Low Cost WHS Solution?

[Phillip Dyson]

I've been contemplating bringing Windows Home Server into the home for a year now. I'm not ready to drop $500 at this point.

Amazon has an OEM (http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Home-Server-URP1/dp/B001E5Q8CO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)version of WHS for $85. Perhaps I can get this and purchase a computer to save some money.

Do I need an OS license inaddition to this? Will Power Pack 3 bring it up to date with Windows 7?

[Sven Johannsen]

I'm pretty sure you could go that route. I've had a copy of WHS for a couple of years, but had been running a Small Business Server, and wasn't sure how a domain based network would react. The SBS crashed and I decided to play with WHS and loaded it on a machine. Worked pretty well, just had to find some drivers. It took about half a day to get all the updates that were needed since WHS was first released. Three updates available, download, install, reboot..14 updates, download, install, reboot...2 updates, etc. Then this past week Windows Update offered up Power Pack 3.

Keep in mind you will want a machine with a decent amount of storage capacity, and it would be nice to have 'hot' swappable drives. Not a requirement, but a nice to have. I have a couple of USB externals. The $500 probably buys you a box more directly designed for the WHS function, but you can certainly create your own., and bring it up to date.

I haven't really explored it's potential, but it seems to be pretty straight forward, and useful for a multi PC household.