Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 Beta Imminent?

By on July 17, 2009 in Windows Home Server

Winbeta is reporting the forthcoming arrival of Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 Beta, details of which have been published publically in the Windows Home Server Team blog and then removed by Microsoft shortly after.

The article is alleged to have said:

We are pleased to announce the Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 Beta which improves the Windows Home Server experience with Windows 7 and Windows Media Center by providing the following new features: Backup and restore of computers running Windows 7, Windows 7 Libraries integration, enhancements for Windows Media Center, and better support for netbook computers.

If you are running Windows 7 on your home computer and are a current Windows Home Server user, we need your help!

Important: You will need to sign up as a beta participant of the Windows Home Server program on Microsoft Connect in order to download the Power Pack 3 Beta. https://connect.microsoft.com/WindowsHomeServer

Does Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 exist? Whilst WGS is under NDA and can’t comment, one of our forum moderators, Bodog, did hear mention of Power Pack 3 over at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans this week.

Given the information above, it probably worth signing up on Microsoft Connect if you want to flex your testing muscles – just in case…

Source: Winbeta


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About Terry Walsh

Terry Walsh is the founding editor and owner of We Got Served. Since February 2007, the site has provided detailed coverage and analysis of the emerging home server category, and has subsequently grown into a trusted outlet for digital home news and reviews.
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  • DieHard

    I think PP3 will be be disappointing just like PP2, at least HP gave the MSS better stuff when the followed up the PP's

  • John

    it must be time to get a new WHS (version 2) instead of more powerpacks..

  • Ben

    WHS PP2 already correctly identifes Windows 7 (well the RC anyway) and hasn't reported any failures in the backups

    So I'm not quite sure what they would need to change

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

    Library support would be good. Also support for Homegroups

  • Nige

    i'd restored a windows 7 rc backup, no problems. several times actually.

    laptop and htpc. and have no mediacenter connect problems…

    WHS2 not PP3!

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

      lol you can't expect them to drop support already. I would be more angry if WHS v2 came out this quickly (making the first version a beta). That would be the shortest windows OS life cycle ever.

  • Jens

    The post is up again on WHS Team Blog!!

  • WHS-Newbie

    New in Power Pack 3 Beta

    Windows 7 Backup & Recovery
    Windows 7 Libraries
    Windows Search

    Power Pack 3 Beta makes Windows Home Server compatible with netbook computers that have small screen sizes and low resolution.

    Windows Media Center Enhancements
    TV Archiving
    Console Quick View

    Timing of the Power Pack 3 final release has not been determined. With your help to test the Beta, we hope to release the update prior to the Windows 7 General Availability date of October 22. Power Pack 3 will be a free update to existing Windows Home Server users via Windows Update.

  • skinner6695
  • http://intensedebate.com/people/cainmp cainmp

    beta appears to be live now!

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

    Beta appears to be live now over at the connect site

  • Bodogbodog

    It's great news that the beta is indeed now up on Connect and available for download – well done WHS team

  • Aaron

    The TV archiving feature for mobile devices sounded cool, right up to the part where it states that it only converts to WMV. Whoops! Useless for the majority of owners of mobile media devices and smart phones.

    • joboehl

      Well, its compatible with Zune and Windows Mobile. I think this PP is working on closing the gaps.

      Altough I would expect it supports more devices, nobody complaints when Apple releases a software that only supports it´s own set of hardware and manufacturers need to catch up. Never saw an iTunes version that syncs with my Windows Mobile phone either. ;)

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

      I dont understand, all Microsoft devices support WMA/V. How does this make it uselss?

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/boggy4062 boggy4062

        urmaster: that kind of thinking makes people demand that Microsoft individual divisions should be split up. Either Microsoft is in the business of providing solutions to the market, or in the business of controlling it.
        Good products, ideas will defend themselves on their own merits; no need to use dirty, underhanded tactics.

        I don't buy Microsoft products because I have to. I simply like them. I also own their stock. However, anytime some MSFT folks do silly things like not supporting mp3 or XDIV …. it boils my blood. I don't like it as a user, nor as a investor. It's bad business.

      • Aaron

        I didn't say it's useful period. I said it was useless for the majority of owners of these types of devices. You disagree? Consider that the iPod enjoys a market share of over 70%. This feature is useless for iPod owners. The iPhone is taking the world by storm and already above Windows Mobile in market share. This features is useless for iPhone owners.

        All MSFT has to do here is support a video standard like H.264, but of course not. Why support standards when you can use your proprietary (often unsupported) codec?

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

          That goes both ways. Why doesn't apple continue to support syncing with iTunes for 3rd party devices? Consider that the colour screen video supported iPod has been in development for at least 4 years and still has such little video support. You can only conclude that apple doesn't want to support these codecs, why? If I had to guess it helps apple lock the iPod into their own video services such as video rental and apple TV. I wouldn't blame MS here for this as they are using what has proven to be one of the best video codecs (sound aside). Oh and the only 2 video codecs recommended by DLNA are WMV and MPEG 2, because of their wide compatibility. Look how many devices do support WMV:

          Zune
          iRiver
          Zen
          well pretty much any portable media device that can sync with media player
          Windows Mobile
          Xbox 360
          PS3
          off the top of my head.

          How many of the above have been sold in comparison to H.264 devices? so in fact MS is supporting the largest current market share, just not the upcoming one ^_-

          • Aaron

            Sorry, but we're talking about a WHS feature that archives TV and stores it in formats specifically designed for mobile media players. I don't know why this would have anything to do with DLNA or the Xbox 360 or the PS3. SO why don't you remove those from your little list and then we'll see what's left. All the Zen, iRiver, Zune and other media players in the world added together only total less than 30% of all media player sales. The iPod controls the remaining share, over 70%.

            You can try to drag me into a flamewar about who's dirtier, Apple or MSFT, but that's missing the point entirely. It's very simple: For most people including myself this feature is useless because it only supports WMV which is supported by at best one quarter of the mobile media players. This is too bad because conceptually it's a great idea and very useful.

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

            TV archiving isn't only for portable devices which is why PS3 and 360 are on the list and yes it does have something to do with DLNA which is why I referenced it. there is near enough 50 millions xbox and PS3 units sold that can potentially use this feature, add those to the portable devices and you have what makes a huge consumer base.

            Notice the TV archiving can transcode to the original resolution making a feature perfect for the aformentioned consoles via either media centre extender or a DLNA media server.

            If this were for portables only then I would agree a wider choice would be needed but since it inst they have covered a lot of bases with a single choice.

  • http://fasthair.blogspot.com/ fasthair

    So has anyone installed PP3 yet? I've got the download and don't want to install it on my work WHS box until I know it won't brick my WHS. I might try it on my home unit but was wondering if anyone had installed it yet?

    If an Admin here could send me an email and try and help me with my log in here. For some reason I can't log in.

    Thanks,
    fasthair

  • guest

    I have installed the powerpack and I see in media center a homeserver menu, but I miss the console quick view option, only the tv archive.
    I think it has to do because its a beta.
    the option to move recorded recordings to whs is a nice feature, however why not make an option in recorder settings to store directly on a whs box, why first make the process to copy the large files?