Windows Home Server facts for kids
| Version of the Windows NT operating system | |
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Screenshot of Windows Home Server
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| Developer | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Source model |
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| Released to manufacturing |
4 November 2007 |
| Final release | 6.0 (Build 2423: Power Pack 3) / 24 November 2009 |
| Repository |
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| Kernel type | Hybrid |
| License | Proprietary commercial software |
| Succeeded by | Windows Home Server 2011 (2011) |
| Support status | |
| Unsupported as of 8 January 2013 | |
Windows Home Server (also known as Quattro) was a special operating system made by Microsoft. It was designed for homes with many computers. This system helped families share files, back up their computers, and even access their files from far away.
Bill Gates first announced Windows Home Server on January 7, 2007. It was officially released later that year, on November 4, 2007. This system was based on another Microsoft product called Windows Server 2003 R2.
To manage Windows Home Server, you used a program called the Windows Home Server Console. You could open this program from any other computer on your home network. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows Home Server on January 8, 2013. The next version was Windows Home Server 2011.
Contents
What could Windows Home Server do?
Windows Home Server had many useful features for families and their computers.
Connect many computers and users
- For up to 10 computers and users: This system allowed up to ten user accounts. It could also connect to ten different computers. This was great for larger families or homes with many devices.
Easy backups and file sharing
- Centralized backup: It could back up files from up to 10 PCs. It used a smart technology to save space. This meant it only stored one copy of a file, even if that file was on many different computers.
- File sharing: You could create shared folders for everyone to use. This made it easy to store files in one place, like a network-attached storage device. There were special folders for documents, music, pictures, and videos. You could also search for files quickly.
- Printer sharing: If you had a printer connected to the server, everyone on the network could use it. This made printing much simpler for the whole family.
- Keep your data safe: Windows Home Server could make copies of important data. This protected your files if one of your hard drives stopped working.
Monitor computer health
- Health monitoring: The system could check on all the PCs in your home network. It would tell you if your antivirus software was running or if your firewall was turned on.
Access files from anywhere
- Remote access gateway: You could access your files and even your home computers from anywhere with an internet connection. This was useful if you needed a file when you were away from home.
- No monitor needed: Once set up, the server didn't need its own screen or keyboard. You could manage it from another computer using the Windows Home Server Console.
Stream media and expand storage
- Media streaming: You could stream music and videos to devices like an Xbox 360. This let you enjoy your media library on different screens.
- Expandable storage: It created one big storage space for all your files. You could easily add more hard drives to increase storage without worrying about different drive letters.
Add more features
- Add-ins: Developers could create special programs called "add-ins." These add-ins added new features to Windows Home Server. You could find add-ins for things like antivirus, backups, and managing your disks.
How did it work?
Home Server Console
The Home Server Console was the main way to control Windows Home Server. It was designed to be easy to use, even if you weren't a computer expert. You could open this program from any Windows PC in your home. The server itself didn't need a screen or keyboard. It just needed an Ethernet cable to connect to your network.
Drive Extender
Drive Extender was a special feature that helped manage storage. It made sure your data was safe by duplicating files across different hard drives. This meant if one drive failed, you wouldn't lose your important files.
It also let you add any type or size of hard drive to your server. All the drives worked together as one big storage space. You didn't have to worry about different drive letters. If you needed more space, you could simply add a new, larger hard drive. The system would then move data around to use the new space efficiently.
Why was Drive Extender removed?
Microsoft later decided to remove Drive Extender from Windows Home Server 2011. Many users were upset because they saw it as a very important feature. Microsoft suggested that computer makers could use RAID technology instead. RAID is another way to combine and protect data on multiple hard drives.
Computer Backup and Restore
Windows Home Server could automatically back up all the computers in your home. It took a "snapshot" of your computer's files. This allowed you to restore your entire PC or just specific files and folders if something went wrong. You could even restore a computer that wouldn't start using a special CD.
This backup system was smart. It only stored one copy of each unique piece of data. This saved a lot of space on the server. However, these computer backups were not duplicated on the server itself. So, if the server's hard drive failed, you could lose your computer backups.
Remote File Access
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Windows Home Server also had a secure website you could use. This website let you access your shared files from anywhere using the internet. You could upload files to the server or download them from it. Microsoft even provided a free web address to make it easy to find your server online.
Remote Desktop Services
This feature allowed you to control any Windows computer on your home network from a distance. You could use it to help a family member with their computer or access your own desktop from another room or even from outside your home.
Compatibility
Windows Home Server worked well with Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or newer), Windows Vista, and Windows 7. You installed a small program on your client computer to connect it to the server.
You could also access files on Windows Home Server like any other shared folder on a network. This meant it could work with many other operating systems too.
Resolved issues
File corruption
The very first version of Windows Home Server had a problem. Sometimes, files saved or edited directly on the server could get damaged. This mainly happened to certain types of files when the server was very busy.
Microsoft fixed this problem with an update called Power Pack 1, which came out in July 2008.
Server backup
The first version of Windows Home Server didn't have a way to back up the server itself. Power Pack 1 added the ability to back up the files stored in the shared folders to an external hard drive. However, it still didn't back up the server's operating system itself.
Images for kids
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Screenshot of Windows Home Server
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Windows Home Server logo
See also
In Spanish: Windows Home Server para niños
- File server
- Media server
