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In-depth Review of the Acer Aspire easyStore H340 Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

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May 24, 2009

Up until now, there have only been a few really big players in the Windows Home Server hardware market – probably the biggest being HP.

Now, Acer steps onto the playing field with their Aspire easyStore H340 Windows Home Server.

At first glance this looks a lot like the HP MediaSmart Server, only shorter and fatter. It has a polished black finish and a front drive bay door that opens to allow access to the drive bays.

SPECIFICATION

The actual specification of the H340 is as follows:

PROCESSOR
Intel Atom 230 processor

MEMORY
2GB of DDR2 DRAM

NETWORK SUPPORT
Built in 10/100/1000 RJ45 Ethernet

INTERFACES
4 USB 2.0 ports on the back
1 USB 2.0 port on the front
1 eSATA port (on the back)

INTERNAL HARD DRIVES
2 SATA 7200 RPM 640 GB drives
or
3 SATA 7200 RPM 1 TB drives

SIZE
20 cm (W) x 18 cm (H) x 12.2 cm (D)

Adding additional storage is a breeze thanks to the way Acer have designed the E340. You just open the front door, press the orange button the drive tray, slide it out, pop the new drive in, and slide it back. Simple. This is a very similar approach to that of the HP MediaSmart Servers, and one that I know a lot of people, myself included, love.

UNPACKING AND CONNECTING

The box itself is quite small with everything coming very well packaged inside.

The contents of the box include the H340 itself, the power cable, an Ethernet cable, some software CDs (the PC software disk, the server recovery disk, and a PC recovery disk), a warranty book, a user’s guide (a more complete guide is included on the CD) and a just for starters guide.

Plugging it in all shouldn’t take more than a few moments, now it’s time to switch it on and get it working.

INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING

The first thing that needs to be done after you have connected up the H340 to both the power and your home network, and switched it on, is to install the Client software on one of your computers. This performs two functions, the first of which is install the Windows Home Server Connector software on your computer but also to enable you to configure your new Windows Home Server, with details such as the server name and admin password (but more on that in a moment).

After you pop the Software Installation CD in the drive, you then follow the usual steps to install the Windows Home Server Connector software. I won’t walk through all those steps again in this article, but I have included the screenshots for those of you who might be interested.

So once you have go to this stage, then its time to configure the Windows Home Server itself. You have to do it via this method because there is no facilities available on the H340 for you to plug in a mouse, monitor and keyboard.

Again, I won’t bother with going through each and every step, although again I have included the screenshots for those of you who might be interested :-)

Once you have completed these steps then you can log in to the Windows Home Server Console as normal.

The very first time you log into your Windows Home Server, you will see that the Hardware Health and Performance Monitor Service is not running. This is because it needs you to type in the password you created for the administrator account. Just type this in and then click OK to continue.

USING THE H340

The first screen you will be presented with in the WHS Console is Computers and Backups view.

You can also see what storage you have available on the Storage tab.

As the H340 comes preinstalled with Windows Home Server Power Pack 1, you will need to update to Power Pack 2 before doing much else.

Just go to the Settings tab, and click on Update Now to retrieve that, and any other updates that are available.

Depending on how many updates might be needed, this could take a little while.

There are a few additions to the H340 that are worthy of mention.

SYSTEM INFORMATION

This tab provides an all around monitoring mechanism to help you keep an eye
on the home server’s health and performance details.

You can easily monitor elements such as the version of the software, the current performance, fan speed and system temperature and change settings such as the brightness of the front panel LEDs and whether to remote awaken the WHS.

HARDWARE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE MONITOR

You can use the Hardware Health and Performance Monitor settings page to set a refresh interval for monitoring data, configure performance threshold settings, specify email destinations to which alerts should be sent when temperature, voltage, and fan speed abnormality is detected or the pre-configured threshold is exceeded.

IP CONFIGURATION

The IP Configuration settings page allows you to view the home server’s current IP configuration settings or change the IP configuration manually. This is a nice feature that saves you from having to use Remote Desktop to get access to these kind of changes.

DIGITAL MEDIA SERVER

Digital Media Server is an application compatible with DLNA 1.5 and runs on Windows Home Server to provide with content directory service which auto starts upon booting of the server system. With Digital Media Server enabled, other Digital Media Controllers and Digital Media Players based on UPnP structure can co-work with the application to help you browse, access and play media contents on Windows Home Server. Besides, it also makes possible for iPod, iTunes and Xbox360 users to share media files on Windows Home Server of their respective self-supporting formats.

Digital Media Server uses a database to manage media contents on Windows Home Server. It avails of the album, artist, genre and playlist information to sort music files. As for photos and videos, it uses folder mode to collect them.

The Settings for DMS (Digital Media Server) page allows you to enable or disable digital media server function and customise the sorting method of photos and videos.

With DMS enabled, digital media controllers and digital media players using UPnP (Universal Plug’n Play) protocol, will automatically discover, access, and play media files on the home server. It also makes possible for iTunes, PS3, or Xbox 360 users to share media files on Windows Home Server.

The home server supports the following digital media files:

• Music: MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AC3, FLAC, APE, OGG, VOC, AIFF, AU, MID

• Video: WMV, ASF, MOV, AVI, MPEG, 3GP, SWF, FLV, RMVB, RM, RA, RAM, MP4, MPG, MPE, M2V, TP, TS, MLV, MKV, DIVX

• Photos: GIF, PNG, BMP, JPG, JEPG, ICO, TIFF, DXF, WMF, EMF, PICT, EPS, CDR

iTUNES SERVER

iTunes Server allows iPod and iTunes users to share and play music on Windows Home Server. To achieve this, the application creates a virtual music library on the local device and treats it as an iTunes repository, which makes it possible for music files to stream from Windows Home Server to Windows or Mac computers running iTunes.

