Installing HP’s v2.5 MSS Update on an EX470/475

By on May 3, 2009 in Windows Home Server

The good folks over at MediaSmartServer.net have been busy with a copy of HP’s v2.5 MSS software update to allow it to update an EX470/475 MSS.  It seems that the “someone” leaked the link to the ftp location of the update.

From the MediaSmartServer.net blog/forums:

Now that people have released the ftp link for the 2.5 upgrade; we can now pull out the add-ins you are all hankering after. Reverse engineering the 2.5 code has taken a little while, and I’ve nearly got that figured out and will post a guide on what to do once I have it all working fully, and I can repeat it! I am missing the status lights; and I don’t think they will come back but everything else appears to be fully functional.

Obviously; this isn’t endorsed by HP, recommended by anyone and may stop your machine from getting future updates from HP. So tread carefully, and if you are not sure about following this, then don’t. Follow at your own risk.

From this article, they have even developed an add-in to “fool” the update in thinking it is being installed on a 2.1 EX48x MSS.  And a full wiki article on how to install the update.

I do not own a MSS of any generation.  If I did own an EX470/475, I would be rather upset about HP’s stance regarding the 1st-generation MSS’s also.  But are you gaining so much that is worth incurring the wrath of HP (see paragraph 2 of the quote above)?  Or even worse, potentially compromising the data you have stored on your WHS?

I hope owners of EX470/475’s take a step back and think through the pros and cons a little bit.  Most of the updates included with 2.5 update are available in other forms.  For the ones that are not, are they really a MUST have update component?

In the end, getting an update just for the sake of “getting it” worth it?  In this instance, I think not.  If you are really that upset about the whole thing, vote with your pocketbook.  Flood Ebay with your MSS’s and buy an Acer, a Tranquil, or other solution.

Or even better, build your own!


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About Jim Clark

Hello. I’m from the heartland of the U.S. Lots of corn and beans, although Iowa is a lot more than just farmland. It also has a few computer enthusiasts (no, not me!). I’ve been around PCs since I got my 1st PC XT aloooong time ago. WGS is one of the first sites I found centered around WHS. And the best. Every once in awhile, I do get away from the KB and enjoy time with and my wife and our 4 kids. And I do have a day job.
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  • GhostWorks

    Is HP 2.5 Update worth installing onto a HP ex47x , Basically to have the following a proper HP Video Converter, a nicer New Welcome Screen, a iStream iPhone/iPod Touch Application to work on your ex47x, Remote Video Streaming, & Media Collector Status, just to name a few

    I think "Yes"

  • Steve

    Isn't this theft, if I'm not mistaken there are video and audio Codecs and third party software, I think Arcsoft, in the HP 2.0 and 2.5 code that would need to be "borrowed" to do what is described above? Just curious, I had not seen this discussed anywhere.

  • Brian

    Is it worth it? That is a good question. I also think HP should have also asked that question when it screwed the first generation purchasers out of the update. Is it really worth it to not give them the update and upset them. As you can see from previous posts people are really upset. Then you get a BS response from HP that it's because of hardware restrictions. Well as people that have done the update have found. It runs just fine on their hardware of first generation servers, and it runs perfectly on the people who updated the hardware of the previous posts of this website to the 2gb ram and the processor update. I did not see anyone saying "well maybe we should not update the hardware because we may bring about HP's wrath". I can't believe that HP a world class enterprise company could not have been able to get the update to work on first generation MediaSmart Servers when a couple individuals were able to get the update to work on first generation servers.

    We followed protocol we complained about it and reported it to HP voiced our concerns and wrote letters to HP asking for the update. They replied with a bunch of lies. Now our response is to get the HP 2.5 update to work on our servers without their help or their approval.
    "Is it worth it" In my humble Opinion, YES. HP should have done the right thing to begin with. If they don't then fine we will do it on our own. Now we have the update and we will voice with our pocketbooks by not purchasing HP products in the future. It's a double win for the consumer. I believe this is a better saying of VENDOR BEWARE! not consumer beware. Do the right thing HP and we won't have to do the right thing for you. As you continue to make things hard for us you can go the way of the dodo bird :) .

  • http://www.whshack.com staples

    I updated a ex470 with the process and it is well worth the update. It does everything that I envisioned a home server to do. It backs up my mac (I wanted, but was waiting for the HP solution), collects media off of the remote boxes (something I was going to write a script for, but hp delivers it well), Video converter (I had a cobbled together solution… Hp's solution is much much better), and the updated gui's.

    and the lights are easily fixed…..
    http://www.whshack.com/2009/05/give-me-lights-on-…

  • Urmaster

    theft is when you steal a physical product. Piracy maybe not theft

  • Brian

    HP would be doing itself a HUGE favor to just announce now that they will release a supported upgrade for Gen-1 servers.
    If they don't, they will do more harm than good.

