Windows Home Server questions!

easyrider · 29 Sep 2009 at 10:38

Ok I have done a search and the thread is HUGE!

Just a few quick questions....Please

After the death of my 1TB WD Green I have decided to sort myself out storage wise!

I lost 200 odd DVD rips. :mad:

So I have decided to change my HTPC setup running windows 7 media center to Windows Home server. Add all my disks etc... and stream my media to my new build i5 rig connected to my PJ.

I take it that storing all my MKV's on the server will be fine and I just add the server to the Media Centre PC and stream them?

Any other tips for a seamless transition

Matty_Boy · 29 Sep 2009 at 13:52

Yep - should work fine.
I have all my music and films stored on a WHS now and stream via cat5e to my HTPC and Xstreamer with no probs. You can also enable folder duplication in WHS for your individual (Music / films / photos etc) folders to ensure they are backed up on different drives within WHS (NB make sure you have 2 or more drives in your pool). If you need more storage, just pop in an extra drive and add it to your storage pool!

Skeeter · 29 Sep 2009 at 18:03

As Matty said, should all work fine. WHS is very simple and very good at what it does. Wouldnt be without mine now.

theheyes · 29 Sep 2009 at 19:09

You know you can sometimes bring a dead HD back to life for a short time by sticking it in the freezer overnight in a zip-lock type seal bag (to minimize condensation). I didn't believe it at first but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence out there. You might have enough time to save some DVD rips at least.

Just a thought.

edit - in regards to saving your data in future I'd just buy two 1TB disks and RAID1 them if your motherboard is capable.

easyrider · 29 Sep 2009 at 21:01

theheyes said:
You know you can sometimes bring a dead HD back to life for a short time by sticking it in the freezer overnight in a zip-lock type seal bag (to minimize condensation). I didn't believe it at first but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence out there. You might have enough time to save some DVD rips at least.

Just a thought.

edit - in regards to saving your data in future I'd just buy two 1TB disks and RAID1 them if your motherboard is capable.

I have over 4TB so thats not an option.

Plus the whole array has to be rebuilt if I need more space.

Supertaff · 29 Sep 2009 at 21:12

Have a look at My Movies if you want a good way to store and stream your media.

They have a WHS part that catalogues all your DVD's on the home server and downloads the covers, dvd info etc.

Then there is a client you can put on the pc you want to lay the dvd's with which will integrate into Media Centre and allow you to view all the titles that are ctalogued on the home server and then stream them over.

Not sure though if it works with MKV's I just rip my DVD'd to straight DVD folder set up and stream from that.

Taff

[GSV]Lemming · 30 Sep 2009 at 10:05

Easyrider, sorry to go offtopic but I replied to your forsale thread re the carpc, you have probably forgotten all about it as its been a while since you put it up, but any chance of a reply on that thread?

Sorry Mods, did not know of any other way to contact as PMs are disabled...

easyrider · 30 Sep 2009 at 12:09

[GSV]Lemming;14993067 said:
Easyrider, sorry to go offtopic but I replied to your forsale thread re the carpc, you have probably forgotten all about it as its been a while since you put it up, but any chance of a reply on that thread?

Sorry Mods, did not know of any other way to contact as PMs are disabled...

I have emailed you

Stuarts · 30 Sep 2009 at 16:35

Windows Home Server works very well.

I imagine that when Windows 7 comes out, and I get it on my laptop as well, it will be a very neat solution.

For the moment, my Windows Home Server has a 4gb backup potential, and works seamlessly to backup my main PC.

I had a similar 'disaster' scenario as yourself.

I also set up a raid 5 array with a Perc 5i card and 7 1tb drives (Spare and Hot spare so both very fast, and very secure).

Very good setup.

Check out this forum thread here - http://www.overclock.net/hard-drives-storage/359025-perc-5-i-raid-card-tips.html

sibeer · 30 Sep 2009 at 18:31

Surely with Windows Home Server you don't really need or maybe even want to be using RAID as well?

The folder duplication feature lets you pick and choose which ones need to have a second copy on a different hard disk, then the server does the redundancy itself. I didn't like the idea at first, it uses more space than RAID 5 as it is more like RAID 0 so whats the point. When I thought about it though, the lack of reliance on SATA controllers, the ability to add any new disk at any time to the storage pool and the ability to easily choose what you do and don't backup really makes more sense in a home environment.

Unless you are using that feature and the system backup feature, then there are plenty of free options that will do the same sort of simple file sharing.

Skeeter · 30 Sep 2009 at 19:28

The folder duplication on WHS is great and your right, does away with needing RAID.

BUT, and its a big BUT, there is no way to have WHS backups its on 20GB system drive, so while all your data is well protected, the server itself isnt. If I build another server in the future ill prob RAID a couple of small drives to start with, and install the OS onto that, then add all the others out of RAID, so that should the system drive die Im ok.

