Back in February we talked about the new add-in for Windows Home Server called Add-In Central, well now it is available to anyone, not just those select few on the closed beta.
Here is what the guys over at HomeServerLand have to say about Add-in Central:
The add-in software and service designed to help you discover and track useful add-ins right from within the Windows Home Server Console. Enhance your Windows Home Server experience by browsing for add-ins by category, keyword, or even by community rated popularity. Useful summaries, screenshots, and documentation links are provided to help guide your search. Once you’ve located an add-in that looks interesting, Add-in Central can automatically download it to your home server and help you along with a hassle-free installation process.
INSTALLING ADD-IN CENTRAL
Once you have downloaded Add-in Central you just install it like any other add-in for Windows Home Server.
USING ADD-IN CENTRAL
Once you have installed in, and restarted the console, you will notice a new tab called Add-in Central.
The add-in will show you if there are any new updates to the catalogue.
You can also see a list of popular add-ins and choose from them.
You can search for add-ins by category.
Or by author…..
Or just see them all.
You can see what add-ins you have installed and if there are any updates available to download.
In my case there are a few and so the add-in gives me the option to download them – which I did.
All I needed to do was tell the add-in where my Add-ins directory was (and it had already found it anyway).
You can then watch the progress of the download.
And you are given instructions what to do next – in my case, uninstall the old add-in and install the new one.
ADD-IN CENTRAL SETTINGS
There are three pages of settings that can be accessed and changed.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I love this add-in, it’s simply one of the best add-ins available for Windows Home Server. It is great to be able to have a single place to go to look for updates to my current add-ins or search for new add-ins. The add-in was very easy to use, and it pointed out to me that I was several versions behind on some of my add-ins, plus it was nice to see what other people are downloading.
All I can say is a big well done to the guys over at HomeServerLand and please keep up the good work!
You can download the beta from here: http://www.homeserverland.com/downloads/m/whsaddins/7825.aspx
Have you used it? What do you think of it? Leave us a comment….
I was beta testing this addin and enjoy using it, also glad it's free.
I noticed that it grabs the 5th spot in the Console toolbar so that it will allways be visable when you open the Console.
I also noticed your Server's Critical Warning , Andrew 😉
Yeah, I meant to turn the warning off – it was telling me I hadnt backed up a machine for a while!
Andrew
sorry, 6th position.
well, af first glance this program seemed to be very promising, that was short lived however when i used it to update a add-in that it was saying was out of date. I proceeded to download & install it and then when i went to restart the console it crashed and refuses to open the console. I can RDP to it (but cant open the console), i can add and retrieve files from it, i just cant open the console. Just what i needed to happen just a couple of days before a cross country road trip a server reinstall with all the add-in's and Email services……… 🙁 Initial look given 5 stars but after some minor usage 1-2 stars
I experienced a very similar thing with this addin. I had to remote into the server, eventually got this thing uninstalled, but yes it had locked up my console. Good idea though. The other issue I had with it was not recognizing the proper installed version of PerfectDisk I had running. Addin Central always wanted to download an update that was older than my installed version. I also did some checking to find that some listed new addins had newer versions available on their websites than what listed in Addin Central itself.
@patrski
Sounds nasty but maybe BETA software should not be installed on critical systems. I have been beta testing this adding for a while now with no issues, well I had a minor issue but that was due to another addin. Sometimes add-ins fail to install or uninstall, to be fair your issue may not be due to add-in central.
I would remote desktop and uninstall Add-in Central just in case.
Hi pawtrski,
Can you please tell me what add-in it was that you were updating?
Better yet, please head over to Add-in Central's support forum, post a message there (or you can e-mail me directly from my web site located at http://www.TheOfficeMaven.com) and I'll be more than happy to walk you through getting your WHS Console working again.
Sorry you had a problem (but that's what betas are for right).
— MIKE
Dirk, the way the article read (at least to me) it seemed as if it was a release and not beta, that was my fault for adding it to my system, I have tried unistalling the add in, using the onlymethod available (add remove programs) and still nothing the only thing i get when trying to open the console is the drive extender migrator service failed to start, i went into service to start it and then open the console but still nothing.
|Mike i was installing the WHS backup database add in. i have tried everything that i know of, event viewer in this cas is useless, almost no information of value other than Numerous events of the add in central was unable to locate add-ins
Sorry that you thought it was the final version, the link for the download in the article clearly said it was a beta.
Andrew
Hi pawtrski,
I'd prefer to use the Add-in Central support forum for this:
http://www.homeserverland.com/forums/officemaven/…
However, here's what I'd try:
1) Do a Remote Desktop Connection to your WHS as the Administrator.
2) Go to: Start -> Control Panel -> Add or Remove Programs
3) If the WHS Backup Database add-in is listed there, then go ahead and uninstall it. If it's listed more than once, then uninstall all copies of the add-in.
4) Go to: Start -> Run -> Regedit.exe
5) Browse to the following registry branch:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows Home ServerRegisteredAdditions
6) Look through all of the GUID's under that registry branch for the one that relates to the WHS Backup Database add-in and delete it.
You should now hopefully be able to start the WHS Console. If not, then please post a new thread on the Add-in Central support forum and I'll help you out further from over there.
— MIKE
Complete disaster as an add in. My console now loads perhaps one in three times, using any of three separate computers. Other times freezes or just a black screen only.
When the console will load….
Wiped out my normal "add-ins" tab, replaced by a addin central tab, which gives no way to uninstall itself. looks like it will have to be a complete re-installation of WHS.
Can still access everything thru my network, so WHS itself is still running.
Use this at your peril.
TCM
I have been using it for months on a number of different machines without any problems. Its sounds like one of the add-ins may be causing a conflict.
Have you left a message on their support forum?
Andrew