Windows Home Server Beta 2 Impressions

[Seeruk]

Been playing with it for a week or so now and have just posted my impressions.

http://tf.erzz.com/2007/02/27/windows-h...ver-beta-2-half-solution-half-problem/

 

[stash]

You can access the shares using a fix that's been around for awhile for this issue...a logon script.

You need to create a directory on your MC box and share it out as netlogon. In there, put a logon script that maps a drive to the music, photo, etc directories on the server, using an account that has access to those shares (net use * \\server\music /u:server\username password)

Then in computer management on the media center, open the properties of the MCX user account and type the name of your logon script in the profile (eg: logon.bat).

Also keep in mind that HS is a v1 product.

 

[loup garou]

Thanks for the impressions...about what I expected, but still a product I would like to use. Is this an open beta (I'm assuming not)? I'd love to get in on the testing.

EDIT: Nevermind, found the Beta Survey, time to start filling it out!

 

[Seeruk]

Originally posted by: stash
You can access the shares using a fix that's been around for awhile for this issue...a logon script.

You need to create a directory on your MC box and share it out as netlogon. In there, put a logon script that maps a drive to the music, photo, etc directories on the server, using an account that has access to those shares (net use * \\server\music /u:server\username password)

Then in computer management on the media center, open the properties of the MCX user account and type the name of your logon script in the profile (eg: logon.bat).

Also keep in mind that HS is a v1 product.

Interesting Stash... I'll give it a whirl. Strange I didn't see that fix anywhere on the WHS forums or connect. Then again I wasn't looking that hard. The product is supposed to be about simplicity and I have filed it as a feature request as (if the solution works) the solution is way beyond most home users.

Of course it's beta, but from past experience I find kicking up a big enough stink gets these things resolved. Seems that most people are voting a 5 on the media centre related feature requests so I am sure something will be implemented.

 

[Seeruk]

Originally posted by: loup garou
Thanks for the impressions...about what I expected, but still a product I would like to use. Is this an open beta (I'm assuming not)? I'd love to get in on the testing.

EDIT: Nevermind, found the Beta Survey, time to start filling it out!

Last I read they were happy about getting 40,000 beta apps. Doesn't seem like enough testers to me so I am sure they are letting most people in as long as they meet the requirements. Good Luck

 

[Mayfriday0529]

I got the email a few days ago with my access code to try it. Haven't had a chance yet.
oh more pics would be great on your review.

 

[bpatters69]

Thats pretty scary. I guess Gates is not satisfied with screwing up productivity at the office. He now wants into our homes as well.

Sigh

 

[stash]

Interesting Stash... I'll give it a whirl. Strange I didn't see that fix anywhere on the WHS forums or connect. Then again I wasn't looking that hard. The product is supposed to be about simplicity and I have filed it as a feature request as (if the solution works) the solution is way beyond most home users.

Yeah I have no idea if you'll find it on the WHS forums, probably not. But if you search a Media Center forum like The GreenButton, you'll find it.

Again, this is a request that the WHS team has heard many times, but it just isn't going to happen for this version. I agree that the solution is not the best for the target market, but it works.

 

[JackBurton]

Interesting.

 

[Jeff7181]

I just got mine up and running today on an old XP2500 (OC'd = XP3200) box with a 40 gig Maxtor drive and a 160 gig WD drive. So far so good. It's convenient to get all those network shares set up with only a few clicks of the mouse with the Client CD. The backup features are nice, unfortunately my largest hard drives are in my main PC, not in the server. So a full backup of anything but my boot partitions isn't possible on any of my computers. Seeruk's points are valid. If they incorporate the things he mentioned in that blog post, it's definitely something I can see myself buying. However, I don't think it's worth what they'll likely charge for it in it's current state... which is basically a backup solution and network share wizard.

 

[XMan]

For those who are using it, a question - the hardware requirements are a 1Ghz CPU. How would it run on say, dual P3 700's?

 

[Tegeril]

The "recommended" hardware is a 1GHz CPU. Not required. I can't imagine a dual P3 700 system would have trouble.

 

[Seeruk]

A colleague at work is running it on a P3 600 with no issues.

 

[XMan]

Originally posted by: Seeruk
A colleague at work is running it on a P3 600 with no issues.

Sweet.