The H340 also comes with some WHS specific applications already installed for you. Both of these applications are available as Add-ins for non-H340 owners and it is interesting to see that Acer have opted to included them as built-in applications rather than Add-ins, so you cannot remove them from the WHS Console if you don’t want to use them. Lets take a look at both of them, shall we.

LIGHTS OUT

Lights Out is an application that was developed by a fellow WHS MVP, Martin Rothschink that allows you to set the home server into suspend mode or wake the system at a chosen time with the aid of a calendar event.

The default Uptime screen displays a chart showing recorded uptimes in the home server, such as when a backup took place, which home computer was active, or when the home server woke up from
sleep mode.

The Calender view displays the calendar window and allows you to add, edit, delete a calendar entry.

You can also change the default settings that are used.

In order to control the Lights Out functionality on your WHS, you need to install the client software that comes on the CD.

McAfee TOTAL PROTECTION

McAfee Total Protection provides virus protection to your Windows Home Server and its files.

You are given a free 6 month subscription to anti-virus updates, after which time you will need to pay for them or stop using it. If you want to remove it completely, unlike other Windows Home Servers that have it as an add-in that can be removed via the WHS Console, you will need to use Remote Desktop to connect to the server, then manually remove it using the Add/Remove Programs tool.

You can easily set up an scan schedule if you wish as well.

ONE-TOUCH USB BACKUP

This feature is unique to the H430.

The USB backup button on the front panel allows you to backup data from a USB storage device to the home server. Windows Home Server copies all files into the Publics shared folder first then classifies the files according to media type into their corresponding shared folders, namely Music, Videos, Photos. When Windows Home Server cannot determine file type, the file is automatically stored into the Others folder.

So all you have to do is plug in a USB hard drive and press the USB backup button on the front of the H340 to begin (it will now be glowing blue). If you have a lot of hard drives that are not external USB drives you should consider buying an adaptor, they can be very useful.

I did a little test and was very impressed with the results, and it was quite quick. This is much easier that plugging in a drive to your WHS, and then having to map drives and manually copy files over.

CONCLUSION

This is a very good piece of Windows Home Server hardware. It is relatively cheap, easily expandable and simple to use and set up.

My only real negatives are that it is not the quietest Home Server I have ever heard, but equally it is not the loudest either, and also that there is no easy way for the average user to remove the McAfee service without having to Remote Desktop onto the server, go to Add/Remove programs and manually remove it. Also, while there is an application to update various things on the H340, such as the BIOS, you need to install it on a client PC, already have downloaded the updates, and then point the application to the updates. I would have preferred to see something seamless from within the WHS Console that just required a click of a “check for update” button. Maybe that will come later with an update?

Obviously the H340 doesn’t have the same level of additional software that say the HP MediaSmart Servers have, but this may not be an issue for you. If you just want a WHS to backup your computers and share you files then you cannot go wrong here. If you want lots of additional built in features then you should compare it with the HP MediaSmart EX485 and EX487 servers and decide if the extra money for those machines is worth the additional features.

For anyone who is interested, here is a comparison shot of the H340 and the HP MediaSmart LX195 Server (both the same price). But you should remember that the LX195 only has, and can only have, one single internal hard drive. To read the full review of the LX195, click here.

For me, the killer feature on the H340 is the one-touch backup. It is very simple to just plug in your USB hard drive and press the button to start copying your data over.

I also really liked the fact that this is one of the only Windows Home Server’s I have seen that has come with an actual manual with simple step by step instructions for the average user to be able to get up and running quickly. Thanks Acer, but that also means that H340 owners probably wont need my book 🙂

Acer Aspire easyStore H340 Windows Home Server is available now in the US (around $399) and also in Germany and Holland. The price in Europe is €399 for 2x640GB model and €499 for 3x1TB model. Certainly the better bargain is the 3x1TB model.

No firm release date or pricing for the UK, but expect this information shortly.

Add-In Review – @WHSTweet for Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

May 24, 2009

1

My friend and fellow WHS MVP Donavon West from HomeServerHacks.com has just released a Windows Home Server Add-In of his own, called @WHSTweet.

Basically what this add-in does is use the Twitter network to send health notifications about your Windows Home Server. So anytime work health notifications are updated, such as a hard drive about to fail, you will get a Tweet about it.

Now I use Twitter to post whenever a new article appears on UsingWindowsHomeServer, so I already see the benefit of using Twitter for more than just the usual thing of telling people what you are doing. You can follow me by the way by following aedney.

As Donovan suggests, you wont want to use your existing Twitter account as it is pretty likely that your friends will not be interested in the status of your Windows Home Server, so create a new one, and then have your main Twitter account follow it. So that is what I did. If you want to create your own, go to www.twitter.com and create an account.

INSTALLATION

Once you have downloaded the add-in, and it is very small (well done Donavon), you have to copy it over to your Windows Home Server. Rather than put that information in this review, take a look at the How To… guide I wrote on installing add-ins by clicking here. The add-in will appear in the available Add-Ins area as @WHSTweet, again, follow the guide to select it and install it.

CONFIGURING @WHSTweet

So now that the add-in is installed, you need to do a little bit of configuration to get it work, nothing much though so it will be quick.

Click on the Settings button – you will then see the @WHSTweet add-in shown in the left column. Click it to open the settings tab.

You will need to enter the username and password for the new Twitter account you created.

In order to test that you have entered the correct account details, click the Test Tweet button.

If all goes well you will see a congratulations message in your WHS Console.

You will also get a Tweet.

You will also notice on the settings page that there are three boxes in an area called Twitter Options. These are:

Include Server Name – If you have more than one Windows Home Server you may want to know which one caused the notification. Checking Include Server Name will prefix every tweet with the name of the server. This will allow you to use one twitter account for all of your servers.

Ignore Warnings – Check Ignore Warnings and you will only be alerted for critical health notifications (i.e. ignore yellow warnings such as “New Add-In ready to Install”.

