Windows Home Server: The Arrival

Windows Home Server Beta 2 KitI just opened the mailbox, and what to my wondering eyes should appear? Besides it being partially full of snow plow snow? MAIL! Of course, and my Windows Home Server Beta kit! w00t! w00t!

I was just thinking about downloading the ISO files, but alas, MS has beat me to it, and delivered the goods. So I know what I will be doing over the next day or two, rebuilding my new server box. I pretty excited in case you can’t tell.

Included in this Kit

It has 3 discs inside:

  1. Installation DVD
  2. Home Server Connector CD
  3. Home Computer Restore CD

While I am at it, I might as well as put some more info on what this stuff is for eh? Why not – so here’s the dope.

Windows Home Server Installation DVD

Uhm… Duh! This is the fatty, mofo disc – install disc means just that – you need a key; and no you can’t have it so don’t ask, and you need a computer to place it on.

Windows Home Server Connector CD

This disc serves as the communicator between the home PCs and the server. You install this software on every PC you want to have a relationship with the server. Sounds kinda kinky….

Home Computer Restore CD

The final disc sounds very promising. As you might have guessed this is the disc used to restore you PC to the point before you installed the last disc… If you guessed that, you’re wrong. What’s cool about this is you create an image/backup of your PCs configuration or whatever is on the C: drive and back it up to and from the server. This is really sweet, so if your machine gets pooched, just clack at the keyboard a few times, and in theory… poof! Back to normal.

System Requirements

Unlike Vista, the system requirements are pretty lightweight. The base requirements only include a P3 1GHz machine with half a gig of RAM. That should be super easy to come by, in fact the machine I had set up for my kids is just that – so maybe I will pilfer their computer since they use every computer but that one. Here’s the exact list:

  • Computer with 1GHz Pentium III-compatible or faster processor
  • 512mg of RAM or more
  • 80GB of available internal hard disk space
  • DVD-ROM drive
  • VGA or higher graphics resolution
  • 100 Mbps ethernet card
  • Attached computers must Windows XP SP2, or Windows Vista
  • Broadband Connection
  • An external internet broadband router/firewall with DHCP services

I can’t wait to get started.

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