  • Steve

    I think the 470 / 475 owners are the one's who got WHS started. We are the ones who took the risk to get their product and to test its capabilities. I cannot count the number of times people have commented about "Why should I buy a WHS" and then a month later they are thanking me for their purchase. Too bad HP really screwed us over. Hate to tell you guys but HP is not the same company it used to be……since 2000 they have just tried to be the "industry standard". This will more than likely be my last HP product and its stuff like this that makes it obvious as to why. Sorry Bill and Dave, your company is gone.

  • http://www.mediasmartserver.net Alex Kuretz

    @Jim – Thanks for the perspective, however I think "incurring the wrath of HP" is a bit strong and misleading. Our second paragraph that you quote is simply to make sure that anyone who does this modification realizes that there is inherent risk and zero support from HP. You'll see a similar disclaimer with any RAM upgrade guide for the MediaSmart Server.

    @Steve – The SanEncore Add-in manipulates registry entries, creates file system directories, delivers an alternate (built by me) executable, and adds IIS web server configurations. There is zero HP code or IP contained in our Add-In. The 2.5 Software Update is available for download on the HP site, so no, I do not believe this is theft.

    @staples – I caution people from changing the HP Servermon* processes to use the old EX47x executables as they are different in the 2.5 update and have interactions with the system that we don't fully know yet. Yes, you are gaining LED control but we don't know what you're losing by replacing the new services with the old.

  • phil

    In HP's statement on the EX47X they said that the product was not a priority in their development…

    "Consumer feedback is important to us and is taken into account and prioritized relative to our ongoing product development priorities"

    "incurring the wrath of HP" ?
    In what way?
    BY not providing updates?
    Oops, they have done that already.

  • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/PaulJG PaulJG

    Hi,

    I don't think the phrase "incurring the wrath of HP" was intended to carry quite that much weight, but I think it's interesting that HP has incurred the wrath of those to whom they sold products which they have essentially abandoned. That's what has me upset — I don't like saving for what, to me, is an expensive piece of equipment, only to have the (supposedly reputable) manufacturer tell me, after mere months, that I'm high and dry.

    Personally, I won't likely install the updates, because they don't provide additional functionality that I require. But it looks to me like the people at MediaSmartServer.net have poured their hearts into providing the very features that HP should have done themselves, and in doing so, have proved just what lies HP has tried to feed former customers such as me.

    (BTW Jim, congrats on the upcoming wedding — read that in a previous post from you!)

  • Brian

    HP will do more damage than good, if they don't support the 2.5 upgrade, and the community gets it to work. HP has said there are all those reasons why the 2.5 upgrade won't work…
    If it does… ooooh… I'd hate to be on the mediasmart marketing team when their director/manager comes calling. It may be a "HOME" server.. but I find that the majority of users are business or those with a solid technical background, who understand home servers and their value.. so you had to expect that it's a smart community.
    Do they think average joe who got a home server in Best Buy is writing the add-ins? Seriously? We're a savvy bunch. To tell us the 2.5 upgrade won't work.. then we get it to work… their credibility was already damaged. This will destroy it. Time to do some damage control HP and just say "You know what, we made a mistake… the 2.5 upgrade will be out shortly. Sorry". It's THAT easy. Otherwise the community will make it work, expose you as having told your community a lie regarding releasing the software.. and your once great product will take another hard hit.

  • Brian

    Not releasing the 2.5 for Gen-1 users, a mistake. But we're a forgiving bunch… I'll take a "We made a mistake" and forget about all this.. but the finish line is fast approaching. Once that 2.5 upgrade is solidly on Gen-1 computers, put their by the Gen-1 community… you will have lost and you can't start over.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jim_Clark Jim_Clark

    How well does the 2.5 update work on "stock" EX470/475's? If it doesn't work very well (my guess), how does HP handle that one? If released to 1st gens, and it does not work well due to a lack of memory, who's problem does that become?

    So, please. I am very curious as to how compatible v2.5 and a stock EX470/475 is.