Enable Tweets – If you ever want to temporarily disable health status tweets (eg: you are doing maintenance on your WHS and don’t want the tweets to go out) you can do so by unchecking Enable Tweets.

Select which options you want to use (by default all but the Include Server Name are selected for you).

And that is it – simple eh?

Ok, so you might want to test that it is working other than by sending a test tweet. So, you have two options. Option 1, do something to your WHS to make an alert appear. Well ok, you probably don’t want to do something like that. So Donavon has come up with an alternative. This option 2 is called Fake Error, that little button above the Test Tweet button. If you press it to simulate a critical health problem using the WHS APIs.

The simulated error looks like any other health problem to WHS and to the @WHSTweet service, thus it is sent out just like any other error condition. @WHSTweet will remove the simulated error, simulating that you resolved the error in 60 seconds so don’t worry.

And that is it – now you can get your WHS Health Notifications wherever you are without the need to log into the WHS.

Excellent work Donavon!

To download @WHSTweet, click here and then click the Download button.

Hulu Coming to the UK

Microsoft

Andrew Edney

-

May 21, 2009

2

For those of us with Media Center PCs, Hulu is a great service that provides video on demand in case you missed any of your favourite TV shows, like the season finale of 24.

This was publishing in an article in the Daily Telegraph today

“According to senior sources close to the UK negotiations, Hulu is trying to sign a deal with both commercial broadcasters in the next few weeks, for a roll-out of the service by September.

Hulu is also understood to be in talks with the BBC as it is hoping to cash in on the gap left by the disallowed Project Kangaroo, the proposed VoD service from BBC Worldwide, ITV, and Channel 4 which was blocked by the Competition Commission earlier this year.

A source close to the negotiations said: “Hulu is proposing to launch this September with 3,000 hours of American content, as well as material from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4. It will be playing catch-up in the short-term until it has enough British TV content and will need a unique selling point in the short term.”

Pundits are predicting Hulu will follow the British VoD pattern and allow access to the British TV partners’ content the night after it broadcasts, making it available for 30 days.

However the negotiations have come to a temporary halt because Hulu wants to retain control over Channel 4’s and ITV’s advertising sales around all of content on the platform.

A senior TV advertising executive close to both broadcasters explained: “Hulu is proposing a model that works in the American marketplace – however Channel 4 and ITV will not consent to that. Both parties always retain the commercial rights and sell their own ad inventory. Hulu executives want a September launch and are running out of time if they continue with this line of negotiation.”

A Hulu spokesperson said: “At the moment we don’t have any details to share.” Channel 4 and ITV declined to comment and the BBC was unavailable. “

That is great news for those of us in the UK who cant get Hulu (yes, I know there ARE ways to get it, but this will be official!).

mControl for Windows Home Server Giveaway – Week 1

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

May 20, 2009

0

Last week, Tim Daleo posted the first in a series of articles on using mControl for Windows Home Server to do all sorts of things within his house.

mControl is software for your Digital Home. mControl allows you to control all aspects of your home from your Media Center PC, locally or remotely via Internet Explorer browser or from your Windows Mobile device.

For more information on mControl and Embedded Automation, click here.

To coincide with these articles, our good friends at Embedded Automation have given us a number of licences for mControl that we can giveaway to our loyal readers.

So, to win this week’s licence, just send an email to giveaways @ usingwhs.com (remembering to remove the spaces) with the title mControl Giveway Week 1 and a suggestion for an article or review you would like to see.

The closing date for this weeks giveaway is Wednesday 27th May. One lucky winner will be drawn completely at random. Good luck!

Windows Home Server Technical Library

Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

May 17, 2009

0

A few days ago Microsoft launched the Windows Home Server Technical Library on TechNet.

The WHS Technical Library is a collection of useful articles and guides, developer resources, support links, documentation, and more.

Most of the current content has been pulled from different sources, but it is very useful to have it all in one place.

To access the technical library, click here.

Backing Up Your Windows Home Server Shared Folders with an External Hard Drive

Andrew Edney

-

May 17, 2009

101

Continuing our series of “How To…” guides, this guide explains how to use an external hard drive to backup your Windows Home Server Shared Folders easily and without much effort.

So your important files are stored on your Windows Home Server. And to make them even safe you have enabled folder duplication just in case one of the disks fails. That is a very good, you never know when that might happen.

So what do you do if something actually happens to the Windows Home Server itself? Let’s say for example it gets damaged or destroyed. What happens then?

Wouldn’t you wish at that point that you had stored those important files someone else, other than on your Windows Home Server?

Well, you are in luck! Windows Home Server allows you to plug in an external hard drive and backup any or all of your shared files to that drive and then unplug it. You can then store that hard drive off-site, maybe in a safety deposit box, maybe at a friends house. The location doesn’t matter as much as storing it somewhere other than where you Windows Home Server is located.

Now if anything happens you can just retrieve the hard drive, plug it into any computer and access the the data as though it was any other drive. You don’t even need Windows Home Server to do it.

The only thing you need is an external hard drive that has enough space to store all the files you want. Obviously you can use more than one drive if you need to – just back up some files to one drive and then replace the drive and repeat.

You could also use an internal hard drive, but depending on your actual Windows Home Server hardware it may be a pain to add and remove the drives as and when you want to back up.

The following are the steps you need to perform in order to back up your files to a drive.

ADDING AN EXTERNAL DRIVE TO USE

Start up the Windows Home Server Console, as you would normally,

If you click on the Server Storage tab you will see all the drives you currently have attached. In the case of the example below, I have four internal hard drives.

Plus in the external hard drive. You will notice it will appear as Not Added in the Non Storage Hard Drives area.

You need to add it in order to use it. So, right click on the drive and then click on Add.

This will launch the Add a New Hard Drive Wizard, so just click Next to continue.

If you have ever added a hard drive to Windows Home Server you are probably already familiar with this wizard, only this time you are going to select the Use the hard drive to back up files that are stored on your home server option. Then click Next to continue.

