Replace an old Win Home Server with what?

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I have been using a Windows Home server for many years. This is a home built version, not commercially package solution. It is really starting to act up and I think I should replace it. We have 9 computers in this house and all the shared data is kept on the server and it is a lot counting all the photos and music from multiple family members. I also like the automatic backup, but it quit functioning several months ago and i have no idea what is wrong. I don’t use any other function of the server.

I have been thinking about just putting a copy of Windows 7 or 10 on the box and using that as a shared data system. BUT…. and it is a big but, what could I do to replace the automatic backup feature? I will give that function up before I spending the money or having to learn server 2012 essentials. I could go that route as I am a retired IT support person, but at 74 I have no interest in learning that or leaving something like for my children to figure out when someday I am no longer here to maintain the thing.

So, I am looking for suggestions. I do have all the data from the server backed up to an external backup disk so that is not an issue. I will lose all the old backups, but I can live with that and they are no longer current anyway. Most of those happened before I upgraded most of the computers to win 10 anyway.

The only other alternative that I have thought about is reinstalling the Home Server software and starting over, but Home Server is no longer supported. The server is not used for anything but sharing data and the only programs that exist on it are a couple of utility programs I use.

Jim Nealand
Kennesaw, GA

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I have a copy of Home Server but never got around to installing it. My [alternative] solution was to install a NAS drive connected by Ethernet cable to my Router then any computer I use can Map the drive and have access to files stored on it. The computers now using it [some wired some WiFi] are Win7, Win10, Mac OS X and Linux Mint. The same works for 2 Network-attached printers, any printer I install the software on can print to them.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

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The server provides the same access to everything, but it also does the automatic backups. I’ve never found a reasonably priced auto backup for home use. I thought about a NAS server, but it will be cheaper to repurpose the server hardware which is a quad core system with 2.5 TB of disk already installed.

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If the server is playing up it may be new hardware time. What are the symptoms?

Any of the 3rd party backup products will do what you require – Aomei Backupper seems to be the cheapest for Windows Server. Alternatively, you could open a new thread on the backup problems you are experiencing.

cheers, Paul

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I have the same situation — the original Windows Home Server backing up several Windows 7 computers. I have two setups — one at my house and one at my parents place — and both are working fine. Like you, I love the automatic backups, especially at my parent’s place. It has let me sleep at nights knowing that their data is safe no matter what they might do with their computers! I have rebuilt several computers after hard drive failures over the years and every time what I needed was there on the WHS backups and no data has been lost.

But, as noted, the solution is old, out of support and 32 bit in nature meaning that the new large capacity discs are not easy to use for backup. I too need to find a replacement solution for WHS.

What exactly is going wrong with your backups?

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An alternative solution would be a NAS with associated software.
http://windowssecrets.com/best-hardware/network-attached-drives-for-here-and-there/

cheers, Paul

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