Windows Home Server bug corrupts iTunes, Zune, lots of other apps

Uh-oh -- it looks like the nasty Windows Home Server bug that corrupts data affects quite a few more apps than Microsoft initially let on. The company's just updated the WHS support note to include reports of data corruption when using iTunes, the Zune software, WinAmp, WMP 11, Photoshop, and a host of other applications -- and the problem's expanded in scope as well, now affecting files saved to the server in addition to files edited on the server. That basically makes WHS useless as of right now -- if you can't trust your data on it, there's no point -- so let's hope there's a fix on the way.

[Via wegotserved]

[TRAFFICBLOWS Posted Feb 21st 2008 7:34PM]

lol... my unopened whs box w/ software has been sitting in my basement for a while now, too... guess where it's going to stay for even longer!

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 2:00PM]

Currently running WHS with 6 hard disks attached... I loaded all of my media onto the storage using robocopy. Been running for 2 months with no problems so far. Hopefully it'll be fixed before that ever happens *knock on wood*.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 2:04PM]

Sorry to be slightly off-topic but does anyone know if it is possible to map a network drive representing my WHS (or particular shared folders on it like Music) to a Vista Business machine when I am not on my home network (i.e. at work)? I love having access to files wherever I have an internet connection but I HATE that you have to access them one at a time through a web interface. I'd love to have the WHS just appear as another drive or folder and use the standard windows explorer shell to manipulate the files (drag and drop, copy multiple files, etc.)

Thanks,

Jason

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 2:13PM]

Yes, it's not good that this bug exists at all. But in all fairness, it only affects WHS servers with more than one disk drive. A WHS server with a sigle 500gb drive, for example, will not see this problem.

As to Jason's question about mapping over the network, you might do better posting your question at the WHS community forum at:
http://forums.microsoft.com/windowshomeserver/default.aspx?siteid=50

-kw
[SBS MVP]

[JGE Posted Feb 21st 2008 2:22PM]

The problem with MS is that they don't really employ any beta testers. They have programmers and alpha testers. The consumers are the beta testers - saves money. So when you see an MS product going through RC1 and RC2, that's just the Alpha testing. Once the early adopters purchase it, then it's going through beta. That's why we get the little pop ups asking us to report the problem when something crashes. SP1 is actually the real RC1, SP2 is RC2, and SP3 is Gold.

[Eddie W Posted Feb 21st 2008 3:37PM]

I'm kind of sick of the Windows/Linux argument. Each has serious strengths and weaknesses. Part of the problem with this argument is that you have to look at each operating system differently. Windows is a product. You pay for it and you expect support. For the most part, Linux isn't a product (yes, there are many exceptions, including the new eee pc's system). You get it for free and it was largely coded by people who are doing it because they care about creating a system that works for what they want it to do. Linux is really a project more than a product. Windows users ask if it's going to be as easy to do as with Windows. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. In this case I would doubt it (although I haven't used WHS, I'm guessing it's much easier to set up than a Linux server). You're going to have to set it up for yourself, but there's going to be a lot of people on forums to help you. You might complain about this, but in the end, whether you get it to work or not, you won't have paid anything for it because it's a community project, not a product.

[LJKelley Posted Feb 21st 2008 4:48PM]

#1) Microsoft strongly cautions about messing with your HDD on the WHS. I this is probably when you edit a file on it rather than your PC and the copy it over (thru automated backups or directly over to shared folder). This is because WHS is not a RAID Server but is more like the Drobo where anysize drive can be added or removed at any moment. Hopefully Microsoft will get this fixed, but for now as stated do not directly edit files on the Data partition (shared folders etc).

#2) Now I have the eval version. I would gladly take a free Linux distro Home Server that just installs and is done. It need to backup everything on my computer, NOT USE RAID but use HDD of ANY size. It needs to come with a restore CD, so that if my computer fails I can just insert the CD and have it restore perfectly from the backup. It also needs to stream music, video, and pictures and have shares.

[(Unverified) Posted Feb 21st 2008 8:04PM]

and of course when Quicktime 7.4 release crippled all adobe softwares for months, engadget didnt even say a word about it!

thanks engadget

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 3rd 2008 9:15AM]

I've lost all trust in WHS.

Near loss of 16,000+ photos and program installation files corrupted. And this is just the 2ND TIME FOR THIS.

After the first corruption I reformatted and reloaded. Carefull not to install ANY Add-Ins and keep the system to a minimum. Only downloaded all patches and drivers to be up to date.

Then copied all photos back, setup PC backups...and let the system sit with not real usage. This past weekend after 1-2 weeks...photos are now corrupted AGAIN.

You may have not experienced any problems...but I would not trust it without your data being on another system.

Some data was recovered from the WHS duplication files I found buried...others were still corrupted. Don't think duplication will save you...it may even be the probelm. That is my next test...no duplication to see how long the data is good.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 2nd 2008 6:38PM]

Hey mufdvr3669

have a look at this http://www.apple.com/timecapsule/ what extra software?????????????????