You then have to decide if you want to format the hard drive or preserve the existing data. Now the choice is yours, providing the drive is large enough you could always keep multiple backups on it, but in the case of this guide I am going to format the drive so that it only contains today’s backup. Click Next to continue after you have chosen.

You are asked to enter a memorable name for the drive. By default ARCHIVE is entered for you. This is as good a name as any, but you could always change it if you wanted. Just click Next to continue after you have decided.

You are then presented with a summary – just click Finish to continue. Just remember though if you chose to format the drive you will lose anything that is currently stored on it.

The drive will then be formatted.

When that is completed you will see the New Hard Drive Successfully Added screen. Just click Done to finish.

As you can now see, the new external hard drive has been added to the Server Backup Hard Drives area.

BACKING UP YOUR FILES TO THE EXTERNAL DRIVE

So now that the drive has been added and is ready to use, you now need to tell Windows Home Server what files you want to back up to it.

Click on the Computers and Backups tab. You will now notice a new computer entry – your Windows Home Server. And in the case of mine, it is showing as Not backed up – which it would do as we haven’t run the back up yet!

Click on your Windows Home Server from the list, and then click Backup Now.

You will be presented with a list of all the shared folders on your Windows Home Server.

Work through the list and select the destination (in this case the drive called ARCHIVE) if you want to back it up. By default none of the folders are selected. If you want to perform the same backup at a later stage, you can select the Remember these settings for future backups option. When you have chosen everything you want to back up click the Backup Now button.

The backup will now commence – the time it takes will depend on the amount of data you want to backup, along with the speed of your external drive. You can watch the progress if you wish.

When the backup is complete, you will receive notification. Just click Close to finish.

As you will see, your Windows Home Server is now showing as Backed Up.

REMOVING THE BACKUP DRIVE

Now that you have backed up all the files you want to keep elsewhere, it is time to remove the backup drive from Windows Home Server. You could just pull the drive out but that is messy, and you really don’t want to do that.

So what you do want to do is click on the Server Storage tab again, click on the external hard drive and this time select Remove.

You will then be given the option of Temporarily removing it or Stop using it. In my case I want to stop using it so that I can just store it offsite for a rainy day.

Make your selection and click OK.

Now all you need to do is remove the drive, package it up to keep it safe and take it wherever it is that you want to take it.

ACCESSING THE BACKUPS

Now let’s say you want to access the backups for whatever reason. It is very simple to do and you don’t need Windows Home Server, so you can access the files from any computer you like.

Plug in the drive to your computer. In my case I am prompted with the AutoPlay dialog box. So I just click Open folder to view files.

You will then be presented with a folder with the date and time of the backup. If you stored more than one backup on the drive then you will see multiple folders here. Just double-click on the folder you want to access.

You will then see a folder called Shares – just double-click it to open it.

In this folder you will see all the folders you backed up previously, all neatly arranged for you. Now you can do whatever it is you wanted to do with the files.

And that is it. As you have seen it is easy to add an external drive, backup your shared files, store the drive someone else and access it again at a later date if you need to.

Offsite backup should be a very important part of your backup regime. Just remember that it is all well and good that your Windows Home Server is backing up your computers for you, but what happens to your stored and shared files that live on your WHS?

For the cost of an external drive, which is very cheap compared the loss of your most precious data, shouldn’t you be doing this now?

Review of WHS Doctor for Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

May 17, 2009

1

Srictly speaking WHS Doctor is not actually a Windows Home Server Add-In, but a completely stand-alone program that can provide some very useful information about your Windows Home Server.

Now that we have gotten the semantics out of the way, let’s take a look at WHS Doctor.

WHS Doctor is written by Alexander Kent and is designed as an easy to use Windows Home Server diagnostics application.

Features:

System Information
BIOS Information
System Drivers
System Drivers PNP
Windows Services
Network Configuration
Windows Firewall
Windows Hosts File
Startup Programs
USB Controller
WHS Add-ins
WHS Files
WHS Console Log
Grid Junction Diagnostics
Tasks Overview

Unlike Add-ins, there is no installation required, all you have to do is run the application by double-clicking on wherever you saved it after you downloaded it.

To use it, just click the relevant box for the report you want to see and then click Run!

And that is pretty much all there is to this application. It is very quick and can provide some very useful information that saves you having to go to various different places to locate it.

Alexander is also seeking feedback and suggestions to make WHS Doctor better.

To download WHS Doctor, click here.

In-depth Review of the HP MediaSmart Server EX485 and EX487 Windows Home Server

Andrew Edney

-

May 17, 2009

17

So the HP MediaSmart Server EX485 and EX487 Windows Home Server has been available now since January 2009, and is the “follow up” to the hugely successful EX470 and EX475 models. I have been using the EX487 as my main production WHS for a few months now and figured it was about time to post the review.

For this review I have used the EX487, but the only difference between the EX485 and the EX487 is the amount of storage the server initially comes with.

The specification of the EX48x series is a little different to that of the previous EX47x series.

You will notice that the server is now completely black – it no longer has the silver top. Size wise they are both the same. Below is a picture of the HP MediaSmart Server EX range – from left to right, the EX475 and then the EX487.

SPECIFICATION

The actual specification of the EX48x series is as follows:

PROCESSOR
Intel Celeron 2.0 GHZ 64-bit processor

MEMORY
2GB of DDR2 DRAM

NETWORK SUPPORT
Built in 10/100/1000 RJ45 Ethernet

INTERFACES
4 USB 2.0 ports (1 on the front, 3 on the back)
1 eSATA port (on the back)

INTERNAL HARD DRIVES
1 SATA 7200 RPM 750 GB drive (the EX485 model)
2 SATA 7200 RPM 750 GG drives (the EX487 models)

SIZE
14 cm (W) x 25 cm (H) x 23 cm (D)

It is very good to see that HP have used a 64-processor in the EX48x series. Currently Windows Home Server is NOT 64-bit enabled, however way back when Microsoft first announced and then released Windows Home Server they stated that future versions of WHS may only be 64-bit, in which case this hardware would enable you to be able to upgrade to a future 64-bit version.

