Neowin.net

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131540 £100.42 inc VAT

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct....=20&subcat= £93.99 inc VAT

Woah! i'm actually surprised, nice find aswell!

That's a good price for the UK. I'm not convinced about the product yet, though - I'll have to read up more about it.

I ordered mine from Novatech - only £86.95 inc VAT and free delivery.

You do realize that most of the Home Servers that are being offered are "headless" PCs that run on minimal power and "green" specs. Same can't be said for homebrew systems, but I (for one) built mine with my energy bill in mind.

Indeed. Anyone running a WHS with 8800 Ultras in SLI should be slapped with a wet trout...

I have a similar concern about servers. Is a server in the home really necessary anyway?

If you've got more than one PC, and you've ever been unfortunate enough to be hit by massive data loss, I think you'll find the answer is yes.

It saved my butt when my HD crashed the other day. I was up and running in hour from restoring from WSH

Hmm, I still don't really get it... Why would you need a server to take more or less regular backups? Just decide that Computer X can act as a store for your family documents, photos and music, and then back up that one every now and then? And let that computer double as a regular computer and "server". I mean, how many hosts in a home are we talking of here? 5? 10? It's rare to have more than around three where I live at least, and then the backup "issue" isn't much of an issue at all. Sure, making a dedicated file server out of performance reasons is one thing, but modern hardware isn't bad enough to not handle the "load" (if it can even be called server load) from a household.

Besides this, everything under at least the "Protect" and "Organize" headings above can also be done with Windows XP/Vista Home, and those are also aimed in features and user interface for home use. Actually, family members could first access family photos, music, and documents from a centralized location in Windows starting with Windows For Workgroups 3.11, and I bet Microsoft ran the exact same advertisement then about the revolution in your household. :-S

Last edited by Jugalator on 10 Oct 2007 - 16:26

Well this can take the backups as often as you like, so basically nightly. Even frequent backups won't give you the same level of "roll back ability" as having incremental backups to a server. Add to that that it's an incremental backup so each backup is alot shorter and duesnt either require getting additional external HD's or even worse, half a dozen DVD's.

The backup isn't just family documents like pics and videos, it can be crucial data where you'd prefer a nightly backup as opposed to a weekly (or worse) one.

As for serve and share...yes any pc can do it but think of this as a central repository. As already mentioned you'd assume your server would be using a very low power pull. The same cannot be said about your gaming PC ect. If energy is a concern then surely your better of having the gaming PC off if all it's on for is to stream a video. Stream it from a lower power system. Besides not all PC's will act as a Media Extender which is an extra bit of media functionality I believe this incorporates which is useful for say 360 owners and the like.

I think you are forgetting that most PC users have no clue how to set that up and keep it running hassle-free...that is the point of WHS, it is a hassle free (config and forget) server. Once you have it setup the way you want it, it runs in the background and the only time you interact with it is when a) you want to tinker with it and b) if it is having a problem that it needs your feedback on.
I am quite capable of setting up the type of file sharing system you say, but it is tough to do on XP or Vista Home...WHS works seemlessly.
Simply put, this is by far the best home product MS has released in years. I was very skeptical myself until I tried it out and discovered everything that it could do with very little administration on my end.

All my power comes from a hydroelectric plant...so no guilt here. Either way, I use Vista Premium as my MCE OS and it does everything I want in a home server.

They've pulled it apparently. That link gives an "item not found" error and I didn't see it on the site.

Congrats on completely and totally missing the intended purpose of an entire product line. Damn impressive. Go. You.

Boy, didn't I know that was coming!

Except that I am also using my server as a workstation, you don't have the foggiest notion as to how I'm using it, or what I do or do not know.

The "intended purpose" of a hand gun is to kill people; if I want to use mine for target practice instead, who the hell are you or anyone else to tell me that I'm misusing my property.

And so it is with how I use my OS: it is also exclusively my business, and I really don't give a rat's ass about whether or not I'm conforming to someone else's purposes.

I could care less if you take your Windows Server 2003 install disc and use it as a rather large keychain, doesn't change the fact that you are (for whatever reason) using an OS designed and intended by Microsoft to perform a function which you are not adhering to. Hey, go nuts. That's all you. But it doesn't change the fact that Microsoft put out a ~$190 Home server product intended for home users, and you want to chime in about what you are doing with a $600+ operating system that you're using to essentially perform the same function...sometimes.

Don't get me wrong, I could care less what you use Win2k3 for...I just wish you had a valid, pertinent point to make in relation to the topic at hand, instead of lamely attempting to brag about your OS.

What's not valid about using my Windows Server at home?

Obviously, Microsoft thinks that a server OS in the home is now necessary or they wouldn't be marketing a Home Server. Duuhhh.....

And since I already own Server 2003 operating systems and can add workstation functions thereto, why exactly should I not do so? Should I go out and spend even more money on a home server that I don't need to satisfy your (not Microsoft's) idea of what constitutes a valid use of a server operating system?

If you want to dispute this, explain to me why Microsoft has configured server-specific versions of its Media Player, or why it supports full hardware acceleration, HD audio, themes, folder tasks, and a plethora of other workstation-specific functions? If Microsoft didn't intend for people to use these functions in its server operating systems, why include and support them in the first place?

You say that I had no pertinent point to make; that I was lamely attempting to brag about my OS. I say that my point was indeed valid to the topic at hand and that you were simply making an even lamer attempt to show your disdain and superiority for someone you think of as a lesser person for doing something that you claim Microsoft doesn't approve of – even though Microsoft's own actions put the lie to that assertion.

Well, you can take your disdain and stick it where the sun don't shine. If you're going to dis someone for their actions, make sure you know what you're talking about before going off half-cocked.

And by the way, genius: it's "I couldn't care less".

Linux is "way better"?

I think Linux can do exactly the same job as Windows Home Server. And, it can do it cheaper. But I don't know how you would measure "better". I don't think you can, either. Perhaps a slight advantage for updates not needing as many reboots on Linux (minus the occasional kernel, if you wanted to update that). But that does not make it way better.

Then, can you point me to a Linux system set up to back up Windows systems like this, plus monitor the Vista-specific "health" (whatever that entails)? Finally, if you can dig up a few of these that are pre-configured for easy installation by typical Windows users, tell me which ones are sold pre-installed on PCs? Because that is what Microsoft will be doing very soon.

Be a little realistic, please.

It's human nature.

People pick a stance/side/team/religion/OS etc and will fight over it even in the face of insurmountable opposition.

You got it half right Cause it is Microsoft, people are bitching and complaining about it, however, if it was from Apple everyone would be praising it and claiming it was the best thing since sliced bread

Obviously you haven't seen the trolls that hang out in the Apple threads. Yes, the trolls are everywhere, whining about everything.

Then you don't know as much about computers as you like to imply that you do.

You have no idea how much time and hassle this saves familes with multiple PC's in thier home.

It's already released, as they were the first to get it!

Last i looked...about a few weeks to a month ago...here in Aus it's in the $200 - $220AU region
http://staticice.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi...ows+home+server

That actually makes it cheaper than the New Egg price for us.

Yes it has IIS 7 Buildin the soft