Apparently someone really doesn't want me to have a server!

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 00:00

After so much arsing around, i've cobbled together (yet another) working computer from two. I HATE changing motherboards with a passion. Especially when it involves taking everything else out

Franken-computer works fine, except battery has died in the mobo so i have to keep power flowing, not really a problem per se (BIOS default settings work anyway).

But when it comes to Windows Home Server (don't ask i've been down this road with DRZ, i'd love ubuntu, but its not doing what i need it to do on a few counts). The damned thing is blue screening after the loading bar of the ****ing boot installer! I'm burning off another copy as we speak, and downloading another off usenet (that'll be about 2 hours wait then on my connection

) to rule those out. Though i'd ask here at the same time though

. Any ideas/fixes? I'll go write down the error code if thats any help shortly (i was just annoyed and cba before...). Also for clarity i've only plugged the one hard drive i need in for the moment, so its pretty much a bare PC...

*Stomps feet* I just want a working print, media, backup server

Mark · 03-07-2008, 00:07

Well, fixing the battery is usually no big deal. Couple of ££ will usually sort it (it's usually just a CR2032 or similar).

If the mobo is old enough for a dead battery, I'd scour it for things like blown capacitors or anything else that just doesn't look 'right'. Other than that, fetch that Ubuntu live CD you discarded and see if it boots. If not - could be mobo, PSU, RAM or CPU. Could give Memtest86 a go (also on the Ubuntu CD).

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 00:21

I know the battery is easy, but i can't be bothered and i won't unplug the power now its in place, and the defaults work (although all the serial ports and onboard sound isn't disabled like i like it

)

AFAIK the mobo is fine (P4C800E) although i haven't checked it over too much (and theres too much in the way too see now. Never thought about trying the Live CD, i'll burn another off now

Nice idea.

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 01:28

Oh FFS, Well sorted the problems out, possibly memory, i was mixing 4 different brands at different speeds. Looks like i'm back to 512 for now, and i may have to splash out on some matched stuff cheap (bummer).

Major problem though, i have two 40Gb drives (one for root and one for a mirror of root when i was running ubuntu). Then four 400Gb drives for storage. WHS server decides it needs at least 65GB free space to install itself, surely thats a little steep. I'd rather not load it onto my 400Gb drives, but its looking like i've got no other way atm... Annoying really!

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 02:58

Ok, so now it seems the DVD drive isn't recognised by the BIOS anymore, great. That and one of the hard drives is going dicky, but it has that many layers between it (hot swap caddy to IDE to SATA converter) i don't actually know whats wrong with that yet hoping its the converter. This is why i ****ing hate computers. Geez give me my laptop anyday, apart from it breaking (well kinda) recently it just bloody well works.

I have computer bits strewn everywhere as usual, and yet still frig all works, and i'll have to start taking things apart again tomorrow when i've just devoted best part of a day to this already! Jesus, not a happy bunny and i'm off to bed...

/Rant.

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 15:19

Something is playing up, I have a DVD drive which works master or slave, but the DVD writer i was using will only play nice as slave (which isn't a problem but puzzling). A previous drive went mad in that machine (wouldn't always close and accept a CD) so I'm starting to think the controller has gone mental. Good news is the hard drive that was playing up is thankfully fine and so is the caddy its just the converter, i don't really need it, SATA was space saving but not necessary.

This has been epic for no reason what-so-ever. But Windows Home Server is finally going on, whether it likes it or not (seems more likely from whats went on).

Mark · 03-07-2008, 22:19

If you're getting drive failures you might be sufering some heat-related issues. With that many drives a little careful planning is needed to keep temperatures around the drives at realistic levels.

Also, the IDE/SATA converter might not be faulty - some BIOS versions just don't like them.

LeperousDust · 03-07-2008, 23:28

The drives in question where in special hot swap caddies, each caddy had two fans, the case itself has four 120mm fans, and that's not including the piddly ones in the PSU too. Air supply is fine

The Converter that's playing up used to work but its a cheap Chinese copy i suspect since i ebayed it cheap...

Anyways, its botched together atm, one 400gb drive in a caddy connected by IDE Primary Master with the dodgy DVD writer as IDE Secondary Slave.

