By on June 02nd, 2012

How to Install Drivers for the Intel 82579V NIC

If you have one of the new Z77 motherboards with an Intel 82579V NIC then the LAN driver will fail when you try to install it on Server 2008-R2 and WHS 2011. Thankfully there is a workaround which involves editing the inf file.

INTEL_NIC_Install_Fail

Joe_Miner explains how to perform this task to get your network/internet working with your Intel NIC.

Great stuff, which you can find here.

Tutorial • Windows Home Server
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By on June 01st, 2012

DVBLink v4.5 Beta 2

The DVBLink product line has been updated to version v4.5 beta 2.

dvblink Mobile Logo

What is new and fixed from the previous beta / previous version:

  • Fixed: Disappearing channels from channel selection
  • Fixed: Channel preview does not work until previous preview stops
  • Additional fix for growing mcepg database size
  • Added: Manual trial activation
  • Fixed: xmltv source not parsing xmltv files correctly

More information including the download links and installation instructions are available from here.

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By on May 31st, 2012

The Home Server show Podcast Episode 185

home_server_show_small

Episode 185 of The Home Server Show podcast is available:

We’re talking Windows 8 Consumer Preview that should be released at any moment has just been released.  We go back and forth on many points including running it on desktops and tablets and the old “car vs truck” argument…We also talk about an issue that Jim found using DropBox on a server.  Files just started disappearing from a DropBox folder. 

Al this is on this weeks episode of The Home Server Show podcast.

News • Windows Home Server
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By on May 31st, 2012

Windows 8 Release Preview and Server 2012 RC Available

Microsoft have just released the Release Preview of Windows 8 and the Release Candidate (RC) for Windows Server 2012.

Windows Server 2012 RC Download Page

Windows 8 Release Preview is available as a setup file or in ISO format in both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) versions. The RC of Windows Server 2012 is available as a 64-bit ISO file or as a VHD file for use in virtual machines.

Time for testing

It’s great to see Microsoft being on time and even a day early for this release of the next version of Windows!

News • Windows Home Server
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By on May 31st, 2012

Add-In: StableBit DrivePool v1.0.2.6232 BETA

The updates continue for StableBit DrivePool with another release becoming available which fixes the Pool tab.

Stablebit_drivepool_M4_logo

Version 1.0.2.6232 BETA has the following change:

  • Fixed Pool tab refreshing constantly.

More details on this beta release are available from here.

add-ins • Windows Home Server
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By on May 31st, 2012

PerfectDisk v12.5 Service Pack 4 (Build 311)

PerfectDisk has updated their defragmentation tool to 12.5 Service Pack 4 (Build 311).

Although their are no changes to the WHS version, for those who have the client (and many do via purchasing the bundle) then this update is applicable to you.

perfectdisk box

The PerfectDisk Client contains the following changes:

  1. Fixed a bug in handling of missed schedules.
  2. Fixed a bug causing significant CPU consumption in the PDAgent service.
  3. Improved identification of snapshots and other virtual machine properties in vSphere virtual guest.
  4. Updated group policy files, including options for reclaiming free space before defragmentation, deleting temp files and emptying recycle bin in scheduled defrags.
  5. OptiWrite and auto optimizatioins are now by default disabled for new drives.
  6. Consistent setting of Disk I/O threshold in Stealth configuration across different PerfectDisk clients.
  7. Fixed incorrect enabling of boot time defragmentation and auto optimization on the drives set as excluded via drive options in global settings.
  8. Reclaiming free space before defragmentation has been enabled as an option in config.ini.
  9. Changed handling of the drives not present in a VM in virtual guest.

The PerfectDisk Console contains the following changes:

  1. Improved spacing of table columns.
  2. Fixed an error in synchronization with PD 11 clients.
  3. Fixed inconsistentsy between console and client alert settings.
  4. Fixed incorrect handling of free space options and Kernel and user mode CPU settings during assignment of configuration profiles.
  5. Improved handling of alerts.

