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.

Photo: Tech-Ed 2008	Photo: HP MediaSmart LX195

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

One of the developers on the Windows Home Server team, Gautam, was goofing around on a Mac during his off hours and put together this awesome set of instructions and screenshots for running the Windows Home Server Console on a Mac. 

This article describes how to configure your Mac to be able to get the Home Server Console on it. You will need to Download and Install Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac.

If you already have it installed, you can skip to Configure it to Connect to your Windows Home Server Console

Download and Install Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac

1. On your Mac, go to the Remote Desktop Connection Client for Mac website [microsoft.com].

2. Click on Download Remote Desktop Connection Client 2.

3. On the bottom right side of the page, in the Details section, scroll all the way down.

4. Click on your preferred language to start the download.

5. Once the file downloads, the Remote Desktop Connection Wizard should open up. Step through the wizard.

6. Eject the Remote Desktop Connection by right clicking on the icon on your desktop.

7. Great! Now you are ready to configure the Remote Desktop Connection Client to connect to your Home Server.

Configure the Remote Desktop Connection Client 2 for Mac to connect to the Windows Home Server Console

1. Open Finder. Click Applications in left menu. Click Remote Desktop Connection.

2. Type in the name of your Home Server.

3. In the File menu, click on Save As. Save your file. It’s easiest to save it on the Desktop.

4. Go back to the File menu and click on Edit Connection. Select the file you saved in the last step.

5. In the Login tab type –

a. User name: Administrator

b. Password: Your home server password.

c. Domain: Name of your home server.

6. In the Display tab, change the Colors to Millions.

7. In the Applications tab, make sure Start only the following Windows-based application when you log in to the remote computer is checked and type the following for Application path and file name: C:\Program Files\Windows Home Server\HomeServerConsole.exe /b

8. In the Security tab, select Always connect, even if authentication fails.

9. In the File menu, click on Save.

10. Now, right click on your recently saved file, click Open With, click Other…, scroll down and select TextEdit. Click on Open.

11. Change the number below DesktopHeight to 675 and number below DesktopWidth to 992.

12. Save the file and close it.

13. Now, click on the file you just saved to connect to the home server!

14. If you are unable to connect try connecting using your IP address of the home server.
To find your home server’s IP address, log on to the console from another computer. Go to Settings, Remote Access, Router Details

Open the file like in the above step and change the connection string to the IP address. For most of you it should be something like 192.XXX.X.XXX

Last month, Microsoft Canada reported survey results by Ipsos Reid that found Canadians value personal information but aren't taking measures to keep it secure.  Zibb.com and a few other online outlets picked up the story.  Read it here.

Sadly, 55% of respondents said that they have actually lost important files from their PC.  Faced with this disheartening prospect, women were more likely to feel devastated or like crying (22%) and, the majority of women (51%), claimed they would pay $100 dollars to retrieve lost or damaged photos from their PC.

“It’s clear that for Canadians the PC is much more than just a workstation, there is an emotionally attachment to items stored on their PCs – like photos, music and financial documents—but it’s also clear that the majority of Canadians put those items at risk every day.”  Barry Zeidenberg, Director - Retail Marketing, Microsoft Canada

- Steven