Had to install WHS twice since i screwed up the first time but i'm not sure if it was to do with (falsely

) activating the updating, or the fast the automated installer didn't run and i didn't manually change a few settings (which i have done this time). I just haven't "hackactivated" it yet so we'll see.

Everything to do with the install now though is running smooth, i've not set backups yet but i'm interested in using it when i've got all my other drives up and running properly. Copying music over to the music share now getting a lowly 2MB/s which doesn't say much for the throughput of our wireless

8 Hours to go on the ~70GB copy.

I am wondering now though since i want to tinker and i can see this is essentially windows server 2003 neutered is how much still works, i'm thinking i may set up an FTP from it for my own personal use when i'm away from my flat back home (it would actually be amazing).

Also thinking of moving my downloads soley to the box, so can i still install uTorrent and Alt.Binz on there, as long as i open the firewall up etc...? Because i just use the webGUI and a shared folder for depositing NZB's and torrents for them to autoscan (seems a good idea).

I'm checking out possibilties now on google and differences between WHS and Server 2003

Daz · 04-07-2008, 09:53

It should have IIS for FTP, though there'll be better, easier to setup third party ones out there.

What it probably wont have (haven't checked but I'd be surprised) is Routing and Remote Access - for VPN's, which would have been a much better option if you want to get in remotely.

Other than that, it can still run win32 executables and still have largely the same kernel as Windows XP, so when it comes to third party apps you shouldn't really have any troubles.

LeperousDust · 04-07-2008, 11:26

Well it doesn't have VPN AFAIK haven't looked around, but it does have some funky web access thing from Microsoft (although im not sure how clever it is using their pirated software and their free internet stuff from them at the same time just yet

Seem pretty cheeky mind).
Found this on setting uTorrent up, so it seems you have to manually register a few things, not too sure why that is really, not sure how uTorrent normally works. I'm assuming WHS doesn't let much have access to anything hence the DIY approach?

When you say better FTP where they not all born equally? I only really want to be able to FTP a folder or two with a few permissions per file etc... IIS will do that right?

03-07-2008, 00:00	#1
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Apparently someone really doesn't want me to have a server! After so much arsing around, i've cobbled together (yet another) working computer from two. I HATE changing motherboards with a passion. Especially when it involves taking everything else out Franken-computer works fine, except battery has died in the mobo so i have to keep power flowing, not really a problem per se (BIOS default settings work anyway). But when it comes to Windows Home Server (don't ask i've been down this road with DRZ, i'd love ubuntu, but its not doing what i need it to do on a few counts). The damned thing is blue screening after the loading bar of the ***ing boot installer! I'm burning off another copy as we speak, and downloading another off usenet (that'll be about 2 hours wait then on my connection ) to rule those out. Though i'd ask here at the same time though . Any ideas/fixes? I'll go write down the error code if thats any help shortly (i was just annoyed and cba before...). Also for clarity i've only plugged the one hard drive i need in for the moment, so its pretty much a bare PC... Stomps feet* I just want a working print, media, backup server __________________

03-07-2008, 00:21	#3
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	I know the battery is easy, but i can't be bothered and i won't unplug the power now its in place, and the defaults work (although all the serial ports and onboard sound isn't disabled like i like it ) AFAIK the mobo is fine (P4C800E) although i haven't checked it over too much (and theres too much in the way too see now. Never thought about trying the Live CD, i'll burn another off now Nice idea. __________________

03-07-2008, 01:28	#4
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Oh FFS, Well sorted the problems out, possibly memory, i was mixing 4 different brands at different speeds. Looks like i'm back to 512 for now, and i may have to splash out on some matched stuff cheap (bummer). Major problem though, i have two 40Gb drives (one for root and one for a mirror of root when i was running ubuntu). Then four 400Gb drives for storage. WHS server decides it needs at least 65GB free space to install itself, surely thats a little steep. I'd rather not load it onto my 400Gb drives, but its looking like i've got no other way atm... Annoying really! __________________