  • Josh S

    @ Jim_Clark
    I’m willing to be that at least 80% of that people that want this 2.5 upgrade already have increased the memory. So instead of HP making it an update pushed through the auto update channel, they could make us go to their website and click a box that says; ” I understand my server needs 1 gig ( or whatever the minimal is) to run this upgrade”

  • ulbrich

    Hello,
    a verynice idea to hack the upgrade.
    http://www.homeserverhacks.com/2009/05/installing…

    I own a ex470 with an german operation system.

    My question is … does anyone now, if the HP 2.5 software is multilingual version or is there somewhere a link to a german language software package ? I won't crash my system :-)
    … ok, I will do an image if I start testing.
    Maybe someone has experinces with a non english OS.
    Best regards,
    Frank

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jim_Clark Jim_Clark

    @ Brian
    @ Josh S

    Which is why I asked because I think that is the kind of feedback that HP needs. And I am sure they are looking at the "stock" scenario and saying "no way" will the upgrade work (well).

    And from the article, Brian, that is what concerns me most about people doing an upgrade. If you do the "hacked" upgrade and lose your server (and data), was the upgrade worth it? At that point, no. :(

  • http://www.mediasmartserver.net Alex Kuretz

    Data loss is rather unlikely, in most any case I can think of a Server Recovery plus downloading the standard updates will replace the damaged OS and get you back to where you were before attempting the 2.5 upgrade.

    A stock server with 512MB of RAM will have a difficult time running the full 2.5 suite – we saw the server brought to it's knees by McAfee and Packet Video when 1.3 came out. If a user limits the add-ins they run, they should be able to use the new web media streaming, S3 Online backup, and Mac Backup features. I would expect the video converter to have a hard time without a memory upgrade.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jim_Clark Jim_Clark

    I am sorry if I am trying to be the Devil's advocate here. I really think it is great that 1-gen'rs have an opportunity to upgrade. Us "enthusiasts" are usually the most vocal in these situations, but I have to wonder what percentage of the overall EX470/475 base has:

    – upgraded their HW
    – cares about the SW upgrade
    – etc.

    Providing HP with answers to these kind of questions will most likely get their attention more than just being pissed off at them. If HP has sold 1,000,000 EX470/475's and only 1000 has upgraded their HW, why would they want to expend the resources to make 2.5 work on older machines?

    And, please, do not berate me with the "I'm in IT and will never buy another HP server if they don't give me the upgrade." Those are not words of a group that are more conservative than engineers (from my experiences, at least). And I am an engineer.

  • Andy

    @ Jim Clark
    I have upgraded the RAM but not Processor and I don't really think the updates are all that spectacular (for me at least, I'm sure for others they are "must haves").

    Anyone have any idea how many ex47x's have been produced?

    I'm in IT and use an HP Laptop, Desktop and Printer at home also. I don't understand why people are sooooo angry about this and the "I'll never buy… again" threats? I can understand the "1 year and then no further support " issue/argument (which kinda torques me as that is a very short support cycle….imagine if Microsoft said that for WHS or XP or Server 2003) but overall HP makes very good products at a very reasonable price. Alex at mediasmart.net was complaining about google's customer support but even he admitted that you can only expect so much for $50 a year. I kinda feel the same way about the 47x's…. it is a $300 to $750 dollar machine depending on when and where you bought it so can you really expect support for the next 20 years? That really isn't much money in the long run when compared to enterprise servers ($3K and up) or compared to Sun Microsystems hardware etc etc etc.

    I personally bought my ex470 for 1. backup capability 2. streaming movies to the tv (which My Movies and Media Browser + VMC does very well)…. so anything beyond that is icing on the cake. Its hosting my WordPress blog which was not my original intent for purchasing it and I'm currently messing around with the PHPBB3 software.

  • Cougar

    The 2.5 software will run on 512MB; but as Alex points out, the transcoder is a little sluggish and will slow the system down when its running. That aside; everything else functions on stock hardware. I'm personally running it on the stock processor at the moment without issue.

    Jim. your wrath of HP comment made me laugh. I wasn't expecting the Wrath of HP to be put into context with the text you quoted when I wrote it. :D

    I think Alex has covered what the software does; and if people like it great. My main aim to do this was to show it could be done, contrary to HP's marketing statement the underlying hardware and software architecture is just fine and the update could easily be tailored to run on stock hardware if they felt the need.

    Thanks again Jim!

  • Kris Butler

    I for one would like to thank both Alex and Coguar for the hard work and time they have spent working on this for us Ex47x users. The time and research they have put into this project (along with others at mediasmartserver.net) must have been considerable

    I updated at the weekend and not only have the 2.5 update working but the new media streaming,photo viewer and publisher working. I have previously upped the ram and CPU, so my ex475 is running like a dream. As pointed out, people did the right thing and complained to HP and all we got back was that statement of total corporate blow-off. As far as I am concerned, HP have really dropped a ball here and lost out on a potential upgrade path for 1 gen users.