ChileanLlama · 30 Sep 2009 at 20:13

sibeer said:
. I didn't like the idea at first, it uses more space than RAID 5 as it is more like RAID 0 so whats the point. When I thought about it though, the lack of reliance on SATA controllers, the ability to add any new disk at any time to the storage pool and the ability to easily choose what you do and don't backup really makes more sense in a home environment.

Yes and No. It depends how much you need duplicating. If it's all your data then certainly, if not it could be more efficient with your disk space than RAID5.

easyrider · 30 Sep 2009 at 21:05

Skeeter said:
The folder duplication on WHS is great and your right, does away with needing RAID.

BUT, and its a big BUT, there is no way to have WHS backups its on 20GB system drive, so while all your data is well protected, the server itself isnt. If I build another server in the future ill prob RAID a couple of small drives to start with, and install the OS onto that, then add all the others out of RAID, so that should the system drive die Im ok.

Couldn't you take a snap shot with ghost or something of the sys drive?

Store it on a External?

ChileanLlama · 30 Sep 2009 at 21:52

easyrider said:
Couldn't you take a snap shot with ghost or something of the sys drive?

Store it on a External?

No, because WHS uses tombstones on the 1st drive which are small index files that reference the location(s) of the actual files. I've not been bothered to check, but I'm pretty sure they're held on the sys too.

Unless these were sync'd, which is extremely unlikely as you'd have had to have cloned the sys drive immediately before the restore, then you'd more than likely have to manually recover all the data from your storage drives. So you wouldn't have lost your data, but WHS wouldn't be able to see it or manage it for you.

It would be easier to just bang the WHS install disk in and do a recovery either on the existing sys drive or a new one, and let it rebuild the tombstones.

easyrider · 9 Oct 2009 at 16:42

ChileanLlama said:
No, because WHS uses tombstones on the 1st drive which are small index files that reference the location(s) of the actual files. I've not been bothered to check, but I'm pretty sure they're held on the sys too.

Unless these were sync'd, which is extremely unlikely as you'd have had to have cloned the sys drive immediately before the restore, then you'd more than likely have to manually recover all the data from your storage drives. So you wouldn't have lost your data, but WHS wouldn't be able to see it or manage it for you.

It would be easier to just bang the WHS install disk in and do a recovery either on the existing sys drive or a new one, and let it rebuild the tombstones.

Have you done this?

Sucessfully changed the system drive for another one rebuilt the server and kept all you data across the spanned drives?

ChileanLlama · 9 Oct 2009 at 16:59

I don't think so Easyrider...Actually I can't remember if I did or didn't do this during the WHS beta.

There's a couple of good threads here explaining the processes that can be used, including one which will allow you to make an image and use that on a new drive (though I'm not sure if my earlier comments would still apply - i.e. the image would have to be taken immediately prior to the swap over).

http://social.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/whsfaq/thread/cdb387f1-9baa-4ae3-a74b-ff351dc1c0bf

http://forum.wegotserved.com/index.php?/topic/5520-replacing-system-drive-with-new-drive/

easyrider · 9 Oct 2009 at 17:37

ChileanLlama said:
I don't think so Easyrider...Actually I can't remember if I did or didn't do this during the WHS beta.

There's a couple of good threads here explaining the processes that can be used, including one which will allow you to make an image and use that on a new drive (though I'm not sure if my earlier comments would still apply - i.e. the image would have to be taken immediately prior to the swap over).

http://social.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/whsfaq/thread/cdb387f1-9baa-4ae3-a74b-ff351dc1c0bf

http://forum.wegotserved.com/index.php?/topic/5520-replacing-system-drive-with-new-drive/

Thanks for the links.

I have nothing in my hidden DE folder should I be worried?

ChileanLlama · 9 Oct 2009 at 17:46

I don't think so...but not 100% on this.

I have two folders called "folders" and "shares" - the shares holds some files and folders which I suspect are currently being balanced by Drive Extender.

Do you have duplication switched on for any of your shares?

easyrider · 9 Oct 2009 at 17:51

ChileanLlama said:
I don't think so...but not 100% on this.

I have two folders called "folders" and "shares" - the shares holds some files and folders which I suspect are currently being balanced by Drive Extender.

Do you have duplication switched on for any of your shares?

Yes

I have duplication on for Home Videos , Music and Photos.

I have been copying data from external USB drive to the server shares folders not over the network and using Remote desktop.

ChileanLlama · 9 Oct 2009 at 17:55

Have you done it via the UNC patch \\servername\sharename\ or directly to d:\sharename\ ?

The latter is not recommended and I don't know what that would do. Other than that does the WHS Connector say a "last balanced.." time/date at the bottom of the screen?

I don't think it's something to be worried about, but please check that you can access the shares via the UNC path from a client PC.