66[1]

What’s New in Windows Home Server Vail?

By on August 20, 2010 in News, Windows Home Server, Windows Home Server Vail

WARNING! Windows Home Server Vail Preview is an early test build of the next version of Windows Home Server. As such, it is not in any way, shape, or form ready for you to MOVE any important data from your current Windows Home Server (or other machine) to a Vail powered machine. Doing so without proper backups elsewhere may put that data at great risk of being lost forever.

In addition, certain features you see may not be in the released version. Certain features you do not see may be incorporated in the released version.

So what new features are Microsoft building into Windows Home Server “Vail”? It’s fair to say, the first time you run Vail, you’ll be immediately at home, as the core feature set has not radically changed. Sure there’s a new UI and things look a little more modern, but if you’re expecting a transformation from v1, you’ll be in for a shock.

That’s not to say there aren’t a lot of improvements in V2 – indeed, a huge amount of development has happened under the hood to improve (some would say re-write) the fundamental architecture that underpins Windows Home Server. In terms of the new features that this enables? From what we see in Beta 1, consider Vail to be what Windows 7 was to Windows Vista rather than what Windows 95 was to Windows 3.1 – stronger, more considered and more robust than the skunkworks-era v1 platform, with some cool enhancements rather than radical change.

Sorry, No Media Center

Let’s get one big elephant out of the way to kick off. Despite a lot of community requests, (and I know there’s been a lot of discussion within Microsoft regarding this) Windows Media Center has not been integrated into Vail. At this point, there is no in-box TV tuner support and TV guide service other than you’d expect to find in the underlying Windows Server 2008 R2 platform.

You can integrate WHS and MC neatly in the same way you can today with Windows Home Server v1 Power Pack 3 – i.e. run a small connector application on Media Center to enable the automatic archiving and playback of Recorded TV to and from the home server. Your Home Server’s shared music, video and photo folders will also be added to Media Center’s media libraries automatically. But that’s all standard v1 functionality and that’s all we’ll see in Vail.

I think this is a massive miss – given the interest that’s growing in connected TV solutions, and media streaming in general, Vail provided a huge opportunity to bring together a number of core Microsoft technologies into one awesome connected media storage and sharing package. At this point in time, however, that opportunity remains unexploited in the Vail platform. Having discussed this with a number of people involved with the home server ecosystem, I know this kind of integrated solution still has a lot of interest – let’s hope someone out there can bring it to market.

New Platform: Windows Server 2008 R2

The most obvious improvement in Vail is the underlying platform. Whilst Windows Home Server v1 was built on top of Windows Server 2003, a capable (but aging) operating system, Vail is built on the all-new Windows Server 2008 R2 and with that comes a lot of baked in improvements such as enhanced driver support (both in-box and via Windows Update), support for Homegroups and a new DLNA compliant media stack (both of which we’ll cover separately). With a lot of work continuing on Windows Server 2008 R2 in terms of service packs and other improvements, Windows Home Server will benefit from piggy backing on Microsoft’s premier server platform.

Supported Clients

What computers can you connect and back-up to Windows Home Server? For the Vail Preview Refresh you can choose from the following operating systems:

  • Windows 7 Home Basic (x86 and x64)
  • Windows 7 Home Premium (x86 and x64)
  • Windows 7 Professional (x86 and x64)
  • Windows 7 Ultimate (x86 and x64)
  • Windows 7 Enterprise (x86 and x64)
  • Windows 7 Starter (x86)
  • Windows Vista Home Basic with Service Pack 2 (SP2) (x86 x64)
  • Windows Vista Home Premium with SP2 (x86 and x64)
  • Windows Vista Business with SP2 (x86 and x64)
  • Windows Vista Ultimate with SP2 (x86 and x64)
  • Windows Vista Enterprise with SP2 (x86 and x64)
  • Windows Vista Starter with SP2 (x86)
  • Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3 (SP3)
  • Windows XP Professional with SP3
  • Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with SP3
  • Apple Mac OSX 10.5 (not all features currently available)

Windows Home Server Dashboard

661 thumb Whats New in Windows Home Server Vail?1243 thumb Whats New in Windows Home Server Vail?

