Over in Germany, Andreas M has released a new add-in for Windows Home Server – Advanced Admin Console. The add-in is for advanced users who want access to a wider range of controls for their home server, from within the Windows Home Server Console.
The add-in provides tabbed access to the following areas:
- Control Panel
- Printers and Faxes
- Administrative Tools
- Start Menu
- My Computer
- My Network Places
- Workgroups
- Network Connections
Andreas provides guidance that this add-in is only for those with administration experience of Windows Server 2003. As regular readers know, when you delve deep behind the Windows Home Server Console, you run the risk of causing pretty severe damage to your home server, which can result in data loss and the need to reinstall the server. Proceed at your own risk!
IMPORTANT: This AddIn is only intended for advanced users who have at least some experience with administering a Windows Server 2003! The AddIn allows easy access to areas where you can really harm your Home Server if you’re unsure about what you’re doing! E.g. you shouln’t try to activate the server’s Soft-RAID-Functionality for it’s hard drives. This will confuse the backup service permanently (which I had to learn the hard way).
As the AddIn allows access to areas which were not intended by Microsoft to be accessible from within the Home Server Console, you might experience some glitches or unexpected behavior, none of which is likely to harm your server. E.g. you won’t be able to launch a new instance of explorer from the context menu of a volume under “My Computer”. Evidently nothing will happen, but after closing the Home Server Console on the client computer you will not be logged off but will find yourself being connected to the server’s desktop. There you will have to explicitly log off from the start menu. Those who cannot live with little oddities like this shouldn’t bother with installing the AddIn. But those who always need full control over all administrative areas of their Home Server may find the AddIn somewhat useful.
More Information and Download: Andreas’ Blog | Discussion Forum
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