    Without the hard work of guys like Alex and Cougar, my server (which is not even a year old yet) would be just a basic backup device with a few bells and whistles. Now is working how i envisaged, being the hub of my home network and with a nice funky new gui (ok the last bit about the gui was probably not essential!!)

    Thanks guys for breathing new life into my server!!

  • Max

    @Cougar

    That is the point, HP told us that it could not be done. HP's goal was to sell the new generation of MSS that was their objective. Some marketing gurus with MBA's thought they could convince the EX47* owners that it was not HP's fault that they could not do the 2.5 upgrade but the fault of the older machine. I am not an engineer or in IT and if you compare the specs between the 47* and 48*, there really does not appear to be obstacles that insurmountable. HP thought we would take it like good dogs and go out and buy a new MSS…give me a break. Unless there is a huge leap in the software which REQUIRES a hardware upgrade, the update should be offered. We're not upgrading the OS only features.

  • http://webserverhardware.net web server hardware components

    Useful information. Lucky me I found your site by chance, and I am stunned why this coincidence didn’t took place earlier! I bookmarked it.

  • Urmaster

    With this update can i get it to convert MKV files with H.264 or X.264? Glad to see you have it working properly ^_^

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Jim_Clark Jim_Clark

    Incurring the wrath: it seems as though it caught some people's attention! :) I do like the responses on the "switching" of the wrath toward HP.

    And thanks on the congrats. 1 down and 3 to go…

  • Brian

    My guess is that it would be slow. It wouldn't be that hard to put in a requirement check.
    HP's "Systems Insight Manager" installation, which I use to monitor about 1000 server and server devices, does a memory and drive space check, and issues warnings (and halts the installation) if minimum requirements aren't met.
    They could do the same thing in this software… I would think.

  • Brian

    Jim, :)

    I have ran the update. I think the update at your own risk is for people who can't follow the instructions dead on. You can't mess up any steps or you could hose your server. I followed the update very carefully and it did not slow my first gen EX470 at all. Now Mind you I did both the processor and memory upgrade that are out there. I can't say how it will work on unmodified box's. I got both the updates at newegg for about 50 bucks. The processor update is faster then the second gen processor anyway. You can find the update instructions at Home Server Hacks. The end result is a 2.6GHZ AMD processor and 2GB of Ram.

    Processor: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012S1BAM/?tag=homeserv…
    Memory: http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N…

    Update Ram instructions: http://www.homeserverhacks.com/2007/12/upgrade-me…

    Update Processor Instructions: http://www.homeserverhacks.com/2008/03/add-perfor…

    I noticed the price went up a little bit but you can still update it to better than second generation speeds and specs.

  • igor

    It would run just as well as a stock ex470/ex475 with the all addins added (that come with server updates). More than 512 mb is needed for that, more than 512 mb is needed for this. If you do not have more than 512 mb, it will be slow in both scenarios.

    The stock processor works just fine.

  • Brian

    @ Jim. I'm not sure how likely data loss could be in reality. HP is just installing some add on stuff and modifying the web access. It's still on a stripped down windows server 2003. You can remote desktop into the computer and pull your data off. Remember the whole data corruption thingy :) and the bad firmware on the harddrive thingy. Those were stock and had much higher data loss potential. HP is not responsible for data loss anyway with their approved updates.

    Your right though I had my data backed up on external before I did the upgrade. Be adventurous but also be prepared for the crap fan thingy. let the update sit for about a week or 2 more and see if anyone reports any issues. If not then you should be good to go. Besides they should have the drive lights working by then as well. Waiting a little while there is no negatives we will get reports of it's working or not and also the final procedure should be out by then as well.

    I read the update process first to see what changes are made. Basically your just:
    1)Installing Java
    2)Installing Apache
    3)Installing ImagMagick
    4)SANDISK Install (This is the application that fools the next update into thinking it's ok to patch.
    5)Running the 2.5 patch

    None of these actually modify the core windows 2003 backbone. thus the network card the video drivers and the remote desktop connection. The only core things you need to access the server.

    As far as the processor and Ram upgrades. We needed them just to run the stock gen 1 stuff once you started add-on installs and ran a few of them the stock system crapped out. That's why I upgraded.

    It's exciting to talk it thru and be informed.