Goodbye “Windows Home Server Console” and hello “Windows Home Server Dashboard” (Secret: It’s the same thing but has a friendlier name). Windows Home Server’s management console, er, dashboard has a new name and an updated design, aligned to the Windows 7/Windows Live look and feel. Also new in Vail is the ability to run the Dashboard in Safe Mode, allowing the user to isolate any problem add-ins which are compromising performance,

941 thumb Whats New in Windows Home Server Vail?

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Enjoyed this post? Share it.

If you enjoyed reading this post, then why not share it with your friends and followers?

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.
View all posts by Terry Walsh →

Sign Up for WGS Daily News

If you don't want to miss out on the latest news from We Got Served, why not subscribe to our daily digest? You'll get the day's headlines and a short summary of each news item delivered straight to your inbox each morning.

, , , , , , , , , ,

  • vansmack

    DLNA is a nice improvement (though most of us already found a workaround for that), but I agree with you, no Media Center integration is a huge miss and thus I won't be running home to try Vail. Major bummer as it won't do anything I can't already do with developers add-ins.

  • vansmack

    Sorry. I was so disappointed by the news that I forgot to say thank you for doing all this for us. I really do love the site and the effort you all put in to it.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/tezzer Terry Walsh

      Hey, no worries, it's a pleasure. One feature that softened the blow for me was Remote Media Streaming – it's very, very good in Vail – have been using it to listen to music on the home server whilst writing the preview articles. Worth checking out.

      • JohnCz

        Any chance we can find out what Microsoft's thinking was when they decided not to include Media Center?

        • K.Rock

          Removing Media Center from VAIL (referring to previous alpha/betas that had them) is a HUGE disappointment. I feel as though I have wasted 18 months of my life waiting for this to NOT happen.

          Also, I would have thought they would have included SharePoint Foundation as well, preconfigured and included.

          Why The Face – Microsoft… Biggest disapointment since Vista. Now to figure out how to extract out Windows 7 Media Center x64 and install onto Server 2008 R2.

          Terry thanks for your hard work and contributions. I know that you have had a hard time keeping quite!

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/tezzer Terry Walsh

            Always a pleasure ;)

      • Donald

        Is there certain codec that work or will it actually steam any codec and container?

      • vansmack

        Well, we have that too (with WebGuide), so I guess the fair question is how do they compare?

        • Enigmnemonic

          The streaming in Vail is a big improvement over WebGuide I think. If I recall correctly, Doug Berrett who developed WebGuide started working for Microsoft and developed the streaming in Vail. Take an awesome and useful addon and turn it into the developers job paying them for it instead of it being a hobby and you'll see the difference in the two. It is really very quick, good quality on the system I was testing it on, and has a neat interface.

      • Mitchell Hennessy

        I can probably forgive the Media Center omission, but the streaming media and backup expansion is VERY welcome. As good (when not buggy) as WebGuide is/was and as clean as Subsonic is (not IIS-compatible notwithstanding), it's great to find out that the media streaming looks as smooth as it is…

  • colinbo

    The lack of TV support is a real shame – I would put all of my chips in that basket instead of the console redesigns.

  • agent86

    No Support for Tuners and recording. This is a big dissapointment and is the only thing I wanted added and I am sure others too. I don't even think I will load the BETA. Hopefully someone can work out a way to make this happen or Microsoft has a Power pack in year or so. This feature alone would have gauranteed a big uptake of WHS and a gauranteed download of the BETA by a lot of people. Having been bitten by the Data bug in WHS 1 and denyals by Microsoft for so long I will be reluctant to upgrade because what I have works. Having said that I bet data integrety was high on their list when doing internal testing :-)

  • xeensd

    Sooooo disappointed with the lack of MC integration…. will boxee or XBMC run in Windows Server R2?