It is also good to see that HP have opted for 2GB of memory this time around, instead of the small, and frankly under resourced amounts the previous models had. After all, how many EX47x series owners upgraded the memory themselves? I remember when HP wouldn’t support you if you upgraded the memory, thankfully, they do now.

As mentioned earlier, the only difference between the EX485 and EX487 is the initial amount of storage it comes with. The EX485 only comes with a single drive, so those of you reading this who know Windows Home Server will immediately realise that with just a single drive you cannot have Folder Duplication enabled. So, the first thing you will want to do if you buy the EX485 is get yourself another hard drive if you want your shared files protected.

In fact, given that the price difference between the EX485 and EX487 is around $150 (based on the recommended retail price), you would be better off buying the EX485 and putting that $150 towards additional storage, especially given today’s storage prices!

Adding additional storage is a breeze thanks to the way HP have designed the MediaSmart servers. You just open the front door, press the red button the drive tray, slide it out, pop the new drive in, and slide it back. Simple.

As mentioned, the rear of the server contains 3 USB ports and an eSATA port. Unlike the EX47x series, this eSATA port cannot be used with a port multiplier, so you can only use a single drive unfortunately. I’m not sure why HP chose this approach as it limits the expansion possibilities.

UNPACKING AND CONNECTING

The box itself is quite small with everything coming very well packaged inside.

The contents of the box include the EX487 itself, the power cable, an Ethernet cable, some software CDs, a warranty book and the setup poster.

Plugging it in all shouldn’t take more than a few moments, now it’s time to switch it on and get it working.

INSTALLING AND CONFIGURING

There is not manual as such with the EX48x series, but when you run the installation CD you are given some online instructions, and you also have the now familiar HP MediaSmart Server Setup Poster to help guide you through what needs to be done.

The first thing that needs to be done after you have connected up the EX487 to both the power and your home network, and switched it on, is to install the Client software on one of your computers. This performs two functions, the first of which is install the Windows Home Server Connector software on your computer but also to enable you to configure your new Windows Home Server, with details such as the server name and admin password (but more on that in a moment).

After you pop the Software Installation CD in the drive, you then follow the usual steps to install the Windows Home Server Connector software. I won’t walk through all those steps again in this article, but I have included the screenshots for those of you who might be interested. Note the EX48x image on the installer.

So once you have go to this stage, then its time to configure the Windows Home Server itself. You have to do it via this method because there is no facilities available on the EX48x series for you to plug in a mouse, monitor and keyboard.

Again, I won’t bother with going through each and every step, although again I have included the screenshots for those of you who might be interested 🙂

Once you have completed these steps then you can log in to the Windows Home Server Console as normal.

Before you can access the Console though, you are prompted to perform a check to see if there are any HP MediaSmart software updates available.

At the time of writing, the version of the software that comes preinstalled requires updating to the 2.5 Update for the EX485 and EX487 in order to get some new features. I won’t bother to go into those new features in this article as the are covered in depth in the linked article above.

USING THE EX487 (or EX485 for that matter)

Having a look around the EX48x series version of the Windows Home Server Console, you will see the MediaSmart Server tab, with specific additions provided by HP, including an update Welcome screen.

By clicking on the Server Summary button you can see at a glance the status of your server.

Those of you familiar with the HP MediaSmart Servers will know that they come with additional software, and the EX48x series is no exception.

HP Photo Publisher which enables you to publish your photos to various online photo sharing sites.

HP Media Collector which automatically copies and organises media files from any of your computers.

Features for Mac, which basically includes support to use Apple’s Time Machine to backup files on your Apple Mac to your Windows Home Server and also to access shared folders from your Windows Home Server on your Mac. For more information on backing up your Apple Mac with your EX485 or EX487, click here.

Server for iTunes which enables you to store and publish your iTunes library and playlists on your network.

HP MediaSmart Server Online Backup which enables you to use an Amazon S3 account to backup your data outside of your home or office. But for this you do need an Amazon S3 account, so it is not free.

TwonkyMedia is used to stream your digital media on your home network to devices such as an Xbox 360 and also to provide remote streaming.

All of these additional features can be enabled or disabled depending on your own needs.

Having a look at the Shared Folders tab and the Server Storage tab shows you how much storage you have. Remember, if you have the EX485 then you only have one hard drive out of the box, which means no Folder Duplication, so maybe now is a good time to plug in that extra drive you have available? You will also notice a folder called Mac – that is for your Apple Mac Time Machine backups.

There are also the usual settings tabs for various HP specific options. I have included some screenshots here for people to have a look at.

The EX487 also comes preinstalled with two add-ins – the TwonkyMedia add-in as mentioned earlier, and also the HP MediaSmart Online Backup add-in, again, as mentioned earlier.

There is also an add-in available to install that is not installed by default – the McAfee Total Protection Service. So if you want to be protected by Antivirus you can easily install this add-in or use one of your own choosing.

As the EX487 comes preinstalled with Windows Home Server Power Pack 1, you will need to update to Power Pack 2 before doing much else.

Just go to the Settings tab, and click on Update Now to retrieve that, and any other updates that are available.

Depending on how many updates might be needed, this could take a little while.

CONCLUSION

It is probably fair to say that the original HP MediaSmart Servers were some of the best selling Windows Home Server’s on the market. They were well made, looked great, and had a host of additional software with them. The same can now be said of the new EX48x series, and when you take into account the higher specification in both the memory and the processor, that the processor is 64-bit and that there is even more additional software in the form of the 2.5 update, then it has to be said that this is a fantastic piece of kit.

As I mentioned at the start of the article, I have been using the EX487 for a few months now and in fact it is now my production Windows Home Server.

