Getting WHS to work!

I don't know about you, but getting computers to connect to WHS (Windows Home Server) can be quite tricky.  In fact it has almost always been that my laptop (Running Vista Ultimate) would connect easily, but my wife's computer (Running XP) just would not play nice.

In the recent reinstallation (which took 3 attempts to get right!) I decided that enough was enough. I WAS GOING TO CONNECT ALL PCs!

It turns out that it was actually easy.  First thing, straight after installing WHS on the Server, Connect all of your PCs.  Don't let the server upgrade anything! (Well at least make sure you have the critical device drivers)

I understand that WHS is meant to be just that, a file storage/backup server.  But it is too hard for a developer to resist using the underlining windows server 2003.

So if you are having problems connecting your PCs, and, if like me, you had tried everything under the sun to connect another computer to WHS.  Try a reinstallation  (I recommend the New Installation) followed by quick connections of all of your PCs

Windows Home Server & IIS Reinstallation

I've been using windows home server as a very cheap way to get a hold of windows server 2003 for one of my production machines, the other day I ran into a Hosting issue with the WCF .svc files not being recognised in IIS 6.0 - The solution? reinstalling IIS.

But this had it's own problems... Windows Home Server needs IIS and had some half dozen virtual directories installed as virtual directories.  All with special privileges and who knows what.

I was prepared to do away with the backup facilities, but I wanted to expose my web-site to the world and to be honest.... I wouldn't have a clue how to setup the router!  WHS (Windows home server) has a nifty facility to do this for you... Only it needs to be functioning correctly in order to do it.

So... back to my original problem... how do I fix WHS after a IIS reinstall?  A quick scan around the web brought little encouragement... Lots of advice that it is easier to reinstall the OS! (What the!)  There was also hints that there is a WHS folder in the main installation drive.

A quick glance and I remembered these all being run during the original installation routine.  They all ran after the principal windows server 2003 was installed. 

I didn't exactly write down which ones I installed. But I believe that I ran at least the following:

• umrabase.exe
• umrahome.exe
• umraremote.exe

So problem solved.

And no OS reinstall required!