  • NeilH

    No support for tuners rules me out. I'm going to stick with the current WHS. No other pressing need to upgrade. It won't mean a lot to them, but that's one lost sale Microsoft.

  • NeilH

    When I say tuners, I also mean a single TV guide that can be accessed by other connected Media Center PCs.

  • Forrest

    I am glad that they did not combine with Media Center, I think a "SERVER" should only be "SERVING" not having to deal with media center and TV stuff, although if it was optional, than I would not care.

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

      Well, lack of Media Center in new WHS is not a deal breaker for me, but one may argue that serving or capturing media would be a task to some kind of server. I don't know if putting media capturing on a machine that is tasked to protect important data is a wise move, but still …
      Again, I'd rather see more features and flexibility for backups (calendar based scheduler please pretty please, with a sugar on top!)

    • Simas

      I agree with this strongly – remember that the concept was a low power system that is configured as appliance (with no screen or keyboard attached) and once set up stays up forever. As a user I do not want to be forced to carry overhead of media server, tuner support ,etc and have flexibility to run it on a different machine if needed (i.e. on my office workstation that is much more powerful, with nice screen). they have done it exactly right by making it optional

  • Sean

    If Microsoft were to insert Media Center then they essentially cannibalize their main bread winner – the desktop/notebook operating systems.
    The main reason we all want Media Center integrated is so that we can have much more flexibility regarding the streaming option available, codecs etc. For me, I love the WHS/Xbox 360 setup, and I think Microsoft is savvy enough to realize that many others have this setup also and if they integrated Media Center then who needs a PC anymore? Sure, I can use a PC/desktop to stream my media to my xbox 360 using Media Center extender, but I don't want to have all of my media stored on another PC/notebook when I have the massive data storage availability on my server and do the same thing.
    Microsoft is going through serious internal trouble and trying to figure out how the hell they can remain the world force they are right now. The sea of change is upon them and they are unfortunately too big and slow to react.
    Just my 2 cents…..

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

      Sean the fact that you have a server proves you have and will continue to use a PC. It will by no means cut a slice out of their own 'bread' most are only asking for the ability to centralise WMC for tuners and extenders. That is a reasonable request, instead of having 3 machines running just to use the WMC ui on an extender why can't vail host the service.

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

    Love the remote streaming feature, seems like it's using IIS Smooth Streaming too which is awesome. But I must say aside from any speed and realiability options there isn't much compelling me to upgrade to this OS thus far. The lack of WMC intergration is shocking.

    BTW I likley will end up getting a new unit more for a hardware refresh (USB 3.0, SATA 3 and a new CPU). The OS would be icing on the cake.

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

    Wow talk about underwhelming! One could argue that the new features are hardly worth the risk of upgrading your server. There's nothing here!

    A question for the experts. Does the MS DNLA server support MKV containers or are we stuck with the "blessed" formats?

  • Pcpete

    I for one will not upgrade the WHS, as I feel the exclusion of any Media storage and manipulation is putting a nail in the coffin of the system. There are many other systems which record and manulipate media much better than the MC, so Microsoft need to get their fingers into gear

  • efjay

    Come on, this is Microsoft, you dont expect them to actually give people what they want now, do you? Unless, apple enters the market with ALL the necessary features in place, then watch as MS scrambles to catch up and in the process make their product even more unattractive (windows phone 7 anyone?)

    As someone who uses a Windows Mobile phone, Home Server, 3 pc's including 1 HTPC for dual-format HD movies AND an Xbox it is incredibly frustrating to see how MS seems incable of getting all these products to work together seamlessly. Does anyone think a company like apple would make such mistakes? Sadly as is being demonstrated in the mobile market Microsoft have become followers rather than leaders and the only way they seem to be motivated to innovate or produce a feature-rich product is if their competition does it first prompting MS to quickly change their stance and throw out a poor copy. Sad, just sad.

