In case folks missed this, but today was an important milestone for the Windows Home Server category, with another major manufacturer – Acer – launching their product, the Acer Aspire EasyStore Home Server H.340 here in the United States. At $399 for a 2GB RAM with 1 TB HDD included (up to 4 HDDs supported), it’s a great value for all of you looking to add a Home Server to your repertoire.
Now available for pre-order at Amazon.com.
Still not convinced? Check out the good reviews for the product on CNET, Crunchgear, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
Congratulations Acer! Welcome to the Windows Home Server family!
- MP
IT Professionals and Developers will be descending upon the Los Angeles Convention Center next week to learn about a broad set of current and upcoming Microsoft technologies, tools, platforms, and services.
Windows Home Server will have a booth presence in the Expo Hall. This is a chance for Tech-Ed attendees to get a hands-on experience with the latest Windows Home Server software and chat with members of the team. We'll be featuring the HP MediaSmart EX487 and, the newest addition to the family, the HP MediaSmart LX195.
If you know somebody who will be at the event, please send them our way. If you will be there yourself, please drop by the Windows Home Server booth.
-Steven
Yesterday marked the availability of the Windows 7 Release Candidate. On the Engineering Windows 7 Blog and Windows 7 Team Blog there were recent posts regarding this milestone.
"We want to encourage you to revert to a Vista image and upgrade or to do a clean install, rather than upgrade the existing Beta. We know that means reinstalling, recustomizing, reconfiguring, and so on."
In a prior post on the Windows Home Server Team Blog, Windows 7 and Windows Home Server, we recommended, "...before you update a PC to Windows 7, you should install the Connector software and backup your machine to your home server, so you have an image-based backup that you can return to for testing the upgrade scenario with future builds of Windows 7."
The restore task is as simple as dropping the Home Computer Restore CD in the computer and walking through the wizard. For detailed instructions, see the Restore home computer step by step.
For Windows 7 testers (and anyone else who is interested), we have made it even easier for users to try Windows Home Server! An evaluation version is available for download, as well as a kit that can be ordered for the cost of shipping and handling at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/eval.mspx. Windows Home Server is also available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers.
[Editors Note: Since the original post, I came across a terrific example by Keith Elder titled, "Ready to Run Windows 7 RC? Upgrade Advisor and Home Server Help" Check it out!]
- Steven