WHS - Can you keep the OS and Storage separate?

[Geofram]

I've got a home server set up and running already, but there's one thing about it that's bothered me. It appears, by default, to want to use the same hard drive that your OS is installed on for storage in the array.

I was wondering if anyone found a way to configure it so that all the storage was kept on a completely different drive from the OS? For example, if I wanted to put a SSD in for the OS, while leaving all the movies, pictures, etc on the old standard HDDs. Yes, I know it's based off 2003 Server that isn't really designed for SSDs anyway.

Maybe it's a pointless endeavor that wouldn't really help with performance anyway, but it would make me feel better if I knew that one hard drive was only handling the OS.

 

[MStele]

I pretty sure you can. I'm with you though. I'd prefer to keep the system drive seperate in order to make imaging it easier.

 

[JackMDS]

I do not think that currently it is possible to avoid a second partition on the OS Drive. .
In addition, for the purpose that you described it is a useless endevor.

Windows Home server is a Server not a Gaming Workstation. Running the OS from an SSD drive would do nothing for it.

 

[Raduque]

Well, you could always try using a 20gb HDD. The installer might fail though, because the minimum specifications is an 80gb drive.

Edit: Oh and the second partition is only a "landing zone" - data is initially copied there and then moved to the pool during the normally scheduled balance. Unless you use all the available space on your extra HDDs, there shouldn't be any data on the OS drive.

 

[Geofram]

I do not think that currently it is possible to avoid a second partition on the OS Drive. .
In addition, for the purpose that you described it is a useless endevor.

Windows Home server is a Server not a Gaming Workstation. Running the OS from an SSD drive would do nothing for it.

I understand that it's not for gaming; I have enough computers for that. I am, however, interested in performance. Booting/rebooting the server currently takes forever, and I figured an SSD would help that. It was more a passing thought than a serious part of my question.

Mostly, it seems that it would be easier if I knew one of my drives was purely the OS drive. I could then swap out other ones without worrying that I was about to pull the OS (which I've had to do at times). I went through the pain of feeding it drivers until I could get ACHI working on it, so the drives could be hot-swappable.

 

[RebateMonger]

This page shows how somebody installed WHS to a 30 GB SSD.

http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4528

But if you do this, you'll lose any advantage that SSD could have provided when accessing WHS' index files (tombstones). Those are stored on the first storage partition, which you want to move to a non-SSD disk.

If you do this, I'd verify how a re-installatin or, especially, a system recovery of WHS would handled.

I could then swap out other ones without worrying that I was about to pull the OS (which I've had to do at times).

I'm not sure I understand this point. You'd certainly want to know which disk is which before you pull them. And "pulling" a WHS storage disk can't be done until you "remove" it from WHS' management console, which could take many hours if you are using large disks.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would hope they would make it easy... it's good practice to keep data separate from OS especially for a server that holds data.

 

[Geofram]

This page shows how somebody installed WHS to a 30 GB SSD.

http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4528

But if you do this, you'll lose any advantage that SSD could have provided when accessing WHS' index files (tombstones). Those are stored on the first storage partition, which you want to move to a non-SSD disk.

If you do this, I'd verify how a re-installatin or, especially, a system recovery of WHS would handled.


I'm not sure I understand this point. You'd certainly want to know which disk is which before you pull them. And "pulling" a WHS storage disk can't be done until you "remove" it from WHS' management console, which could take many hours if you are using large disks.

I'm curious about this; I don't really know much (anything) about the tombstones. I didn't realize there was indexing. Would there be some kind of real advantage to having those files on a SSD?

As for the 2nd point - yes, you are right, unless you have a bad drive. Unfortunately within the first 2 weeks of having my home server, I had 2 of my drives "die". One of them happened to be the OS drive at the time, as well as a storage drive with 1TB of stuff on it I had extracted. It was a pain - and the main reason that I got to be thinking along these lines of putting it on a separate drive.

I've had to remove other drives occasionally for other reasons (needed in a different computer). I had a lot of trouble at first determining which of my drives (physically) matched up with the drive I saw on the server's list. (Which of those Western Digital drives was the WDC WD50 00AAKS-00A7B0?) It was especially bad when the server was reporting that one as being dead, and I couldn't tell which one it was.

Ideally, I won't have to change out drives much. But I'd much rather I could do it easily if the need arose, without shutting down the server if possible.

 

[TheKub]

I had a lot of trouble at first determining which of my drives (physically) matched up with the drive I saw on the server's list. (Which of those Western Digital drives was the WDC WD50 00AAKS-00A7B0?) It was especially bad when the server was reporting that one as being dead, and I couldn't tell which one it was.

I had this problem before. Check out WHS Disk Management Addon. Not only does it give you more information about your disks but you can build a wireframe of your server and list each drives location. That way when one pops bad you will have an a reference to figure out what one to pull.

 

[JackMDS]

I have a general problem with this issue and some others.

In the last few years the previous trend of objective comparison Reviews and Bench Marking almost disappeared from the Tech. scene.

As an example when you look at the top WHS sites, introducing the existence of hardware (that probably sent to the publisher by the vendor as a marketing move) is called a Review. There is No real review that evaluate the hardware on these pages.

In many cases the substitutes to functional evaluations are actually just semi theoretical conjectures.