    • Brian

      I think you really are missing the overall complexity of what you're trying to do. With all of the codecs and formats that you need to handle in a media center today you run into all kinds of problems. What you want microsft to do is spend alot of resources to effectively service the media center types which means most of the times pirates(I don't buy dvd's or blurays myself). Not a good group to spend money on courting. Also the biggest problem with streaming from media center to xbox i've seen is it not supporting dts. That isn't a software issue at all.

      As far as apple goes. They wouldn't touch this with a 10ft pole. you notice appletv isn't a priority and sucks compared to MCE. apple wants you to pay for everything you watch so anyone with a media center is not a consideration.

  • Pat

    Just because Media center support is not in the 1st beta does not mean that it won’t eventually be included.

    The Netfilx interface was not in MC on Windows 7 when it released, but was added later.

    Maybe media center for vale is just too buggy at the moment and MS didn’t want to hold up the beta for what amounts to a secondary feature of the server.

    I’m not giving up on a media center implementation yet, but I’ve always been a dreamer.

  • toy4x4

    Why am I not excited about this?

  • Alex

    No WMC integration in WHS means I don't even bother upgrading the server.. till version 3, when they get their act together. I have a 360 and would love to stream all my video off of my WHS in MC, but I am not going to have 3 devices running to do so. I should only need to have my WHS running and the 360, why bother wasting the electricity for a PC to WHS. Would defeat the point of making an ultra energy efficient server.

    To Microsoft, thanks but no thanks. You never fail to disappoint.

  • Arnav

    I am actually in the process of building a WHS for the first time and already have some parts ready. I was wondering if the author is aware if current WHS installations can be upgraded in place i.e. can I buy the new version of the WHS OS when it comes out and install it onto my existing version without loosing data (don't really care about setting etc.). I will hold off buying the rest of my components till I can upgrade to the new OS if that is not the case. I am interested in most of the features available here so I can wait if I have to.

  • john

    Personally I have no interst in MC and have turned it off all my other PCs. I see where you're coming from if you have an xbox, but me and the PS3 have no need for it, and I prefer the PS3 media functions and Twonky on my NAS. Tuners and recording? Do we really need that ? I use a satellite PVR and freesat recorder and would question who rally wants to record on WHS. Mine is a data and media server and I don't see any way I want it encoding/decoding movies (PMS was used till I got fed up and bought a popcorn hour). I guess we're all different but I want mine as low running cost server feeding my PS3, Popcorn Hour, and the other PCs. The support of dlna does look interesting and I'll need to read more, might even replace twonky????. I've only got to this section but would be really interested if we had some AD and decent control of passwords etc. I shall read on more now.

    • wout

      The point of having a server is to distribute content over several endpoints.(pc , HTPC, laptop, xbox , PS3 , popcorn , …) the problem with TV now is that you need another device to record it and send it to the server before it can be distributed. So its not MC integration that is we want but just the PVR function do if you select to record something in windows media center in the living room , its get recorded on the server and then you can watch it later in the bedroom (on another media center or PS3 or whatever network device). It makes sense to me that you want to limit the number of devices that have to be switched on all the time. So If you are happy with you sat recorder you're probably not not using it in more then 1 location and you don't feel the need to integrate TV with your other media. I personally have a skybox connected to my HTPC to record TV because I prefer the WMC GUI over the skybox one , especially the guide. Rocordings are then transferred to my WHS and stripped of commercials. If the WHS could do all this function I don't have to leave the HTPC on and could get rid of the skybox altogether. Also I could make changes to the recording planning from another device or even trough the WHS remote access.
      My Guess is that MS is betting on the demise of distributed TV and that in a not so far future more content will be distributed over internet TV and IPTV.

    • wout

      The point of having a server is to distribute content over several endpoints.(pc , HTPC, laptop, xbox , PS3 , popcorn , …) the problem with TV now is that you need another device to record it and send it to the server before it can be distributed. So its not MC integration that is we want but just the PVR function do if you select to record something in windows media center in the living room , its get recorded on the server and then you can watch it later in the bedroom (on another media center or PS3 or whatever network device). It makes sense to me that you want to limit the number of devices that have to be switched on all the time. So If you are happy with you sat recorder you're probably not not using it in more then 1 location and you don't feel the need to integrate TV with your other media. I personally have a skybox connected to my HTPC to record TV because I prefer the WMC GUI over the skybox one , especially the guide. Rocordings are then transferred to my WHS and stripped of commercials. If the WHS could do all this function I don't have to leave the HTPC on and could get rid of the skybox altogether. Also I could make changes to the recording planning from another device or even trough the WHS remote access.
      My Guess is that MS is betting on the demise of distributed TV and that in a not so far future more content will be distributed over internet TV and IPTV.

  • http://www.cooklocal.com John

    Think anyone in the WHS product group considered that VAIL is a little close to FAIL?

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

      You are not serious, are you? And you guys call yourselves "experts"? From what I read, WHS V2 modifications will provide enough new API changes that will allow easier installation of third party products (shares attached to a drive for example). Throw a hdHomeRun high definition network based dual tuner with some third party add-in, and you should be able to do whatever you want.
      Yes, I would love Microsoft to provide me with something standard, but … let's not lose the focus what is, and what is not most important.

  • EddyKilowatt

    I wasn't holding my breath for Media Center, but I don't see much else new here other than skins for the console and web server. I can see the attraction of streamlining the add-in process, but from a security standpoint I'm not comfortable with one-click install from a client, either… how long till there's a virus for that?

    The thing I was really hoping for was some native synchronization functions to allow client data to appear on the server for sharing and remote access… without casting one's lot with the foibles of aftermarket or freeware apps. I'll have to keep reading to see if anything like this is being implemented.

  • SKaustin

    Contrary to some other posters, I think this is a huge upgrade and I'm excited about it. Just having Server 2008 as the backend is a big deal, and I think the streaming functionality sounds great. Can't wait to have the WHS stream my movies to my EVO 4G wimax phone (both unreleased now, but it'll happen).

    My HTPC and WHS play together just fine right now, so I'm not bothered by the lack of 7MC integration.

  • http://daveramsey.com Ted

    Aside from the name I think the windows phone 7 phones are hot.

  • Jim

    Have they included generation backup of data like they do for complete systems? This appears to me to be a major flaw in the server. Just this week I had to restore data files from last week due to some kind of programming error.

    To create generation data backups, I copy all the server data files to a disk on my computer. When WHS backs up my systems at night I have a generation. It's hooky but it works.

  • PeteCress

    Is there any improvement in the bad drive scenario?

    With my WHS box, I observe that:

    1) It can be difficult to relate physical drives to the drives listed by WHS. i.e. If a drive goes South and WHS flags it, I have a problem determining which physical unit to remove from the pool. SNs should do it. But they're not always available in the UI. On my box, some are and some are not.

    2) Removing a drive from the pool takes the server down for something like 1-2 days in the case of a 1tb drive. It would be an improvement if I could hook up a new drive, tell WHS to "remove" the bad drive, and then have it go about it's day-to-day activities as usual until the specified drive is "removed".

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

      I believe that including iSCSI support within new WHS is going to open an entire slue of possibilities. For example, after a long, long time Drobo storage has a version that supports ISCSI clients. It can also be attached through eSata connection…. Well, If you see what Drobo is all about, you will know why I think it is a marriage made in haven …And no, I don't work for them, I have no financial stake in the company…:)

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

      I believe that including iSCSI support within new WHS is going to open an entire slue of possibilities. For example, after a long, long time Drobo storage has a version that supports ISCSI clients. It can also be attached through eSata connection…. Well, If you see what Drobo is all about, you will know why I think it is a marriage made in haven …And no, I don't work for them, I have no financial stake in the company…:)

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

    Does anybody know if Vail plays nicely with ActiveDirectory Domain Accounts ?

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/tezzer Terry Walsh

    No, Vail cannot join Active Directory domains.

    • John Wills

      But Aurora can.

  • Pete Crouch

    Is there any mention of the ability to have more than 10 users, i read somewhere that there may be more than one version available, sort of Standard and Power versions. I would love it if you could add additional users ove the original 10, on a per seat basis for a small licence cost

  • David

    Well, I use WDTV Live to stream movies from my WHS so I’m not too concerned about the lack of Media Center. Did Microsoft even promise such a thing in the next release of WHS? So far I’m liking what I’m seeing about Vail.

  • Brother John

    No Zune integration, eh?

    <sigh>

    I long for the day I can run a Zune client on my WHS for the sole purpose of not having to have one of my PC's (regulary Windows client) turned on with the Zune client running in order for the licenses in my WHS-based Zune library to refresh.

  • Andy

    No Media Center type functionality is a joke. WHS works well in it's current version – well once I added Mediaportal and web guide to it but there is simply nothing in this that interests me to either use it myself or recommend it for the small busineses we also fit WHS into.

    Microsoft seem intent on shooting themselves in the foot and will be irrelevant within 5 years max the way they are going.

    I have been a Windows fan since Windows 95, though 98, 2000, XP, Vista, WHS, 7 and their mobile versions CE, Mobile, 6.1, 6.5 but I have just ordered my first Gogole Android phone (HTC Desire) as Windows Phone 7 looks like an Apple rip off with less functionality, MS Office is not worth £20 (they still want £200+!) when Open Office is so good and today I have just installed Ubuntu 10.04 LTS on a virtual machine and it is honestly almost as good as Windows 7!

    Your overview is great and apologies if this has turned into a bit of a rant but I just can't help feeling like Microsoft are intent on winding down their company by the way their products have got stuck in the past over the last 4 years or so.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/eshudnow Elan Shudnow

    I was going to buy WHS if it included Media Center. I'm definitely not going to Media Center nor Home Server now. I'll wait till they decide to integrate the two products, if they ever do.

  • W D Chapman

    To me it all looks like good solid improvement that everyone needs. If WHS is first and foremost a back up system then all the things that were missing needed to be fixed to make this function 100% complete. It seems that was the MS priority and they have covered most of the suggestions for improvement in this area covered. The big miss apart from Media Centre is the addition of a syncronisation toolset, including synch of mutiple outlooks.

    But its earl7y days so there is still hope that the live mesh will be intergated to go some way to closing this hole

  • TerryRussell

    I'm not personally concerned with any of the media-related aspects. I use WHS as a data storage unit and for running Apache, Perl, WS_FTP server and a few other odds and ends. All of which it does extremely well.

    If this upgrade fixes the recurrent "failing drive" problems (the drives are OK, and running CHKDSK fixes them, but always neeeds a reboot) and if it backs up its own drives, then I will buy it!

  • Nick

    After the "Sorry, No Media Center" section with that surprisingly sad news, the next section should have begun "..If you're still reading this…" because I wasn't. It's just further proof that Microsoft is where you go to retire while you're still working. A "zombie company" that is dead, but just doesn't know it yet.

  • bulbous

    I can't wait for the final product. Personally, I hope they don't muck it up by adding tuners or anything else that might change the stability from it's current state of turn it on and walk away to something I have to babysit every time the smallest change occurs like I do my HTPC (broadcasters adding/removing sub-channels, broken driver updates, etc). My WHS v1 runs with zero addons except the power packs and I haven't had to touch it in over a year. The update to Server 2008 R2 64-bit code justifies the upgrade, assuming they don't want an arm and a leg for it.

  • Nelmedia

    No MAC Client yet? BOOOOOO!

    • sliver7

      Did you even read the article?

  • Rychek

    64bit architechture, updated driver support, improved remote access capabilities, the beginnings of native OSX support, server and storage pool backup, backup database backup… really, for a server, what's not to like? IMO it's sad that so many people are writing off a new and much improved version of a home server just because it doesn't have one feature they want, but was never promised.

  • Trevor

    I keep hoping for tuner integration – without it I'll pass on WHS (again). They have such potential for a whole home solution.

    I don't believe the cannibalization argument either. In my case, I think by including MCE on WHS it would actually entice me to go out and purchase new small PC's to sit beside each TV. One might be an Xbox360, but the others would be low power MCE endpoints. And if a satellite company would release a tuner card, my digital nirvana would finally be reached. (Or if someone could force Rogers in Canada to release a cable card).

  • gandjdavis

    Is a capability like web folders built into Vail? I really like and use the WebFolders 4 add-in a lot. It allows me to remotely edit files on my WHS without having to download, edit, and then re-upload.

  • JJL

    Disappointing with the lack of Media Center type functionality. Currently using WHS for storage, 4 LT/PC's and also have to leave a PC on 24×7 in addition to the WHS box to record and stream media to 2 extenders and an XBox 360. I would agree that MS has missed an opportunity to put together a turn-key home theater system. And I like not having to pay cable/satellite/Tivo for DVR functionality!

    However, now thinking what is possible to get to one box with virtualization….

    • Soundtweaker

      Just build at HTPC and be done with it.

  • John

    What are the chances I will be able to upgrade "in-place" and not have to figure out what to do with 1.5TB of data that is hidden within the duplicated drive structure of WHS v1?

    WHS v1 just works. If I can't upgrade in-place, I wouldn't upgrade if it were free.

  • Alan

    As Terry has aluded to surely the key point of the VIAL upgrade is the move to Server 2008, something Microsoft has to get to grips with as a part of its gradual phase out of 2003. We as WHS fans should at least recognise the longevity it introduces to the platform. For some Media Centre would be nice but to me it is a server. Once it is set up I want to leave it to get on with what it does with minimal interferance from me day to day. It is my file server, web site and automated backup server for clients and robust enough for me to depend on.

  • Joe

    I was hopping for Tuner support and I will tell you why.

    1. WHS to control all media storage and TV DVR/tuner functions for the whole house
    2. All TVs have built in or small Media Streaming devices (WiFi or LAN) that can access not only stored and DRV recorded contact, but live access to turners for direct live TV viewing
    3. All home desktop or laptops would have access to live tv
    4. Cell phone would have access to live, or save TV/video

    By allowing the WHS to have the tuners, you would no longer need any DVR or cable box at every TV in the house. Need more TV streams, add more tuners to your WHS. Access could be added into the xbox360, even make and API that would allow Roku, Google.tv, iTV or even bluray players support for a TV guild that would allow them access to watch and record live TV.

    I almost wonder if Microsoft has been asked by the cable and satellite tv providers to not have tuner/dvr functions built into WHS as it would allow people to save a lot of money. It would allow people to not have to get a multiple expensive devices through out there home. 1 WHS and 1 cheap device per TV (or built into tv support) and your done. Just imagine the freedom to fully control all the media coming into your home.

  • JimAppleton

    No centralized media center support, tunners , guide killed MS solution for me. I'm selling my Media Center hardware and joining the apple camp. So long MS.

  • Harry

    Mostly people that build WHS are poeple that have a spare computer laying arround somewhere.
    I had a Dell SX280 with 3,0 Ghz 2Gb ram and 1Tb laying arround, but enough to Run VAIL.

    But Vail=Fail, older drivers are not availeble anymore, Windows Server 2008 R2 is a ++ but, evrything arround it…Pffff

    I have Synolgy NAS Running for 1 Year, and no problems at all, only i would like more functions, so thats the reason i started a WHS project, but it is a pain in the ass…

    I think i go back to WHS V1…

  • Michael

    Still no Linux support? When will you come into the 21st century, as quite a few consumers run Linux at home now, usually on a "recycled" desktop or laptop fo rthe kids, or as a gateway of firewall or even as a download box to insulate the rest of your computers from the garbage on the net. Ignoring Linux will not make it go away, as there are quite a few free Linux solutions that can do everything WHS can do and then some.