installs succeed.
  3. Open the dashboard, navigate to Help->About, make sure the Dashboard version is 6.1.8800.16397
  4. As part of UR3, you also need to install KB 2578133 from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2578133
  5. To help us better understand the real customer impact for the bug fixes, we strongly recommend you to turn on the SQM reporting. To do that, open the dashboard, click Server Settings -> General, check the option of “Help us improve quality”.
  6. Finally if you find any bugs, file them through the connect feedback site, using “UR3 Beta Preview” in title.

The Home Server show Podcast Episode 186

home_server_show_small

The weeks edition of The Home Server Show podcast is up:

“We’re back and there is still more Microsoft stuff to discuss. XBox Music and Smartglass.  How will these changes effect the home server user?  We’ll talk a little about that as well as some Windows Home Server news and show you a couple of cool add-ins for Office and iTunes.  Enjoy.”

You can find episode 186 here, or you can find the Google On Air recording below:

LaCie 4big Rack Office with WHS 2011

LaCie have announced the 4big Rack Office featuring WHS 2011 as a rack backup solution for the small business.

4bigRackOffice_intro

Comprising a powerful 1.6GHz Intel® 64-bit Atom™ processor and 2GB of RAM the LaCie 4big Rack Office offers RAID modes 0, 1 and 5 and is currently available in a 8TB configuration setup as RAID 5 comprising 4 x 2TB hard drives.

With a straightforward setup process and familiar Windows environment, the 4big Rack Office deploys quickly for small businesses.
 
"The LaCie 4big Rack Office is an excellent solution to keep files and data automatically backed up, organized and accessible," said Nick Parker, VP WW OEM Marketing, Microsoft. "Combining the reliability and ease of use in the Windows platform with LaCie’s engineering expertise provides a simple and secure way for small business customers to get cloud connected

For an additional level of data protection, the administrator can back up data to an offsite NAS. With Wuala, LaCie’s secure cloud storage service, critical files are easily backed up in the cloud.

4bigRackOffice_Back

This 8TB LaCie 4big Rack Office is available through the LaCie Online Store as well as LaCie Storage Partners starting at the suggested retail price of $1,299.00.

More information on the LaCie 4big Rack Office can be found here.

The BYOB Podcast Episode 87

BYOB Logo

Episode 87 of the BYOB podcast is up:

“Big Show this week. As if Windows 8 release Preview wasn’t enough. A budget case, low end HTPC, SSDs. Server upgrade and customer service that really works?”

You can grab episode 87 from here.

Add-In: StableBit DrivePool v1.0.2.6234 BETA

StableBit DrivePool has been updated to version 1.0.2.6234 BETA.

Stablebit_drivepool_M4_logo

This latest release of the Drive Extender type add-in for WHS 2011 users has the following changes:

  • Do not lock Store while waiting for VDS to respond.
    Apparently, VDS locks up while performing server backup, halting all DrivePool UI activity.

More information on this beta release is available on the DrivePool wiki.

Add-In: StableBit Scanner v2.0.0.2123 BETA

Version 2.0.0.2123 BETA of StableBit Scanner for Windows Home Server 2011, Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials and Windows Storage Server 2008 R2 Essentials has been published.

StableBit Scanner Icon

This latest beta release fixes the following issue:

  • When more than one disk has the same signature, do not crash the service.

More information on StableBit Scanner can be found here.

Windows Server 2012 eBook

We are hoping like the rest of you that there will be another version of Windows Home Server and if that is the case then it will be based on Microsoft’s next server operating system Windows Server 2012.

So if you would like to know more about this next server o/s then Microsoft are offering a free ebook entitled Introducing Windows Server 2012.

Introducing Windows Server 2012 Ebook

All five chapters span over 256 pages and cover subject matter such as continuous availability with cost and management efficiency a scalable and elastic web platform, access virtually anywhere from any device, full Windows experience and enhanced security and compliance.

The ebook is currently available in PDF format with EPUB and MOBI formats coming soon.

WD Sentinel DX4000 Firmware Update

Western Digital have released a firmware update for the WD Sentinel DX4000 running Windows Storage Server 2008 R2.

WD Sentinel DX4000 Front

Software version 01.02.23.395 released 29th May resolves the following 3 issues:

  • Updated compatible hard drives (Knowledge Base 9443) for the Sentinel Storage Server
  • WD Monitor functionality during Server Recovery (6TB units)
  • Manual Software Update functionality in Japanese

The upgrade including installation instructions can be found here.