As an example if I install an SSD drive in my gaming computer I get a faster drive so I will be a better gamer. I yet to see this proven.

Using expensive SSD disk when the main excuse is that it shorten the booting time is not a technology issue (unless the computer is on the shuttle Endeavour and any second is crucial) it is a Psychological problem.

Setting a side the initial time that it takes the hardware to boot.

From the point that the HD starts to read and boots the OS it takes on my system (using Hitchai 1TB Drive) 45 sec. to fully boot and calm down.

If someone is really so bother with 45 sec. boot and need to reduce it to 30 Sec. He/she is better off spending the money on counseling rather than on SSD drive. Counselors are also entitled to more business. Intel's executives are already rich. :sneaky:

It might be nice project for Enthusiasts that like to play with hardware for the sake of playing which is OK to do, but unless someone shows some real measured functional outcome from having SSD in WHS, it does Not seem like a worthwhile functional ordeal.


.

 

[RebateMonger]

I would hope they would make it easy... it's good practice to keep data separate from OS especially for a server that holds data.

Well, the data IS separate. It's on a separate partition.

Having the OS on a separate hard drive doesn't do much for WHS. You can't restore the OS partition or the disk using conventional backup/restore procedures, anyway. The WHS OS is restored by an OS re-install, which isn't a big deal with WHS.

Aside:
As noted by the O.P. and TheKub, it's a REALLY good idea to keep track of which physical disk is which in WHS. WHS users are likely to have more than one disk of the same size and manufacturer, so you can get confused.

 

[JackMDS]

On each WHS installation I open on the OS' drive a new folder and put there three free programs.

UltraVNC server is installed as a service, the other two are potable so they do not intervene with the Registry.

1. UltraVNC server running as a service encrypted and using a port up in the spectrum like 62222.

When some thing extra is needed it can be easily accessed by VNC.

Example.

2. Free Commander is a Win Explorer type that can read each drive on its own and provide a view beyond \\WHS\

Example.

3. Disk info, runs and show separately each HD, its make, capacity, etc., and does basic Hardware evaluation as well.

Example.

These three take only 7MB space.


.

 

[Geofram]

As an example if I install an SSD drive in my gaming computer I get a faster drive so I will be a better gamer. I yet to see this proven.

Using expensive SSD disk when the main excuse is that it shorten the booting time is not a technology issue (unless the computer is on the shuttle Endeavour and any second is crucial) it is a Psychological problem.

Setting a side the initial time that it takes the hardware to boot.

From the point that the HD starts to read and boots the OS it takes on my system (using Hitchai 1TB Drive) 45 sec. to fully boot and calm down.

If someone is really so bother with 45 sec. boot and need to reduce it to 30 Sec. He/she is better off spending the money on counseling rather than on SSD drive. Counselors are also entitled to more business. Intel's executives are already rich. :sneaky:

It might be nice project for Enthusiasts that like to play with hardware for the sake of playing which is OK to do, but unless someone shows some real measured functional outcome from having SSD in WHS, it does Not seem like a worthwhile functional ordeal.


.

Jack, I understand what you're saying. There's basically no proof that a SSD would do anything for a server OS in this case. I don't deny that.

I do however feel it to be a bit insulting to, in essence, claim someone needs therapy because they'd rather have a 20 second boot than a 45 second boot. I'd say that most people who get SSDs do it for a similar reason, not because they think it would make them a better gamer. I personally have them as the main or OS drive in 3 out of the 6 computers in my house, and it bugs me when I end up using the ones that don't have it - just because of the snappiness factor. I can notice a difference.

I theorized that if I was noticing a difference on my regular every day computers, that my server might be likewise helped by having one. I am an enthusiast - as are most of the people who post here I'd say. It's not a stretch to believe most of us want fast boots and that shaving off 10 or 15 seconds here or there isn't something worth doing.

That being said, it still wasn't the main reason of my post. The type of drive means less than the ability to separate the data. I'd personally rather put a new drive in, reinstall WHS, and be done with it, if my OS drive died, than worry or wonder what else might have been stored on it. I've seen too many dead hard drives lately. If that seems like an odd setup, so be it. Maybe i'm just in the minority worrying about that sort of thing.

 

[JackMDS]

I do however feel it to be a bit insulting to, in essence, claim someone needs therapy because they'd rather have a 20 second boot than a 45 second boot

Sorry I apologize for this one.

------
Yeah, it would be nice if WHS would have special setting to start with two Drives, and install the OS by itself on one drive.

However whether this Drive is regular one, or a SSD probably would not matter performance wise.


.

 

[pugh]

Jack, I searched google for the program you mention that gives disk info. Do you happen to have a link where I could download it ?

Thanks

 

[notposting]

http://www.freecommander.com/

also there is Total Commander and many many more listed at wikipedia. I just used TC the other day...

http://www.ghisler.com/

 

[JackMDS]

http://www.freecommander.com/

also there is Total Commander and many many more listed at wikipedia. I just used TC the other day...

http://www.ghisler.com/

IMHO free Commander is better than Total Commander, and it is Free.

Disk Info, http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en

Get the portable Zip version.

.

 

[dclive]

UltraVNC server is installed as a service, the other two are potable so they do not intervene with the Registry.
.

Why not just use MS RDP? Start/run/mstsc /v:servername will do it....

More secure, simpler, faster, easier....