If you are looking to buy your first Windows Home Server, or want to upgrade from something else, then you can’t go wrong with the EX48x series. Although, to get the best value for money you should consider buying the EX485 and then some additional storage, especially that given the $150 saving you can easily buy a 1.5TB drive and still have change left over.
The HP MediaSmart Server EX48x series Windows Home Servers are available now in the US for $599 (for the EX485) and $749 (for the EX487). A lot of places are doing some very good discounts on them.

HP have now announced that the EX48x series will finally be coming to Europe later this year.

Adding mControl to Windows Home Server on a Friday night

Timothy Daleo

-

May 16, 2009

19

WHS currently controls all of my files, photos and videos. In addition, WHS also controls my other computers, backs itself up, monitors it own power source, could shut itself down if needed and even send text messages to me when it needs attention. What else could it possibly do? Well I have decided that I am going to take the next step with Windows Home Server and give it control over my home.

mControl uses WHS as a platform to connect with modules that you attach to existing equipment in your house. For example, I currently have a timer attached to a light in the spare bedroom. This timer turns off and on based on where I put little plastic pins. Once mControl is added to WHS I can replace that timer with a Module that will allow WHS to control the light. How cool is that?

In addition to the WHS interface, mControl has multiple user interfaces such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Center and Media Center Extenders, touch screens and Windows Mobile Clients.

mControl supports Vista, works with Insteon and Z-Wave devices and can also interface with your security system, cameras, thermostats and can even be programmed for voice controls.

They offer a free trial for mControl so there is no cost to check it out.

More information about mControl can be found at:

http://www.embeddedautomation.com/

Honestly, this is a semi-complex job and I would not suggest trying this if you are not comfortable making changes to your WHS via Remote Desktop or prone to getting pissed off easily.

In theory this is how it works:

Add mControl to your WHS
Connect your WHS to the electrical wiring in your home (with a PowerLinc USB modem)
Create a zone for the room in mControl
Tell mControl the address of the Module (each Module has a mini-MAC address like 0A.B6.13)
Unplug a light, put the Module into the wall where the light was plugged in, and then connect the light to the Module
Set up a schedule (macro) to turn the light on and off

Sounds easy enough. Lets set this pig on fire!

Equipment Needed:

mControl for Windows Home Server (download trial version)

Insteon PowerLinc Modem #2412U, USB ($80)

Insteon Plug-In Dimmer Module #2856D3B ($27 for bedroom light)

Insteon Appliance Module #2856S3B ($27 for living room light)

3 Beers (optional as always)

iTunes playing your favorite radio station

Notes:

I bought my equipment from http://www.smarthome.com . They have a whole crap-load of different equipment so I would suggest getting an idea of what you want to control in your home first before making the purchase. Start easy with a few lights and then work your way up to HVAC controls, intercoms, etc. There is a link on the side that says Beginner (Installs 10 minutes) that can give you some products that connect easily to your mControl system. The PowerLinc modem connects your WHS via USB to your house electrical system. You must have one (or similar) of these but you usually only need one. Each regular Module controls one outlet so you would need one for each light. Start small. I am starting with just two lights for this article. I also bought a light switch to control the office light and a sprinkler controller that I will add later.

Add-In Installation

Installing mControl as an Add-In is relatively straight forward. Open beer number one.

Download the file from http://www.embeddedautomation.com/EAHAmControlDownload.htm

Unzip the file, open the folder and find the Windows Home Server folder that contains the mControlWHS_Setup msi file.

Copy the msi file to the WHS Add-Ins folder on your server and open then WHS Console.

Click on Install and let the magic happen.

Your magic lasted on a few seconds? Mine too. If only everything had a “Time remaining” counter.

Ok, the Add-In is installed. So now what?

mControl Customization

Ok, there are FOUR CHANGES we need to do to mControl and WHS before we can start adding turning on and off the lights. In fact, I bet if you already have mControl working on your WHS you probably had to find out on your own how to make at least some of these changes.

DISCLAIMER: In no way am I telling you to not read the manual and follow their instructions, however, following the manual along with these steps may keep you from throwing a Module through a window!

The four changes are:

Change IIS access to WHS (optional but recommended)
Add mControl to the Firewall
Install USB link and modem drivers to WHS
Change the COM port in mControl to match WHS

Let us walk through each one…

CHANGE ONE (Optional but recommended)

By default, mControl is available to ALL external users. The interface to the mControl is on the main WHS page in your browser. If you want to restrict access to mControl then you must follow the directions below. If you are ok with everyone having access to mControl then you can skip this step. I allow a friend to access some folders on my WHS so I need to restrict access. If I did not, when he logs on to the server via the web, he could access mControl and start turning the lights on and off in my house from the other side of the world!

Remote Desktop to your WHS or use the Advanced Admin Console and go to “Administrative Tools” and access “Internet Information Services” (IIS)

Using the navigation tree locate mControl under “Default Web Site”. Right-click and select “Properties”

Select the “Directory Security” tab and click the “Edit…” button in the “Authentication and access control” section

Uncheck “Enable anonymous access” and select a “Authenticated access” method that works for you. For my situation I enabled “Integrated Windows authentication” so it recognizes me but blocks others from access.

When finished click on “OK” and OK/Apply out of the IIS windows making sure to save your changes.

Now we can test the access via the browser connection so open WHS via the web and you will see mControl on the right.

If you are “inside” your network you may get an authentication box immediately. Just enter your log in information again.

If you are outside your network the authentication should already be in place. Click on “mControl for WHS”

You should now see the mControl web interface but do not get too excited.

We still have more work to do so just close the browser window before you start messing with it.

CHANGE TWO

We now need to tell WHS that mControl needs to have access through the Windows Firewall.

Remote Desktop to your WHS or use the Advanced Admin Console, open your Firewall and select the “Exceptions” tab.

Click on the “Add Program…” button and browse to mServer.exe. On your WHS mServer.exe is located in the C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\mControl\server directory.

