WHS, activation, and trial editions

[VirtualLarry]

I have both a trial edition of WHS, and a legal OEM copy purchased off of Newegg. I want to set up an WHS. I'm not 100% certain of the motherboard I want to use, though. Can I install the WHS trial edition on multiple motherboards, or will it refuse to activate on the second motherboard?

What do I do if my WHS ever dies on me, and I have to replace the motherboard? Buy a new copy? If so, can I re-install it over itself, or do I need to backup all of the data HDs before I do that.

Edit: And what's the best way to stream DVD ISOs over the LAN? Mount them as virtual DVDs on the workstation, over the network, and use a normal DVD player software? Or install some sort of streaming software on the server, and have it stream and/or transcode?

 

[JackMDS]

WHS never does in-place upgrade, when you install it on top of exsisting WHS it re-formats the OS partition and Reinstall the OS. It does not touch the Data part.

I do not know about second use of already activated Trial.

 

[BTA]

For watching your DVD ISO's across the network and using WHS...check out MyMovies add-in.

http://www.mymovies.dk

Works great and is free. It will transcode to an xbox360 but you have to purchase points to unlock that feature now.

 

[RebateMonger]

Can I install the WHS trial edition on multiple motherboards, or will it refuse to activate on the second motherboard?

You need a unique Trial Key to Activate each Trial installation. Once a Trial Key is Activated, it can't be used again.

 

[notposting]

There's also several ways to stream DVD's--and it gets trickier depending on what kind of devices you may want to stream to*. I'm gonna start playing around with it myself.

And yeah, when you reinstall it, there should be a choice between full wiping and a reinstall procedure...one of them doesn't wipe your data

* I have a Media Center Extender I would like to use and be able to play back DVD rips on also...

 

[Meghan54]

You need a unique Trial Key to Activate each Trial installation. Once a Trial Key is Activated, it can't be used again.

Figured that, but another question along the same vein.

Can a trial install be reactivated with another new trial key without reinstalling?

 

[RebateMonger]

Figured that, but another question along the same vein.

Can a trial install be reactivated with another new trial key without reinstalling?

Not that I know of. But I've re-installed both OEM and Trial versions on top of previous Trial and OEM versions without incident.

Also, it looks like Microsoft has changed the way that new Trial downloads work. They are now for 30 days (instead of 120 days) and install WHS with PP3 (instead of PP1).

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/eval.mspx

 

[IamDavid]

WHS is great but they way the trail version works totaly sucks! After testing, configuring and playing with for a month there is no option to upgrade it to a legit copy. Absolutly retarded.
I installed mine over two months ago and assumed it would've upgraded in place. After it expired and required activation I didn't bother reinstalling or anything. It still allows access to the shared drives on my network. I figured when I do have a problem and need to do something I'll go with a Linux version. I can't support something so stupid.. Sorry for the rant!

 

[RebateMonger]

WHS is great but they way the trail version works totaly sucks! After testing, configuring and playing with for a month there is no option to upgrade it to a legit copy. Absolutly retarded.

That's a legacy of the Windows Server 2003 operating system. NO Trial version of 2003 can be upgraded to a full version using just a Key. So a re-install is done. It's the same with the SBS 2003 Trial and Windows Server Enterprise Trial.

In the case of Windows Home Server, doing the re-install is pretty painless. MUCH easier than any other pre-Vista version of Windows. Almost completely automatic. A couple of selections are made in the very beginning and then you can walk away and let it finish on its own. Shared Data and client backups aren't affected the the re-installation.

Did you have the new (PP3) Trial version or the older (PP1) Trial version? The initial Activation required by the older version was required after 30 days and used the Trial Key that came with the Trial. After the Activation, WHS would run another three months before "expiring".

 

[SimMike2]

A good program, actually a pseudo device driver, is Virtual Clone drive. When you install this free utitlity, whenever you double click on the ISO of video files, it loads the files as if they are a real DVD or blu-ray drive installed in your computer. It will work over network or server connections. Great free program

http://www.slysoft.com/en/virtual-clonedrive.html

 

[IamDavid]

That's a legacy of the Windows Server 2003 operating system. NO Trial version of 2003 can be upgraded to a full version using just a Key. So a re-install is done. It's the same with the SBS 2003 Trial and Windows Server Enterprise Trial.

In the case of Windows Home Server, doing the re-install is pretty painless. MUCH easier than any other pre-Vista version of Windows. Almost completely automatic. A couple of selections are made in the very beginning and then you can walk away and let it finish on its own. Shared Data and client backups aren't affected the the re-installation.

Did you have the new (PP3) Trial version or the older (PP1) Trial version? The initial Activation required by the older version was required after 30 days and used the Trial Key that came with the Trial. After the Activation, WHS would run another three months before "expiring".

Maybe simple on a normal install, I guess mine is not. I have a Intel NAS/server from the hot deals forum that doesn't have video support. We had to make an unattended install. So reinstalling and "making a couple simple selections" isn't so simple.
As long as everyone is aware going in I guess its not a bad product.