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More Info on Windows Home Server "Vail"

Apr. 26, 2010 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Microsoft forwarded some more info about today's Vail announcement.

Later this morning (April 26), Microsoft will announce the availability of the public beta for the next version of Windows Home Server, code name "Vail." The announcement will be made on the Windows Home Server team blog.

The new version of Windows Home Server includes feature improvements in four key areas:

  • Extending media streaming outside the home or office
  • Improvements in multi-PC backup and restore
  • Simplified setup and user experience
  • Significantly expanded development and customization tools for partners

The announcement will also touch on these points:

  • The beta is available today for anyone to download and start testing. Users can sign up for and download the beta here: www.connect.microsoft.com/windowshomeserver
  • The beta runs on a 64-bit platform and is an English language build
  • As part of the beta, there’s also a new software development kit (SDK) for developers who want to create add-in applications using Vail’s new extensible programming model.
  • Microsoft is recommending that because this is beta code, testers should install the code on a secondary computer to ensure maximum testing scenarios and the best possible experience.

More info as it becomes available. This is clearly a developing story. :)

Discuss this Article 10

spivonious
on Apr 26, 2010
Any word on whether or not this will be OEM-only, as the first WHS was?
DarkSages
on Apr 26, 2010

@spivonious

Since they have made this beta release public I will asume it will be both OEM and you will be able to buy the disc.

This looks nice I got to play with this a while back can't wait to download this new version. I hope this will allow me to stream my recorded show in windows media center and my RIP DVD collection.

rtkachuk@shaw.ca
on Apr 26, 2010

@spivonious

WHS was never OEM only, it was available at retail for anyone, as well as via technet and MSDN.

UnnDunn
on Apr 26, 2010

Is there any word on what, if any Media Center functionalily WHS Codename Vail will have?

lethbridge1976
on Apr 26, 2010

I really hope that Microsoft offers some kind of way to upgrade from the current version of WHS to the new version.  I realize that there is the issue of going from 32 bit to 64 bit, but wouldn't it be possible to install Vail to a new harddrive or a partition of the system drive in the current WHS, and then have Vail just "absorb" all of the data?

Waethorn
on Apr 26, 2010

"WHS was never OEM only, it was available at retail for anyone"

Sorry but that's not true.  It was available directly to contract/royalty OEM's, and to OEM System Builders only.

Online wholesalers like Newegg would sell it to the general public, but it isn't legal for individuals to buy and use themselves.  Those were OEM System Builder copies, and the SBLA (System Builder License Agreement) states that the software had to be preinstalled on a computer and sold, bundled, to a third-party (FYI: that means not you, the buyer).

It was NEVER sold as a retail package.

Waethorn
on Apr 26, 2010

@lethbridge:

The best option they could offer would be a system-to-system migration, ala SBS.

Short of that, a backup and reformat would be the next best option.

Going from XP-based Server 2003 code to Windows 7-based Server 2008 R2 code just doesn't work.  Sorry.

rr0de74@live.com
on Apr 26, 2010
WHS the Apple TV of Microsoft. Cool concept that average consumers dont get.
anonymuos
on Apr 26, 2010

Why do all Microsoft products have: Simplified setup and user experience as a bulleted marketing material these days?

Waethorn
on Apr 27, 2010

"Why do all Microsoft products have: Simplified setup and user experience as a bulleted marketing material these days?"

Microsoft analyzes usage data on setup experiences and tries to cut back on the number of up-front customization options that are necessary for getting started by automating certain steps.  I can tell you that I've used the XP OEM Preinstallation Kit all the way to the current incarnation for Windows 7, and although there are certain complications moving from the XP codebase to the Vista codebase (like moving from text-based INI-style files for deployment, to XML-formatted files), the end-user Out-Of-Box-Experience (OOBE) has been enormously cut back.  Windows 7 also eliminates a few additional screens over Vista's OOBE, but XP could have as many as 23 (!!) separate screens for end-user setup on first boot.  Windows 7 averages about 4-5 (depending on which option screens are automated by the OEM).

Also, Windows 7 allows OEM's to prepopulate the Windows Experience Index score by analyzing the hardware in Audit Mode in the factory.  This eliminates the ~5 minute wait that Vista users would see on first boot where it says "Windows is analyzing the performance of your computer" (or however it was worded).  That cuts back first boot time and makes the UX better.

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