In PerfectDisk, users can click Help then Check for Updates to immediately update to SP4, or wait for AutoUpdate.

More information on PerfectDisk can be found at Raxco Software

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By on May 30th, 2012

Add-In: StableBit DrivePool v1.0.2.6229 BETA

The beta version of StableBit DrivePool has had an update to provide a network I/O boost amongst other changes.

Stablebit_drivepool_M4_logo

Version 1.0.2.6229 BETA includes the following changes:

  • Fixed settings / state getting reset on upgrading.
  • Added UI option for network I/O prioritization to the Disks DrivePool tab.
    After some testing, this option seems to be effective at minimizing stutter when streaming high bandwidth media directly from the server (such as BluRay).
  • Moved read striping option to the Disks DrivePool tab.
  • [D] Added a new read striping algorithm called "block mode" after conducting some testing with read striping.
           CoveFS will select the correct algorithm to use in real-time.
           Added a number of read striping options to .config:
                         CoveFs_ReadStripingBlockMode
                                   CoveFs_ReadStripingStripeSize
                                  CoveFs_ReadStripingBlockModeNoCache
  • [D] Added performance measuring instrumentation into the driver.
  • Exposed CoveFS performance measurements, in real time, into the Dashboard.
    Hidden feature exposed by hitting ‘P’ on the DrivePool tab.
  • Added read striping and network I/O boost real-time visualizations to the DrivePool Disks tab.
    When these features are actively working, you will see how much pool I/O is being affected, in percentages.
  • Fixed installer service not starting on fresh install.
  • Fixed delayed action firing too often, affecting much of the application. Delayed actions are used in the service and Dashboard, not in the file system.

[D] = Driver was modified (reboot required after update)

More details on the beta version of StableBit DrivePool can be found here.

add-ins • Windows Home Server
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By on May 30th, 2012

Add-In: StableBit Scanner v2.0.0.2122 BETA

Version 2.0.0.2122 BETA of StableBit Scanner has been released to address some bugs.

StableBit Scanner Icon

Here is the change log:

  • Fixed a few Dashboard crashes.
  • Included the service .config with installer (See C:\Program Files (x86)\StableBit\Scanner)
  • UI settings were being reset on upgrading.
  • Disk scan start synchronized to protect against multiple unintentional disk scans.

More details on StableBit Scanner are available from here.

add-ins • Windows Home Server
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By on May 29th, 2012

Another Software Installation is in Progress Error Message

On your client computer you may receive the following error message when you attempt to install the connector software for your Windows Home Server 2011:

Another Software Installation Is In Progress Error Message

The required fix is to edit the Windows Registry:

  1. Open regedit
  2. Navigate to the following registry keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Control > Session Manager
  3. Rename  ”PendingFileRenameOperations” to “PendingFileRenameOperations2″.
  4. Exit regedit.

More information on this error can be found here and here.

Tutorial • Windows Home Server
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By on May 29th, 2012

StableBit DrivePool Utilities Available

StableBit have published a wiki page on utilities which are available for StableBit DrivePool.

Troubleshoot

The two utilities currently available are Windows Server Solutions Troubleshooter and DrivePool Command Utility.

The Windows Server Solutions Troubleshooter is a wizard what automates fixes to the WSS system and supports the following tasks:

  • Media Streaming Repair – Use this when you are having trouble seeing audio / video that is set to stream from the server. You should also run this when you see duplicate media files.
  • Restore DrivePool Shares – Use this after re-installing the operating system, and you have an existing pool connected to the system. Folders on the pool will be automatically re-shared.

The second util is DrivePool Command Utility which lets you work with the pool using a command line with the following commands:

  • SetDuplicationCount – Sets the duplication count on any folder. Can be used on non-shared folders and also with duplication counts that are greater than 2.

You can download both of these from the StableBit DrivePool Utilities wiki page.

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