Click on “OK” and OK yourself out of the Windows Firewall.

Additional information about adding firewall exceptions to other client machines can be found at:

http://www.embeddedautomation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1393

CHANGE THREE

So now I have to download the drivers for the module that connects the WHS to the PowerLinc modem. I ordered the 2412U from SmartHome so the driver support is at:

http://www.smarthome.com/files/2412udrivers.zip

There is a whole list of stuff to do so be patient. This is from their Quick-Start Guide at:

http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/2412uqs.pdf

Be sure your PowerLinc Modem is not connected to your PC
Open a web browser, type in http://www.smarthome.com/files/2412udrivers.zip and hit enter – File Download dialog box will appear
Click “Save” and select a convenient location (like your desktop) and click “Save”
Locate the 2412udrivers.zip file on your PC, right click on it, and then click “Extract All…” (Note: Unzip process may vary, depending on your default unzip utility) – Extraction Wizard dialog box will appear
Click, “Next,” “Next,” and then “Finish.” – A folder containing “USB Drivers” will open
Double click on the folder “USB Drivers” and note the path of your drivers. It will be needed for steps 10 and 13
Plug PowerLinc Modem into an AC outlet, plug square end of included USB cable into PowerLinc Modem’s USB jack and rectangular end of USB cable into an available port on your PC. – Found New Hardware Wizard will appear
Select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and click “Next”
Select “Search for the best driver in these locations” be sure the box “Include this location in the search:” is checked and then click “Browse”
Locate the folder “USB Drivers” from step 6, select it in the dialog box and then click “Ok” – Windows will search for the proper driver, then wizard will display Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard
Click “Finish” – Another Found New Hardware Wizard will appear
Select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and click “Next”
Select “Search for the best driver in these locations” be sure the box “Include this location in the search:” is checked and then click “Browse”
Locate the folder “USB Drivers” from step 6, select it in the dialog box and then click “Ok” – Windows will search for the proper driver, then wizard will display Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard
Click “Finish”
Congratulations! Your INSTEON PowerLinc Modem is ready to be used with your home automation software.

What about MY reality. Let us see how this goes.

I download the drivers and placed them in a folder on the server.

I then use the Advanced Admin Console to copy the drivers to the C: drive. Remember this location. You will need to find the folder in a few minutes.

Now, this is where I got screwed at first. I was in the Console and plugged the PowerLinc into the WHS. I should have been connected via the Remote Desktop Connection. Just like Dorothy, I missed the Wizard.

Disconnect from the Console and Remote Desktop to your WHS. Once you are on the WHS Desktop you are ready to go!

Plug the PowerLinc Modem into an AC outlet, plug the square end of the USB cable into PowerLinc Modem USB jack and the USB cable into your WHS.

From the SmartHome instructions:

The USB cable cannot be any longer than 10’ (6’ or less is recommended)
Do not plug PowerLinc Modem into a power strip or AC line filter

I plugged the PowerLinc Modem into the wall on the other side of my UPS.

Once you are in Remote Desktop and you connect the USB Modem the Add Hardware Wizard should come up. Click on the balloon, if necessary.

The firsts time I did this I was in the Console and did not see the New Hardware process. You can see below that I, again just like Dorothy, had to go back to the Wizard.

Choose to install from a specific location and click “Next”.

Find the location of the driver folder and let the Wizard complete the process.

Once the Wizard is completed you should get a screen that says “Click Finish to close the wizard”.

You should see a USB Serial Converter icon. Click “Finish”

You are not really finished though…

CHANGE FOUR

Now that you have connected your WHS directly to your house we need to verify the COM port and make sure that mControl has the same COM port information.

For those of you that are playing at home, the mControl manual says on Page 17 that “for the Power Line Modem 2412U (USB), you will need to load the associated driver, as provided by SmartHome. After loading the driver, the Power Line Modem 2412U will be available as a COM port.” You just did that but we need to verify the COM port number and make sure the WHS and mControl are synchronized to each other.

Remote Desktop to your WHS or use the Advanced Admin Console, open Administrative Tools and click on Device Manager.

On the right hand side in Device Manager find the “Ports (COM and LPT)” icon and expand it by clicking on the plus sign. Once it has expanded you should see the USB Serial Port (COM XX) where XX is the COM port you need to sync with the mControl in WHS. As you can see below my COM port is 3. Write this number down or carve it into your desk.

Close the Computer Management window.

Now you can finally click on the mControl Manager icon you have been seeing in your WHS Console. See it? Find the name of the Modem you are using (for me it is the INSTEON PowerLinc Controller) and double click on it. Once the “Edit Adapter Parameters” box opens you need to make sure that it says “SERIAL” in the “Connect Using” box and change the COM Port number to match the one from the Device Manager. This is the number on your desk or paper in front of you.

Once you have changed (or verified) the COM port settings Restart the mControl Manager by clicking on the light blue “Restart” just above the App Settings tab in the Console.

Once you have Restarted mControl is should show “mControl Service Running” in the lower left corner as shown in the picture above.

Further instructions on this process can be found at:

http://www.embeddedautomation.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1358

We are almost done. The last step is to Restart your WHS for good measure. Open beer number two.

Creating Zones

Before you start plugging things in a driving your wife, husband or pets crazy with mControl we need to create zones.

From the Settings Menu you choose “Manage Zones”

You can add Zones at any time as you need them but I would suggest adding every room of your house first. I am adding the Living Room below. You can change the Zone Image to one of many preset pictures.

I am going to add most of the rooms now.

Creating Devices

Once you have created a Zone you add a device to that Zone. Each device is controlled by a Module. Each Module communicates through your home electrical wiring with your WHS.

Find the room you want to add a Module to and click on “Add Device”.

I am adding a simple On/Off Switch Module. Follow the manual that came with your Module plug in the Module and Light/Appliance/Etc.

