WHS To the Rescue -- AGAIN!

[dclive]

Windows Home Server (WHS) saved my PCs yet again. One doesn't need a 'computer helper' anymore with this kind of software - anyone can now easily restore to the last time the PC worked.

Windows Home Server is software you can put on any old computer (OS is $180-ish) (with a big hard drive or two on it) or you can buy a "computer" from HP (Amazon.com, HP EX-475) for $550-ish with slots for 500GB hard drives (and one included).

It allows you to make effortless backups (totally automatic - happens around 2AM every night) and even easier recoveries - to recover my data after a bad video card driver upgrade, I didn't even bother to extensively troubleshoot - I just booted from the WHS CD, which connected to the WHS server. I keyed in a password, and then the restore started (note: I did not need to reinstall Windows) - 15 minutes later, I was in business, with my Windows Media Center 2005 box fully working again!

This automation and simplicity takes all of the pain and worry away from any upgrades, updates, or issues. I can restore from any point (any day) from the past few weeks. It's wonderful.

 

[RebateMonger]

Our local IT consultant group covered WHS in the last meeting. Our only interest is its backup/restore features. WHS is amazing stuff.

I always feel HORRIBLE when I have to rebuilt a PC for a client, since it's time-consuming and usually costs as much as the original PC by the time the applications are re-installed. WHS has the power to make the problem go away.

I think that WHS will mean the death of low-end NAS boxes. That HP box is priced in the same range, and has infinitely more useful features.

 

[Old Hippie]

It allows you to make effortless backups (totally automatic - happens around 2AM every night) and even easier recoveries - to recover my data after a bad video card driver upgrade, I didn't even bother to extensively troubleshoot - I just booted from the WHS CD, which connected to the WHS server. I keyed in a password, and then the restore started (note: I did not need to reinstall Windows) - 15 minutes later, I was in business, with my Windows Media Center 2005 box fully working again!

Nice. But I just gotta ask, what's the difference between that and any other external back-up plan for a single home machine?

 

[dclive]

Lots of things:
1. It's got lots of cool plug-ins for it (see my .sig to check out my website, which is the WHIIST add-in.)
2. It can make your data redundant (without the complexities of RAID or additional hardware) if you have 2 or more drives in the WHS unit.
3. It's fully supported by Microsoft/HP, rather than a random drive vendor.
4. It has an agent that runs on all networked machines, backing them up every night, so you don't need to remember to do so.
5. It is networked - any PC on your network (up to 10) can be automatically backed up every night.
6. It has the bootable CD that will start the restore process - Windows does NOT need to be installed to kick off a restore.

Yes, Acronis TrueImage 11 ($13 at Dell, after tax) does a lot of this. But this does it better, faster, easier, and for a network of computers, not just one computer attached to local storage.

 

[Old Hippie]

Originally posted by: dclive
Lots of things:
1. It's got lots of cool plug-ins for it (see my .sig to check out my website, which is the WHIIST add-in.)
2. It can make your data redundant (without the complexities of RAID or additional hardware) if you have 2 or more drives in the WHS unit.
3. It's fully supported by Microsoft/HP, rather than a random drive vendor.
4. It has an agent that runs on all networked machines, backing them up every night, so you don't need to remember to do so.
5. It is networked - any PC on your network (up to 10) can be automatically backed up every night.
6. It has the bootable CD that will start the restore process - Windows does NOT need to be installed to kick off a restore.

Yes, Acronis TrueImage 11 ($13 at Dell, after tax) does a lot of this. But this does it better, faster, easier, and for a network of computers, not just one computer attached to local storage.

what's the difference between that and any other external back-up plan for a single home machine?

I guess the answer is, Not much. :laugh:

 

[dclive]

I've never been pleased with the reliability of other solutions. Acronis TI and other solutions just don't have the certainty of backups, the ease of monitoring, and the built-in error reporting that WHS has. Knock it if you want, but for me, in my eyes, it's a major step up from competing products. It cost me all of $180 (I run it in a virtual machine on a machine that's already on 24x7 anyway), and it was a bargain for the number of times it's made recovery a 15-minute operation.

No need for troubleshooting anymore - I have 100% confidence I can recover from any given date in the past few weeks. That's worth a lot to me. I don't see the same flexibility and reliability in other products.

 

[Old Hippie]

Knock it if you want, but for me, in my eyes, it's a major step up from competing products.

I'm not. For single machine household, it's looks to be way overkill. Acronis has never let me down, and believe me, I've used it in every way possible. Within Windows, boot disc, recover from a USB, I even used an AMD image on a new Intel install from a USB drive. Just wanted to see if it would work.

For an extensive home network, it sounds fine. For a single machine home.......

 

[RebateMonger]

How many people make daily desktop backups? I'd guess, approximately, zero. WHS does it automatically and provides quick restoration to many past setpoints.

I don't see many "single PC" households any more.

 

[Old Hippie]

I don't see many "single PC" households any more.

Really? Damn, I must be hanging with the wrong crowd....broke! :laugh: