patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 With my HTPC quickly becoming a dead project, I'm wondering if I should install Windows Server 2008 R2 on it and use it as a domain controller and file server. Does this OS have its place in the home? I have 1 gaming pc, 1 imac, 1 mac book pro, ipad, iphone, and all my home theater components which are networkable and hard wired. Any insights as to whether or not this would be a good idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deactivated_ Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 It's overkill. I'd say finish the HTPC project, or just make it a basic file server. There's usually no need for a Domain Controller in a home network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 No need for a Domain Controller at home. Not to mention the inevitable piracy involved to be able to afford a server operating system in a home environment. What would you use it for? Just make a file server/get a NAS/Windows Home Server/HTPC with file sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmeunit Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 No need for a Domain Controller at home. Not to mention the inevitable piracy involved to be able to afford a server operating system in a home environment. What would you use it for? Just make a file server/get a NAS/Windows Home Server/HTPC with file sharing. The rest is valid, but really why even bring up piracy? There are many ways to get legit licenses depending on the application, where he works, if he goes to school, etc.. Linux can also do this stuff easily and for free. I use Win7 for this at my house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
articuno1au Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I think the only reason not to is quite simply there is no need for a domain controller. I'm inclined to suggest using Windows 7 as a server OS so you can use Media Center to stream content etc. That's what I've done with my personal file server. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Canuck Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The reason it's failing is because you're overcomplicating it. It is colossally over-specced for an HTPC. Forget dual video cards, etc. The more hardware you throw in it, the more complicated it gets and the more points of failure you have. Forget about RAID. Again, you don't need it on a HTPC. HTPCs are, by nature, weak computers. They don't need power or speed. Nothing they do requires it. Stop worrying about ripping copies of your Blu-rays that you can play on your 360, there's no point. As was suggested, just make lossless rips and transcode them using a media server application. Don't use Windows Media Center to manage your movie collection. It's not worth it. Windows Media Center is good for Live TV and Netflix (if you're in the US), that's about it. Use XBMC, Plex or Boxee to manage your movie collection. They're superior to WMC in every way when it comes to this and they work right out of the box. No need to install codec packs or crap like that. A Domain Controller at home is 100% pointless and you don't need Server 2008 to run a file server. You can create a network share on any client version of Windows. And it comes down to hardware again... You're going to run a server 24/7 on hardware like that? Your electricity bill is going to be through the roof. It would be even more over-specced as a file server/domain controller than it would be as an HTPC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Author Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 Thanks for the input guys. I was just thinking for stability and a central point to store all my media. I guess the HTPC I have already would serve that purpose. As for piracy, I'm a Technet member so I wouldn't be pirating anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The rest is valid, but really why even bring up piracy? There are many ways to get legit licenses depending on the application, where he works, if he goes to school, etc.. It is not just a case of having access to a legit license key, but it is the condition of the license. For example, if his work has access to MSDN it is for Development purposes only, Technet is for Testing purposes only and access to media separately licensed, MSDNAA is for Education purposes only, if his work has a Volume license agreement with Microsoft, it is for his workplace only, if his work has a spare full version then there the workplace is losing an asset by transferring the license to him so it is no more free than the OP buying it retail himself. Yes you could also buy it legally... but $900 just for the license itself that you don't even need at home is hard to justify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Author Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 The reason it's failing is because you're overcomplicating it. It is colossally over-specced for an HTPC. Forget dual video cards, etc. The more hardware you throw in it, the more complicated it gets and the more points of failure you have. Forget about RAID. Again, you don't need it on a HTPC. HTPCs are, by nature, weak computers. They don't need power or speed. Nothing they do requires it. Stop worrying about ripping copies of your Blu-rays that you can play on your 360, there's no point. As was suggested, just make lossless rips and transcode them using a media server application. Don't use Windows Media Center to manage your movie collection. It's not worth it. Windows Media Center is good for Live TV and Netflix (if you're in the US), that's about it. Use XBMC, Plex or Boxee to manage your movie collection. They're superior to WMC in every way when it comes to this and they work right out of the box. No need to install codec packs or crap like that. A Domain Controller at home is 100% pointless and you don't need Server 2008 to run a file server. You can create a network share on any client version of Windows. And it comes down to hardware again... You're going to run a server 24/7 on hardware like that? Your electricity bill is going to be through the roof. It would be even more over-specced as a file server/domain controller than it would be as an HTPC. This is the best advice I've gotten yet. Is a lossless rip done with something like Make MKV? What's an example of a media server application which would transcode the ripped file? Handbrake? I'm going to look into those other things to manage my movie collection like you suggested. Thanks so much for the valuable input. On a side note, part of the reason I am using Media Center is so that I can use my Xbox 360 as an extender since playing any audio over HDMI to my theatre system results in popping and disortions no matter what app or music I play. If the apps you mentioned will work with the 360, or if I can fix the audio issue, I'd have a good system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmeunit Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 It is not just a case of having access to a legit license key, but it is the condition of the license. For example, if his work has access to MSDN it is for Development purposes only, Technet is for Testing purposes only and access to media separately licensed, MSDNAA is for Education purposes only, if his work has a Volume license agreement with Microsoft, it is for his workplace only, if his work has a spare full version then there the workplace is losing an asset by transferring the license to him so it is no more free than the OP buying it retail himself. Yes you could also buy it legally... but $900 just for the license itself that you don't even need at home is hard to justify. The point is, that it is not really any of your business. I guess I should have just stated that outright. He asked if it had a place in a home as an OS, not if he should buy it to use at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japlabot Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 The point is, that it is not really any of your business. I guess I should have just stated that outright. He asked if it had a place in a home as an OS, not if he should buy it to use at home. Well he asked if he should use Windows Server 2008 R2 so he made it part of my business to give him a complete answer to his question, and software licensing is a factor of his question that he may not have realised. As it stands now he was asking if he should use Windows Server 2008 R2, and if he decided to do it, he said that he was intending to use his TechNet subscription . "Software is licensed for evaluation purposes only not for use in production environments. TechNet Subscriptions include the most recent Microsoft software version. Visit Microsoft Software License Terms for details on your use rights for evaluation software and other components of the TechNet Subscription product." http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/hh442910.aspx So if he decided to use Server 2008 R2 and used the Technet subscription as intended, that would be software piracy, which he may not have realised he was doing because of the fact that he had a "legit" license key for it. Now despite knowing this he decides to use his Technet key in production anyway, that is none of my business, but all I did was made him aware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Canuck Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 This is the best advice I've gotten yet. Is a lossless rip done with something like Make MKV? What's an example of a media server application which would transcode the ripped file? Handbrake? I'm going to look into those other things to manage my movie collection like you suggested. Thanks so much for the valuable input. On a side note, part of the reason I am using Media Center is so that I can use my Xbox 360 as an extender since playing any audio over HDMI to my theatre system results in popping and disortions no matter what app or music I play. If the apps you mentioned will work with the 360, or if I can fix the audio issue, I'd have a good system. Yep, MakeMKV is what I would use. Actually... it is what I use. I'm actually in the process of ripping my entire Blu-ray collection over to my HTPC as we speak (I've been working on it for a few days now, 1.4TB and counting.) As for transcoding to your 360, PS3 Media Server seems to be the go-to app. I personally don't have a 360 so I probably can't help you here as much as others, but from what I can gather it runs as a UPnP media server on your HTPC. I understand you wanted to use the Windows Media Center Extender function on your 360, realistically though, the feature isn't with the times. It's not worth the hassle required to get it working with the modern-day formats and codecs that Blu-ray uses. As for the audio issue, I second what another member suggested: Wipe your system clean and install a fresh copy of Windows 7 SP1. Chances are something with your installation is just messed up. I would also suggest disabling on-board audio and other unnecessary features in your BIOS before installing Windows (after all, you'll be using the HDMI connection on your Radeon). Be sure not to install any codec packages or other unnecessary software on your HTPC. Keep it simple and things will work :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Author Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 Well, what is a transcoder? Handbrake is an encoder, correct? I'm going to try xbmc as canuck suggested. That's not a transcoder is it? EDIT: Ok, here's a question. What about wiping the HD and installing Ubuntu and using Linux exclusively and the Linux version of xbmc? Any downside to that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Canuck Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 A transcoder is essentially a program that converts your videos to a supported format "on-the-fly" as it streams to your 360. It will be a seperate program that you run in the background of XBMC. I wouldn't use Ubuntu for this build, maily because AMD/ATI driver support is spotty at best on linux, especially when it comes to hardware acceleration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Author Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 So what's your suggestion for a transcoder? Would I basically keep a folder for each of my movies with a folder.jpg for the box art and the ripped MKV file and this transcoder would convert it on the fly while in XBMC? BTW, I downloaded all 3 media centers you suggested. Which is your favorite? I'm deciding between XBMC and Boxee I think. EDIT: I Googled "transcoder for XBMC" and the entire first 3 pages were links about TVersity. Do I just need this running in the background and I can play my ripped Blu Rays (MKV)? BTW Canuck, you've been a monumental help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patseguin Global Moderator Posted January 25, 2012 Author Global Moderator Share Posted January 25, 2012 OK my (licensed copy) of Windows Server 2008 is just regular 2008 SP1. Is there a good reason to upgrade to R2 and can I in fact do it as an upgrade or should I re install? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.grz Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 You can't do an "upgrade", it would have to be a clean install if you would choose to move to 2008 R2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H. Veteran Posted January 25, 2012 Veteran Share Posted January 25, 2012 I thought it was possible to upgrade to R2 like you can from Vista to 7 vs can't from 2003 to R2 (XP to 7). IN any case i'd prolly just wait till 2012 Server as that's coming out late this year or early next. Might as well save the money till then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.grz Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Hmm, I rechecked and it looks like an upgrade is possible as long as it's not cross platform (From 32 bit to 64 bit). I stand corrected. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd979563%28WS.10%29.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirEvan Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I'm personally a fan of re-installation for OS's, you never know what left over garbage might be left behind. Having said that, with a Server OS it may not be possible to reinstall from scratch (depending on what the servers function is, and how much down time you can afford). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vice Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 In my opinion, reinstall. On a side note, 2008 R2 is a really brilliant operating system. Great choice :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REM2000 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 agreed for a server os i would highly recommend a reinstall. Windows2008R2 is a really good upgrade from 2008, with better performance, better stability and more features. I love using it as it works really well with a variety of tasks (email/file share/hyper-v) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGHammer Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 In my opinion, reinstall. On a side note, 2008 R2 is a really brilliant operating system. Great choice :) Same applies to 2012R2 - which I run at home as a virtualization server. As to why 2012R2 (instead of Windows 8.1 or even Windows 8), Hyper-V in Server 2012R2 has lower requirements compared to the same feature in Windows 8 (EPT/SLAT is a requirement in 8 or 8.1, but optional in any Microsoft server OS from 2008 forward). Except for games that require DirectX, I can install and run any program in Server 2012R2 that Windows 8.1 can run. The only thing I really miss (from Oracle VirtualBox or VMware) is audio support in VMs. However, I willingly admit that sound support is more of a want than a need, even for VMs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts