Last week I started a Server Recovery on my HP EX470 but had the infamous 34% hang AND backup database issues. I have since completed the Server Recovery but am now having issues with the Windows Home Server Connector.
Background
The SYS drive on the EX470 died last week after only 10 months of service. HP sent me a replacement drive under warranty and I spent last Friday night replacing the drive and doing a Server Recovery. The Server Recovery hung at 34% and I just left it. I assume that all of the updates have taken place and I ran a repair on the database. I had a busy week and could not get back to the location before now so I am back this weekend to bring the HP EX470 back online.
You can read the previous article at:
Equipment Needed:
- Patience
- 2 Beers (optional as always)
Router Issue and Firewall Changes
Most of you have routers that support UPnP. My parents unfortunately do not. I would upgrade them in a minute but AT&T Crap-verse will not support their connection once you install your own equipment. I could also do a router behind the router but the 2Wire interface seems harmless (and has been working without issue for the last year) so we will leave it as is.
When I first set up the EX470 last year I had no need to add the 55000 port to the Firewall list. Everything worked great out of the box and I added the few ports to 2Wire I needed at that time and moved on.
Since the Server Recovery I had been frustrated that I could not get to the WHS Connector Setup page. I thought the Server Recovery had some errors but after a week of not looking at it (and referencing the Reno camera port forwarding issues) I realized I needed to enable the port 55000.
You should truly appreciate a UPnP router! This is not one of them…
…so I add the 55000 port.
I open IE, enter the address and it works!
WHS Connector Uninstall
Once the Server Recovery had completed, it almost immediately start upgrading itself. Once the update process begins the WHS Connector disk becomes almost useless since the connector is matched to the WHS version. You can still try and use the WHS Connector disk but I have had nothing but trouble using the disk.
In my opinion you are better off reinstalling the WHS Connector.
Mental note: You may have had better experiences than me but I will always suggest removing the connector completely. Remember a few weeks ago I had a current WHS connector on a laptop trying to connect to a stock LX195 and had issues the other way! The newer connector on the laptop had errors with the older WHS.
Adiós mi amor. Things are not working like we thought. We are breaking up again. Well I am anyway. We are done. Take your crap and leave. The first 10 months were challenging but you are broken.
Yes, go away. There is nothing I can do. History is history and we cannot change it.
Time to get a beer and remember the good times…
Another chapter closed…
We are all done. Time to start over. A new beginning…zero downtime.
WHS Connector Installation
Now that the old (newer) WHS Connector has been removed I enter the address of the WHS and the WHS Connector Setup page. Good to see the WHS is starting to work again.
Click on Download Now.
Things did not work out last time. While will this time be any different? I am not sure about this.
Oh, this time will be different? Then show me you me you love me. Come on…
90%? I want 100%. Now show me this is not just a temporary thing.
Seeing is believing but I am still a weary. Lets take it slow.
Give me a hint…
Yes, wake me up in the middle of the night…
Move all of your stuff back in…
…but don’t bring all of it. I thought we compromised on the format.
Oh, we have a happy house again. Things really are different this time around. It is like you were never gone.
21 minutes later and I am green. Super Green.
Lets open the WHS Console and start making things the way they used to be!
Crap. Now what? Another issue?
I am really getting tired of all of these issues. I am especially tired of the ones that keep coming back. We will Restart just once before I toss your ass back out! Make good on your promises…I even have documentation from you.
Settings. Restart. Things had better work this time. What is this, like the third time?
Opened another beer while I was waiting. Good ole beer never let me down.
WHS Console is back up. Please work…
Finally…Viva WHS. Seriously.
Conclusion
I learned a lot from this Server Recovery. A few of my top lessons learned.
- Always check your router settings immediately after the Server Recovery.
- Forget trying to make any of your existing WHS Connectors work. Just remove the existing WHS Connector from each PC and start over with the download from the 55000.
- Keep your BDBB files ready, copies of Add-In msi files and screen shots on a USB drive to make the Server Recovery easy.
- Have patience with the 34% hang and the WHS updates.
- Have your User and PC names listed in a different safe location to make it easier to enter again when you have to recreate the accounts.
I love my WHS systems and I enjoy the WHS community but I wonder how the average consumer would solve some of the issues we see. My heart goes out to Josh and Carl at HP Tech Support. Continue to fight the good fight my friends. We all want to see WHS become a household name.
See you next Friday night,
Timothy Daleo
Thanks for the article. With all the updates available, I usually unplug my internet connection when reinstalling the OS. This way the install won't take so long. Then I can get in by RDC. Once the connector is installed and start setting stuff up and run Windows update at that time. Sort of like getting in the back door while the furniture is coming in the front door.
Unplugging is a good idea once the process has started! I should have done that. Had I known ahead of time I would have turned "off" the auto update function during the setup. I wouls assume that would leave it at Power Pack 1.
Once you get back to the most up to date version (and plug back in) do your other PCs Consoles work again? Even after the updates the laptops with the "original pre-crash" WHS Connectors still needed to be reinstalled.
Tim
Tim,
Another great article. Still waiting on my Insteon products to arrive from the west coast. Keep up the good work.