Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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Guys,
I have just pulled the trigger on an HP N40L Microserver, EVGA 210 GFX and a 32GB USB stick to run the OS from.
Now I have one choice left...
What OS do I choose?!
The plan is to have it plugged into the TV so I can use it to run XBMC or just play the videos directly using VLC. I'm tempted to just put Windows 7 on there as I know it does everything I want. However, I feel I should run Windows Home Server as it seems to be the 'done' thing.
Do you know if WHS will be able to act as a 'Time Machine' for my MacBook Air? Or have they done away with that ability in the latest OSX versions?
Would WHS give me any real benefits over Win 7 Ultimate?
Could I run OSX on it?! 
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Why run the OS from USB?
The OS's are basically all the same anyway. I'd personally stick normal server on it (server 8 I'd go for but 2008 would do).
Hope it's hidden away somewhere, will be a bit noisy to be plugged straight into TV.
I've got an old dual core fujitsu PC I acquired, it's running server 8 just now, that could equally be any windows OS though, it servers files, has serviio on it for DLNA to my TV, does my newsgroup stuff and got a couple of other bits on it as well.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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USB sticks are only useful for OS's like FreeNas, ESXI and the likes where everything is loaded into RAM; Windows and heavy linux distro's will run like pants.
And W2008/2012 is OTT personally as you'll never use 90% percent of the features, you'll be better off running a stripped out copy of Win7 or if you need remote backup, storage and the likes, WHS.
WHS for Time Machine is possible but it's a bit of a faff (recommend doing a Google and having a good read).
Not sure about OSX but i doubt everything will be supported. Get a list of all the N40 devices, reading OSX86/Insanely forums and seeing if there are KTexts available for everything.
However if you wanted to run OSX/OSX Server then you'd be better off using supported hardware.
If you get stuck then have a look on the OcUK forums, under the Servers subforum, as there is a huge thread on N36/N40s where folk are using them for all sorts.
Either way using a Microserver as a HTPC is a bit of an interesting choice. They're great for SME installs running SBS (and similar OS's) but they aren't terrible quiet (nothing like a full blown HP/Dell server but it's noticeable), not particularly powerful and not small or power efficient compared to dedicated HTPC boards (ION etc) or streamers.
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noshua
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Registered: 19th Nov 08
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Do you have a "smart tv"? You could use the server to stream to the tv then, save having it plugged in directly.
There's plenty of people doing the same as you (running it as a backup, downloader and xbmc).
There's also a massive thread on AVForums, not just OCUK. Also on HUKD.
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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WHS v1 does not support time machine (without hacks) WHS v2 does support time machines out the box.
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob_Quads
WHS v1 does not support time machine (without hacks) WHS v2 does support time machines out the box.
So I want to buy WHS 2011?
I have just read that WHS has been abandoned, I am guessing as Windows 8 is just around the corner? Is it worth just sticking a copy of Win8 on there?
I am aware of how to 'install' Win 7 
Any idea about WHS 2011 or Win 8?
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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Maybe I will wait for Server 2012 Essentials RC
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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You're a bit screwed for Time Machine support if you use WS (2008> ) as they don't support AFP. You can get OSX to use network shares but i've heard a few horror stories of data disappearing.
There's Netatalk but it's Linux and if you wanted it to still be a media player you'd need to run Netatalk within a VM; bit of a bodge that.
Tbf, i'm not sure why you didn't just get a decent raid/mirror NAS box (most support Time Machine out of the box) and a decent media streamer; wouldn't have been much more than the N40 and would have saved you a lot of fannying around 
Edit - However if you do install WS2008/2012, i'd be interested in hearing how well the N40 does. Have used the N36 with SBS and it runs but far from the quickest of things ie: 5-10mins booting, loading AD/Exchange/Management panels can take a few minutes.
[Edited on 22-07-2012 by Dom]
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John
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Registered: 30th Jun 03
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Exchange management centre takes forever to load up even on fast boxes, something wrong with MMC in general, loads of crashes over loads of different machines.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by John
Exchange management centre takes forever to load up even on fast boxes, something wrong with MMC in general, loads of crashes over loads of different machines.
Yet to have a MMC panel crash on me. Agree that they tend to be a bit slow in the loading but SBS+N36 is a bit of a piss-taker sometimes (more so in rebooting and doing updates; can easily take 40mins+ from the time it shuts down to getting a usable login).
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noshua
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Registered: 19th Nov 08
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I take it you don't have a MSDN/Dreamspark license?
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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I have got hold of a copy of WHS 2011 from a friend with MSDN access 
I will put a little build thread up if it is something people might be interested in?
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Doug
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Registered: 8th Oct 03
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Well it is all up and running. This is my first exposure to server software from a configuration point of view so it has been a learning curve.
Cracking little box and really not very loud at all
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noshua
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Registered: 19th Nov 08
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 good to hear.
Are you still using usenet for your media? If so I assume you have couch potato and sick beard setup with sabnzbd and xbmc?
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