Enable the Shadow Copy Service on WHS

Having the Shadow Copy service on Windows Home Server enables you to recover files that have been changed or deleted. As James Tenniswood states:

This can be really worth while if you’ve ever been caught accidentally saving over a document or erasing a folder, as you can look thought the folder at in any of it’s saved states and either restore or copy the contents to a safe place.

Shadow Copy Service

James shows you how to enable the Shadow Copy service and change its default settings, which you can view here.

Changing the EasyStore H340 Acer Branded Home Page

If you are the proud owner of the Acer EasyStore H340 and wish to get rid of the Acer branded home page then the Tenniswood Blog has the details on how to restore the default Windows Home Server home page.

Acer H340 Home Page

The details are here.

File Copying to WHS the Proper Way

If you are coping a large amount of data to your shared folders in Windows Home Server then Tranquil PC have discovered that you need to do it via the shares using your normal LAN connection and NOT by using a Remote Desktop Connection (RDC).

By transferring files using RDC the files actually transferred 90% slower than by doing it the proper way

…don’t try to be clever, and copy disk to disk – WHS is designed to be used headless (and no RDC).  If you want lightning fast file transfers, use the WHS as a network store, use the LAN.

You can read their full report here.

Tuner Cards in WHS – CPU and Network Utilization

For those of you with your tuner cards in Windows Home Server using the DVBLink software solution (network tuners) then JayC has a great post on the CPU and network utilization from Windows Home Server.

The good news is that with 2x dual tuner cards in Home Server with four recordings active the CPU usage is just 40% whilst the network utilization is 2% on a 1 Gpbs connection. And the CPU is just an old single core Celeron D 352 – Awesome!

You can read the full post here.

WHS User Accounts How-To

If you would like to know how to manage your user accounts in Windows Home Server then the How-To Geek has a guide for you.

The guide takes you through how to add a new user, disabling, removing and managing a user account as well as a look at the "Passwords do not match" issue.

Passwords Do Not Match

You can read the guide here.

The Home Server Show Podcast Episode 75

home_server_show_small

Episode 75 of The Home Server Show podcast has John, Jim, Chris, and Dave give us their views on the latest Home Server news and this episode has Tom Sydow talking about virtualization and the hardware your going to need to get started.

You can find episode 75 here.

100 Disc Changer for Windows Home Server

S1Digital have announced a 100 Disc Blu-ray changer.

S1Digital 100 Disc Changer

The unit can load up to 100 Blu-ray/DVD/CDs into the S1Digital Bly-ray Disc Changer which is simple to use and enables almost instant access to movies without having to physically find and load each movie.

When connected to a Windows Home Server via USB 2.0, you’ll be able to automatically archive your Blu-ray, DVD and CD discs to the server by using the included My Movies for WHS software. Every movie and audio disc is automatically stored on the hard drive, catalogued and metadata and cover-art downloaded. As each movie or album is stored, it is immediately available on your home network for playback.

A typical Blu-ray disc can take an hour or more to archive, but using this solution, you simply load up the changer and hit go. You don’t have to load each disc one by one. The changer will automatically move from disc to disc so you don’t have to worry about spending days manually storing movies and music.

The s1Digital 100 Disc Blu-Ray Changer is available with the MyMovies for Windows Home Server software with an MSRP of $1499 from here.

TwonkyMedia Server Setup Videos

The PacketVideo channel on You Tube has some great videos for those of you thinking of installing TwonkyMedia server on Windows Home Server, including this one:

"Basic Settings for TwonkyMedia server on PC or Mac" which also applies to WHS.

Add-In: Lights-Out 1.0.1

Lights-Out 1.0.1

The add-in Lights-Out has been updated to version 1.0.1 with the following fixes/changes:

  • Fixed client context menu issue
  • Fixed a typo and changed some translations
  • Fixed missing SB Core warning
  • Fixed a division by zero in network scanner
  • Fixed directory handling in FileMonitor, to watch files in a directory use the path without wildcards
  • Fixed a sporadic crash during stopping known services
  • Fixed adding Lights-Out Service itself to service list
  • Fixed validation problem in settings dialog
  • Fixed a crash in client backup blocker running on XP
  • Fixed backup time calculation in client service
  • Fixed client version detection when client has been restored with an outdated version
  • Fixed display of countdown dialog after cancel
  • Changed file monitor to allow multiple entries
  • Changed process monitor to allow multiple entries
  • Changed sending of magic packet to matching subnet and 255.255.255.255 broadcast address to handle hamatchi nics
  • Changed scheduled wake-ups, resets the delay time now when a wake-up has been sent
  • Improved handling of dual boot machines with different identities
  • Improved handling of transport disconnects by WHS connector
  • Added different tray icons for Windows 7 (contrast problem)

To upgrade

Clients will be updated automatically within 5 minutes when you have a licensed version or during the trial period, otherwise execute the client installer \\Server\Software\LightsOut\LightsOutClientInstall.exe to update the clients.

You don’t have to uninstall the previous version on the client.

You can download this latest version from here (msi file), whilst more information on Lights-Out is available here.

HP MediaSmart EX495 Wins Kick Ass Award

Maximum PC has a review of the HP MediaSmart EX495.

MaximumPC Kick Ass Award

The unit gets the "Kick Ass!" award after getting an impressive 9 out of 10, with the Large File Upload/Download being quicker than Maximum PCs custom home built Windows Home Server.

You can read their review here.