Add-In: WHS PHP Installer 1.04

The add-in WHS PHP Installer has been updated to version 1.04

The add-in installs a preconfigured PHP 5.2.6 install which includes the PHP software to make it easy and convenient to install PHP onto Windows Home Server.

This latest version includes a modified installer to install to c:\php5 and localized scripts missed in 1.03. and the bug in environment variable not removed on uninstall has been cleaned up.

Thanks to the German Home Server Blog for the update.

More details are available from here.

Update PerfectDisk for WHS the Proper Way

.NET developer Travis Illig is stating that a in-place upgrade for PerfectDisk doesn’t work for Windows Home Server:

PerfectDisk has a feature to "check for updates" from within the Windows Home Server console. It’s OK to use the "check for updates" feature to see if there’s an update, but do not install the update from there.

First, trying that will fail because the Windows Home Server console is open (Catch-22, eh?). Second, if you try to do the update from Windows Home Server via Terminal Services, it doesn’t quite do what you expect. I think the engine gets updated, but the console add-in doesn’t or something. Stuff gets messed up. Just don’t do it.

Travis shows us the proper sequence of events to install an update to PerfectDisk for WHS for a problem free upgrade.

You can read it here.

WHS-Download Manager 3.1

Version 3.1 of WHS-Download Manager is now available for download.

WHS-Download Manager 3.1

The add-in helps organize large amounts of data and can download ULRs. The add-in can be configured to download a specified amount of data at a specified time and is optimized for use with Rapidshare, both free and premium accounts.

Version 3.1 contains some bug fixes and adds a new feature: DLC-Container format support. Links encrypted in DLC-Files can be added to the Download-Pool.

Developer Christof Rakowski also tells us that a Client-Version, which will feed links to the Windows Home Server, will be out soon – Great news!

Grab the add-in from here.

Search MSWHS Within Windows 7 Explorer

Search in Windows 7 introduces Federated Search where you can search for items in remote locations right from within Windows Explorer.

For example you can search a web site (like mswhs.com) directly from the Windows 7 search box, and to make that possible we have made a search connector for MSWHS.com which also adds MSWHS to your favorite locations in Win7.

MSWHS Search Results

Just download and double click on the .osdx file to enable searching of MSWHS.com directly within Windows 7 Windows Explorer.

Download from here.

HP StorageWorks x510 Data Vault Review

It has only been a few weeks since HP upgraded its MediaSmart home server range; we reviewed the excellent top of the range MediaSmart EX495, and found it to be a very capable and impressive little server. So what have HP got in store for us with the new StorageWorks x510 Data Vault range?

HP x510 from the front (look it says Data Vault not Media Smart)

Team Foundation Server on WHS

If you would like to install Team Foundation Server (TFS) onto Windows Home Server you are in luck.

TFS 2010

TFS is a team collaboration server that provides work item tracking, source control, reporting, process guidance and more. Version 2010 Beta2 can be installed on WHS by using a remote desktop connection and website “Gaffer-Tape Engineering” takes us through the steps and also explains how to export the Home Server certificate which is also required.

You can read the full tutorial here.

What Home Servers Do the WHS Team Use?

The Windows Home Server Blog has a short video interview with Jonas Svensson, Community Program Manager on the WHS team who tells us what his role entails as well as telling us his favorite features in Windows Home Server as well details on his two WHS machines.

The Home Server Show Podcast Episode 62

home_server_show_small

Show 62 of The Home Server Show podcast with some great chat on Windows Home Server as well as Windows 7.

Get it here.

Media Center Show Talks Windows Home Server

Episode 229 of The Media Center Show podcast has an interview with fellow MVP Andrew Edney about Windows Home Server, the latest hardware from HP and Lenovo, Power Pack 3 and Windows 7 including Andrew’s new book Windows 7 Tweaks, Tips and Tricks.

You can give it a listen here.

PC Pro Recommended – The EX490 MediaSmart

PCPro Recommended

PC Pro has given the HP MediaSmart Server EX490 a recommended badge, giving it 5 out of 6 for it’s overall rating :

So while the MediaSmart EX490 gets a definite thumbs up, we suggest you take stock of your needs – and the devices on your home network – before taking the plunge. For basic home server duties a cheaper, simpler option, such as the Tranquil T2, may work just as well. But if the sophistications of the EX490 fit your home and your budget then go for it: it’s a capable and excellently designed little server.

You can read the review here.