David Flynn28 April 2007, 11:00 AM
Our first look at Microsoft's server for the rest of us includes a detailed screenshot gallery walking you through the user and admin screens
Has ever a Microsoft project flown more under the radar than Windows Home Server? For the better part of two years it was just another cryptic codename from the Windows Server team, and the cipher itself -- "Quattro" -- gave no hints as to the product's nature.
Only at this year's CES geekfest did Windows Home Server break cover from the Redmond skunkworks. Since then it's become one of Microsoft's most talked-about products, and this week Microsoft announced a broad Community Technology Preview release of Windows Home Server for which anyone can sign up (click here to get on the list).
At APC we've been running the Beta 2 edition of Windows Home Server for the past two months and it's acquitted itself surprisingly well -- no doubt a reflection on the time this 'server for the rest of us' spent in the Redmond skunkworks. There's still some 'fit and finish' to appear before it hits the Release Candidate milestone around Q3, prior to the platform's debut towards the end of this year -- but from what we've seen so far, we'd rate Windows Home Server as one of Microsoft's most polished and most impressive 1.0 releases to date.
Here's a walkthrough gallery of screenshots from the Beta 2 build of Windows Home Server.
 Start me up: the Windows Home Server splash screen takes its cues from Vista, even if the OS is 95% Windows Server 2003 |
Microsoft's intent is that few customers will actually need to install Windows Home Server. The target audience of families and everyday PC users, rather than enthusiasts, will buy home servers pre-loaded with the OS. HP is already onboard, with Acer and Dell rumoured to be next to sign up.
The splash screen when you first boot your shiny new home server, like the rest of Windows Home Server's end-user features, sports a decidedly 'Vista' look. The admin desktop retains the solid and stolid look of Windows Server, which forms the foundation of Windows Home Server code (it's mostly Windows Server 2003, with a bit of Small Business Server and the forthcoming 'Longhorn' Server 2008 thrown in).
However, following the groundswell of interest from the PC community in Windows Home Server, every sign we're getting from the Windows Home Server team is that Microsoft will offer the OS as a stand-alone purchase so that tech-savvy users can build their own box, or turn an aging desktop or even an out-of-date 'doorstop' system into a home server.
 Self-service: at the end of the setup routine, Windows Home Server checks for recent updates |
We skipped a few screens where you enter the mandatory product key, name your server, apply the default security settings (similar to the options in Windows XP SP2) and activate or disable automatic error-reporting. This is the last screen in the setup routine: Windows Home Server jumps online to fetch any updates issued since the code was loaded onto your home server hardware.
 Open sesame: the lush Vistariffic logon screen of Windows Home Server |
Skip to:
Page 1: Introduction
Page 2: Logging on
Page 3: Managing users
Page 4: Administering your Windows Home Server remotely
Page 5: Backing up to WHS
Page 6: Adding hard drives to the pool using WHS' raid-like features
Page 7: System requirements and how Microsoft's luring in the community
Page 8: The inbuilt web-server: your data-centre in the cupboard