Mental note: Make sure you get the address from the back of the device before you plug it in!

You enter the following data:

Name
Adapter Type
Module Type
Image
INSTEON Address (like a mini-MAC address)

When you have finished adding a device to a zone click on “Save”.

When you navigate back to Zone View you should now see your Module with your device on the right as shown below.

Now that you have connected a Module you should now be able to control the device. I have my wife stand in the Living Room looking at the light while I mouse click on and off. It turns on and off with each click.

“It works” I scream. She thinks I am nuts. She is probably right. I wonder if this is how Tesla felt.

Open beer number three and click on the light control a few more times just to make sure it is working properly!

Next weekend I will be back and walk you through adding another Module and adding macros to control multiple Modules.

See you next Friday night!

Timothy Daleo

Adding your DVD Library to a Windows Media Center PC with Windows Home Server on a Friday night

Timothy Daleo

-

May 11, 2009

14

Background

Over the last few months I have been using a HP MediaSmart Connect x280n on our plasma in the living room with limited success. The extender works as designed but there are a few limits to it that are just driving me nuts. The first limit is the lack of a keyboard and mouse. Now I know that the remote does a good job of manoeuvring around, but when certain programs like MCE and Radio 365 kick you over to a web browser I get stuck and start yelling at the plasma. Why do we always yell at the monitor? It is the actual unit we should be yelling at. The second limit is not being about to run movies from my dvd library. The extender, by design, does not run VOB files and, although there is a published hack to get them to play, it requires too much work for my system and library size.

Since I want to play DVDs, and now Blu-ray, I figured that I could spend about the same for a PC instead of piecing together separate parts. I am moving the x280 to another room and just got a refurbished Dell Hybrid with Blu-ray for $449 to hook up to the plasma. Some of the great features of the Hybrid are the HDMI out, optical audio, Vista Ultimate, Blu-ray/DVD and a sleek look.

HP MediaSmart Connect x280n was $170, Sony Blu-ray from Best Buy would be $299, for a total $469 so it would be about the same price.

So, if you want an extender then go get one but I would argue that a PC running Windows Media Center (WMC) would do better overall. If a new PC is not an option you might look for a Blu-ray drive upgrade on one of your existing PCs.

Equipment Needed

Windows Home Server with Power Pack Two with Windows Media Center support

PC with Windows Media Center

1 Beer (optional)

Windows Media Center

I am not going to go into detail about WMC in this article but if you have not used WMC you are missing out. It took me a while to “like” it but now that I have figured it out I really enjoy it. If you only have one PC then the advantages are few but if you have a multi-PC network with WHS and some flat screens then this is the product for you!

You can find additional information on WMC at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/media-center.aspx

or see blog articles at:

https://moviesgamesandtech.com/category/windows-media-center/

For those of you that have not added your DVDs to your WHS you can see how to add them at:

http://homeservershow.com/luxs-media-management-part-1-dvd-library.html

Mental Note: Find out how to change the background in WMC. The MS website has a cool underwater background on their WMC!

Installation

My PC is new to my network so this is the first time I am running WMC. I have already installed the WHS connector and connected to my WHS.

When I first open the WMC it asks to update the Windows Home Server connector with the new WMC software.

Follow the prompts as shown below:

Enter your WHS password.

Let the process complete and it will then ask to restart.

If you want to see how Power Pack Two controls access to your WMC open up the WHS Console, click on Settings and click on Windows Media Center.

Once the computer has restarted you are ready to access WMC. By default you will notice that your DVD Library is not listed.

Mental Note: When WMC is in full screen the screen shots are black! Crap. See how I had to use an actual camera to show you the screen above? Well I discovered that if you take WMC out of full screen that the screen shots work! Just make sure you use ALT-Print Screen to just get the window you are actively using.

Configuration and Setup

You can walk through the process with me or view the directions at Microsoft. The directions (and an auto fix) to add the DVD Library view are listed here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930526

Microsoft says

“On a computer that is running Windows Vista, Windows Media Center displays DVD content that is stored on your computer in the DVD Library. However, the DVD Library is not automatically enabled. If it is not enabled, you cannot see your DVD content. This article helps you enable or disable the DVD Library feature in Windows Media Center on a Windows Vista-based computer.”

If Windows Media Center is running, close it.

Click Start

In the Start Search box type regedit.

In the Programs list, click regedit.

If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.

Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Settings\DvdSettings

In the details pane, right-click ShowGallery, and then click Modify.

Delete the contents that appear in the Value data box.

In the Value data box, type “Gallery”, and then click OK.

Close Registry Editor (leave it expanded for now) and restart your computer.

Once you have restarted your PC open up WMC. If Media Center now displays “DVD Library” instead of “Play DVD” you are finished! If it does not you may have changed the wrong registry setting. Go back and check what you changed or use the auto fix from Microsoft.

Click on dvd library. You will probably notice a couple of sample movie clips already in the WMC. You can ignore them or delete them.

We need to add the WHS location and tell WMC where to go.

You have to right-click Add folders to see content.

Click on Add folder to watch and then Next

Click on Add shared folders from another computer and then Next

You should now see your server folders as choices. Check the folder(s) where you store your videos. I keep all of mine only in the Videos folder.

Click Next.

WMC will now add the folder. Click on Finish.

Once you have finished this process your DVDs will now be available in WMC. You might need to give it a minute depending on the speed of your connection and the amount of movies you have on your WHS. WMC will give you a count on the lower right corner. As you can see I have added about 25 of my 150 plus DVDs. Each DVD takes about 20 minutes to add so I add three or four each weekend. My Blu-ray titles are too large to upload so I play those directly from the Dell Hybrid.

Conclusion

The Windows Media Center is a great application for viewing DVDs, pictures and playing music. It takes a while to get used to the interface but once you do you will see the advantages.

I hope you found this article interesting and useful. If anyone has questions I will respond to the posts.

See you next Friday night.

Timothy Daleo