By on April 29th, 2010

Add-In: Advanced Admin Console 0.5.2

A new version of the add-in Advanced Admin Console is available for download.

Version 0.5.2 fixes:

A bug which caused a console crash when AAC tried to load a corrupt custom link file (see this forum thread).

Also the installer has been improved. It’s no longer possible to install AAC over an existing installation, you are now prompted to uninstall any existing version first.

Important: Before installing the new release, please UNINSTALL any previous version!

The direct link to to msi file is here (Right click and save target as)

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By on April 28th, 2010

PerfectDisk in a Direction Outside of Disk Defragmentation

The defragmentation program for Windows Home Server, PerfectDisk have posted on their blog that the new Drive Extender technology in Vail has meant some big changes in the area of file management.

We have been briefed by Microsoft and have details on changes being made with Drive Extender. We are unable to give specifics on this until this part of Vail is announced by Microsoft.

They go on to add that they are working on new Drive Extender-specific technology that they will announce as soon as they can legally disclose information. The technology that they are working on with Microsoft deals with free space consolidation, and goes in a direction that is outside of disk defragmentation.

More details are on the PerfectDisk Blog.

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By on April 28th, 2010

Add-In WHS Trigger 1.0.5 Beta

Kentdome Technologies have released an add-in which enables you to integrate the Task Scheduler into the Windows Home Server Console to administrate and monitor scheduled tasks.

WHS Trigger Scheduled Tasks

Entitled WHS Trigger it allows you to schedule daily, weekly or monthly tasks at certain times (inc. system startup) and notifies you of these running or failed tasks.

WHS Trigger Settings

Features:

  • Notifies when a scheduled task is running (yellow alert)
  • Notifies on scheduled task error (red alert)
  • Add a new scheduled task wizard directly via the Console
  • Manage scheduled tasks: Add/Edit/Delete/Run
  • View scheduled task logs

WHS Trigger Scheduled Task Wizard

WHS Trigger is useful for cleanup or housekeeping duties such as the chkdsk command

WHS Trigger Notification

NOTE: The add-in is currently in beta and is geared towards the more experienced Windows Home Server user.

You can download WHS Trigger from here.

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By on April 28th, 2010

Drive Extender V2 Dissected

Hardware analysis and news site AnandTech have written a dissection guide on Drive Extender v2.

AnandTech Drive Extender v2 Dissected

With Drive Extender (DE) now being implemented below the file system. they look at what’s new in this new version of DE and what’s good and bad with the Drive Extender technology in Vail. And to help you understand better they also include 2 useful diagrams to explain the differences between V1 and V2.

You can read it here.

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By on April 28th, 2010

Drive Extender V2 – What's New

Mark Vayman who is a lead program manager on the Home and Small Business Server team has posted details on what is new and improved in Drive Extender for Vail.

Mark highlights the features which have changed since Drive Extender v1, including:

The Good:

  • Drives which are bigger than 2TB can be added  to a storage pool.
  • For duplicated folders, data is duplicated in real time to two separate drives – there is no hourly migration pass
  • All storage operations are performed with very low I/O priority to ensure they don’t interfere with media streaming.
  • A new "folder repair" operation is available which runs chkdsk on the folder’s volume.

Also to be added to this list is that the new advanced format (4K sector) hard drives which are now compatible with Drive Extender V2

The Bad:

  • A data drive from a storage pool cannot be read on machine not running the “Vail” server software.

You can read the complete list here.

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By on April 27th, 2010

The Home Server Show Podcast Bonus Episode 87

home_server_show_small

The Home Server Show podcast have a special edition available due to the public beta release of Vail.

Bonus Show 87 has Jonas Svensson, Microsoft’s Home and Small Business Server Community Program Manager chatting to host Dave McCabe about Vail’s new features, which you can find here.

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By on April 27th, 2010

VAIL – The Tutorials

Since yesterdays announcement on the public availability of VAIL there has been many posts available across the internet. We wont mention them all, but here are the ones which we think are worthy of a mention:

  • To install Vail from a USB flash drive – Check out the tutorials here and here.
  • To install Vail on the HP MediaSmart Server range of Home Servers – The tutorial is here.
  • To Install the Connector Software for Windows Home Server Vail – Is available here.

Hopefully these posts will help you along the way.

And if you have a Vail related question, then head on over to the Vail forum on Microsoft’s WHS forums.

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By on April 27th, 2010

How to Virtually Install Vail

To quickly have a look at Windows Home Server code name VAIL you can install it virtually using one of the virtualization software packages which are available.

There are many options available which luckily for you all the details have been written up already by fellow WHS geeks.

Program Name Paid or Free Guide Link
VMWare Workstation Paid http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04/26/installing-vail-onto-a-virtual-machine-using-vmware-workstation/
VMWare Server Free http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04/26/installing-vail-onto-a-virtual-machine-part-2-vmware-server/
Hyper-V Part of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Guides here and here.
Sun VirtualBox Free Tutorial coming soon…

Remember that although a virtual install of VAIL will enable to to check out the WHS v2 features, Microsoft would like like you to install it on “real” hardware so you can beta test this release properly.

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By on April 26th, 2010

Windows Home Server V2 (Vail) Part 1

ITS HERE! Your first chance to see the new public preview beta of Microsoft’s next Windows Home Server Codename “VAIL” released today. Over the next few days we will be bringing you an insight into the new OS day by day, starting with Installation, setup and the new dashboard which replaces the old console.

Now I know some off you have already seen what I am about to show you, but stick with me anyway, I guarantee I am going to show you something that you haven’t already seen.

I have included as many screenshots as possible showing everything VAIL has to offer, without you having to install it yourself.

There are a few pre-requisites to note before installation:

  1. Read the release notes before installing.
  2. VAIL is a 64bit only Operating System (check the system requirements and make sure you meet them).
  3. VAIL cannot be used in a RAID formation, if you are using RAID you are advised to turn this off.
  4. Do not install on a headless machine.
  5. Do not install on a production machine.

I can’t stress these points highly enough, you really will fall fowl if you don’t follow this advice.

System Requirements

Windows Server Code Name “Vail” server software is 64-bit only operating systems.

You can install the server software either manually or unattended.

  • 1.4 GHz x64 processor.
  • 1 GB RAM
  • At least one 160 GB hard drive.
  • Product keys are not required for this release.
  • NTFS is the only supported file system.
Supported Networking Configuration:

a. Your server computer must be connected via a network cable to a router.

b. The router should be a UPnPTM certified device, but it is not required.

c. The router should be in the 192.168.x.x subnet, but it is not required.

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By on April 26th, 2010

Windows Home Server Code Name "Vail" Available

It’s always difficult to improve on something that is already a really good product, so it is always hard to follow that level of expectation – but it has in VAIL where it has been announced that as of right now is available for download as a preview beta release.

Available from Microsoft’s Connect website  improvements have been achieved, the additions everyone has been asking for, Homegroup Integration, Media Streaming and Improved backups are all just some of the welcomed additions.

Some of the improvements have been available for a while in add-in form, but the WHS team have taken them one step further, see below for the list of improvements:

  • Media Library on WHS website allowing for streaming.
  • Customise WHS Website.
  • 64bit only
  • Homegroup integration.
  • New launch pad application.
  • Improved backup (both server and workstations).
  • Runs on Windows Server 2008 R2.
  • Improved alert centre.
  • Many more!

I am sure in the coming months we might even see some other additional features, so watch this space.

You can find our full review of Windows Home Server Code Name “Vail” here and for your questions and answers Microsoft have a VAIL forum available to you here.

Matthew Glover
www.matthewglover.co.uk

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