Microsoft addresses Windows Home Server file corruption, promises fix
By Joshua Topolsky 
posted March 11th 2008 9:31AM
posted March 11th 2008 9:31AM
Remember that tiny little Windows Home Server glitch that was causing files to become corrupt for no apparent reason? Well, Microsoft has stepped up to bat with a fix... for June! That's right, all you have to do is hang on to your data-shredders for a few more months and the boys in Redmond will have this one sealed up tighter than a drum. The company has changed this issue's Knowledge Base article to reflect the new target, and suggests that users can avoid problems for the time being by using a command-line tool to move files, setting shared folders on WHS to read-only, and not using things like WMP to import to a home server -- certainly not the solutions most people are after. The company has also posted a note about the KB article on its WHS Team Blog, which we wouldn't call a straight-up apology, though it definitely has apologetic overtones. On the bright side, Microsoft says only a small number of users are having this issue, so in all likelihood, you don't even know what we're talking about! Lucky you.[Thanks, Brian]
Read - Knowledge Base article
Read - An update on KB #946676
Well, I've looked around and all I find are incomplete tutorials that only talk about how great and affordable a Linux server would be or I end up with incomplete setups. My issue is that a lot of people like to present Linux as the answer to all their problems. I don't have any problems with Linux at all. I've tried Linspire and Ubuntu. They're not that bad and keep on getting better with their GUI. I also know that there are plenty of Linux packages out there that are compiled to concentrate in certain functions, including Linux Media Center and the likes.
My question was that I'm looking for feedback, and perhaps links, to setups that have worked for some of the readers. That's all.
@Trent, I think that's the point - this isn't meant to be a Novell server with all the bells and whistles. And even if it was, you still wouldn't get the features that WHS has such as automatic backup of all PCs without file duplication, the ability to automatically expand the storage pool by just adding disks and most importantly simple, straight forward, two-minute configuration.
This corruption bug is a huge issue and it means that many people aren't using the file server aspect of their WHS to its full potential but you shouldn't dismiss the product so easily.
I have been running WHS as a business server seriously for several months and YES, this is a real issue, very serious and easily reproduced.
As stated by others in this forum, it does not appear to be related to specific programs used to edit files, rather it is an inherent problem I believe in the in the data migrator service used to manage data across multiple drives (triggered automatically on files you want backed up on a separate physical drive).
Somehow the service corrupts specific files and does not affect others. For example, every few days a specific excel file containing pricing information will be corrupted. Our staff remotely download the file occasionally, but never edit it.
This is a very serious problem, as it key data files that have been specifically targeted to be backed up are the very files that can be corrupted!!
I cannot believe Microsoft's slow response on this issue, as it completely undermines the reliability of an otherwise good product.
The official knowledgebase quotes from Microsoft, gloss over the problem as a minor issue affecting very few users. This is simply not true. I guarantee anyone using this product on significant data volumes on multiple drives that bothers to check file integrity will uncover corruption. Perhaps there are certain file types that cause the problem, but if a simple excel workbook with a few macros is vulnerable it doesn't invoke any confidence.
My advice. Simply do not use this product for critical data until the problem is resolved - you will regret it.
I'm also using as a business share, ton of graphics and media, I'm actually checking data out of our WHS on a T-1 at our office directly to my WHS at home on cable modem, and running the files from my laptop wirelessly with Adobe CS3 programs. At the same time Windows media center on Vista here on laptop is in process of loading media from the video, photo and music shares, and I'll be utilizing the HDMI output to show that content on big screen. I suppose we are high risk here, although seemingly redundant, we back up our data to other physical drives regularly albeit manual. I've been through allot of other so called solutions, one was Linux based file server on a NAS that simply gave out and I had a hell of a time finding a data recovery program that would support it, luckily I got my data back, then i tried another NAS drive from Fantom and that was a horrible experience, horrible support, I ended up ripping the 2 500gb drives out of the NAS box and built a WHS PC with them, and this thing has done everything I asked it to do. We can access our files remotely in 1 of 2 ways, using a Web Folders just like Explorer style browsing, or through WebDAV directly from Dreamweaver to check in and out files, now I'll be looking into adding SharePoint services for better version control. Having been thru other setups that I could not simply get to work, WHS has worked without allot of tinkering around or having to be a networking guru. Agreed, if eventually our data becomes corrupt the bells and whistles don't matter.
It sounds by your post the problem can happen if you are not working with data directly on the server (?) - meanwhile from business perspective, our fingers are crossed sicne this product answered our dilemas, and look forward to the Power pack update