03-07-2008, 02:58	#5
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Ok, so now it seems the DVD drive isn't recognised by the BIOS anymore, great. That and one of the hard drives is going dicky, but it has that many layers between it (hot swap caddy to IDE to SATA converter) i don't actually know whats wrong with that yet hoping its the converter. This is why i ****ing hate computers. Geez give me my laptop anyday, apart from it breaking (well kinda) recently it just bloody well works. I have computer bits strewn everywhere as usual, and yet still frig all works, and i'll have to start taking things apart again tomorrow when i've just devoted best part of a day to this already! Jesus, not a happy bunny and i'm off to bed... /Rant. __________________

03-07-2008, 15:19	#6
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Something is playing up, I have a DVD drive which works master or slave, but the DVD writer i was using will only play nice as slave (which isn't a problem but puzzling). A previous drive went mad in that machine (wouldn't always close and accept a CD) so I'm starting to think the controller has gone mental. Good news is the hard drive that was playing up is thankfully fine and so is the caddy its just the converter, i don't really need it, SATA was space saving but not necessary. This has been epic for no reason what-so-ever. But Windows Home Server is finally going on, whether it likes it or not (seems more likely from whats went on). __________________

03-07-2008, 00:07	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	Well, fixing the battery is usually no big deal. Couple of ££ will usually sort it (it's usually just a CR2032 or similar). If the mobo is old enough for a dead battery, I'd scour it for things like blown capacitors or anything else that just doesn't look 'right'. Other than that, fetch that Ubuntu live CD you discarded and see if it boots. If not - could be mobo, PSU, RAM or CPU. Could give Memtest86 a go (also on the Ubuntu CD).

03-07-2008, 22:19	#7
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	If you're getting drive failures you might be sufering some heat-related issues. With that many drives a little careful planning is needed to keep temperatures around the drives at realistic levels. Also, the IDE/SATA converter might not be faulty - some BIOS versions just don't like them.

03-07-2008, 23:28	#8
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	The drives in question where in special hot swap caddies, each caddy had two fans, the case itself has four 120mm fans, and that's not including the piddly ones in the PSU too. Air supply is fine The Converter that's playing up used to work but its a cheap Chinese copy i suspect since i ebayed it cheap... Anyways, its botched together atm, one 400gb drive in a caddy connected by IDE Primary Master with the dodgy DVD writer as IDE Secondary Slave. Had to install WHS twice since i screwed up the first time but i'm not sure if it was to do with (falsely ) activating the updating, or the fast the automated installer didn't run and i didn't manually change a few settings (which i have done this time). I just haven't "hackactivated" it yet so we'll see. Everything to do with the install now though is running smooth, i've not set backups yet but i'm interested in using it when i've got all my other drives up and running properly. Copying music over to the music share now getting a lowly 2MB/s which doesn't say much for the throughput of our wireless 8 Hours to go on the ~70GB copy. I am wondering now though since i want to tinker and i can see this is essentially windows server 2003 neutered is how much still works, i'm thinking i may set up an FTP from it for my own personal use when i'm away from my flat back home (it would actually be amazing). Also thinking of moving my downloads soley to the box, so can i still install uTorrent and Alt.Binz on there, as long as i open the firewall up etc...? Because i just use the webGUI and a shared folder for depositing NZB's and torrents for them to autoscan (seems a good idea). I'm checking out possibilties now on google and differences between WHS and Server 2003 __________________

04-07-2008, 09:53	#9
Daz The Stig Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Swad! Posts: 10,713	It should have IIS for FTP, though there'll be better, easier to setup third party ones out there. What it probably wont have (haven't checked but I'd be surprised) is Routing and Remote Access - for VPN's, which would have been a much better option if you want to get in remotely. Other than that, it can still run win32 executables and still have largely the same kernel as Windows XP, so when it comes to third party apps you shouldn't really have any troubles. __________________ apt-get moo

04-07-2008, 11:26	#10
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Well it doesn't have VPN AFAIK haven't looked around, but it does have some funky web access thing from Microsoft (although im not sure how clever it is using their pirated software and their free internet stuff from them at the same time just yet Seem pretty cheeky mind). Found this on setting uTorrent up, so it seems you have to manually register a few things, not too sure why that is really, not sure how uTorrent normally works. I'm assuming WHS doesn't let much have access to anything hence the DIY approach? When you say better FTP where they not all born equally? I only really want to be able to FTP a folder or two with a few permissions per file etc... IIS will do that right? __________________