12 replies to this topic

[ChrisPauly]

I have an HP EX485 and just bought the WHS2011 OEM for $49 today. Then I started reading about the steps required to upgrade this box to 2011 and it sounds like I need BIOS access at the very least, which would require one of those special adapters for Media Smart servers.

I was wondering if anyone out there has an adapter and is interested in loaning it over a weekend to get a MediaServer upgraded? Or even better, someone who would take an HP EX485 box... and then would upgrade it to WHS2011 as a charged service.

After I quickly purchased WHS2011 because the price was what I was hoping to get it for some day, I now wonder if I should've waited and gotten it pre-installed on an OEM because I don't know if I'm up for the extra work ahead to get it on my existing box.

[Mr Fixit]

I have an HP EX485 and just bought the WHS2011 OEM for $49 today. Then I started reading about the steps required to upgrade this box to 2011 and it sounds like I need BIOS access at the very least, which would require one of those special adapters for Media Smart servers.

I was wondering if anyone out there has an adapter and is interested in loaning it over a weekend to get a MediaServer upgraded? Or even better, someone who would take an HP EX485 box... and then would upgrade it to WHS2011 as a charged service.

After I quickly purchased WHS2011 because the price was what I was hoping to get it for some day, I now wonder if I should've waited and gotten it pre-installed on an OEM because I don't know if I'm up for the extra work ahead to get it on my existing box.

Hi ChrisPauly,
Take a look at these instructions below, I used them to install Vail when it was in beta on my EX495 and it worked fine however that said I have not tried it with WHS 2011 after it was released. Just make sure you use the bottom USB port on the back of the EX and make sure there is no OS installed already. Best this to do is wipe the hard drive clean and only have one hard drive installed y you do the install, After the install you can add the other hard drives you have. I did not have to go into the BIOS at all.

Headless Install Instructions

Hope it helps

Edited by Mr Fixit, 19 July 2011 - 06:39 AM.

[diehard]

An other option is to start the installation on an other PC where you disconnect it's current hard drive in favor of the WHS2011 hard drive and start the install there. This way you can see what's going on and input the corrent information. Then when you get past the part where you added the server name, product ID and administrator account and it asks to reboot, then transfer the drive to the MediaSmart server. If all goes well, the server will do more crunching and "MIGHT" reboot up t 5 times then it should settle down and not reboot, after say 5 minutes you should see the server on your network and then you can use the RDC on your PC to Remote Desktop Connect to your server and finish the installation.

You have nothing to loose if it doesn't work. You can reformat the drive and try again or use an other method.

[ikon]

An other option is to start the installation on an other PC where you disconnect it's current hard drive in favor of the WHS2011 hard drive and start the install there. This way you can see what's going on and input the corrent information. Then when you get past the part where you added the server name, product ID and administrator account and it asks to reboot, then transfer the drive to the MediaSmart server. If all goes well, the server will do more crunching and "MIGHT" reboot up t 5 times then it should settle down and not reboot, after say 5 minutes you should see the server on your network and then you can use the RDC on your PC to Remote Desktop Connect to your server and finish the installation.

You have nothing to loose if it doesn't work. You can reformat the drive and try again or use an other method.

I like this idea; it's a cool trick, specially since I would never have thought of it

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

An other option is to start the installation on an other PC where you disconnect it's current hard drive in favor of the WHS2011 hard drive and start the install there. This way you can see what's going on and input the corrent information. Then when you get past the part where you added the server name, product ID and administrator account and it asks to reboot, then transfer the drive to the MediaSmart server. If all goes well, the server will do more crunching and "MIGHT" reboot up t 5 times then it should settle down and not reboot, after say 5 minutes you should see the server on your network and then you can use the RDC on your PC to Remote Desktop Connect to your server and finish the installation.

You have nothing to loose if it doesn't work. You can reformat the drive and try again or use an other method.

Wouldn't that put a lot of un-needed drivers on the server due to the different hardware? I guess all the reboots at the end is it trying to find and install all the drivers for the new hardware?

[diehard]

From what I read about Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2, The OS is hardware independent. You should be able to pull your drive and install it in an other box and it will rediscover the drivers and you should be good after a reboot. So this should work with WHS2011.

About the whole rebooting maybe 5 times, I was experiencing that when I installed the VAIL build which at the time had the DE stuff, it wasn't because of the drivers. It was because it would create a shared folder then reboot, create the next shared folder and reboot, untill all the shares were done. With the current build, there is no DE folders but I have not installed WHS2011 headless so that's why I said "MIGHT" reboot up to 5 times.

You could be right about un-needed drivers, I don't know. What should be happening is that during the install, the OS files are being copied to the drive and then your giving some server information, then when you move the drive to the real server after the reboot then it gets all the drivers and such. That's why I complete the install on the real server. This in combination with what I wrote up top has worked for a few folks. There must be some side effects from using this method, so it's good to know about using different methods.

If you run into problems just post here and I'll try and help.

Here's a different way http://www.mediasmar...php?f=3&t=10262

[ikon]

Ok, nobody has said it, so I will: having some extra drivers for non-existent hardware on the 2011 box is, IMHO, a non-issue. It's not like the drivers will get loaded. If the 2011 doesn't find a piece of hardware, it won't load a driver for it. In the end, all it costs is a bit of disk space and some time to get the proper drivers installed on the system.

[diehard]

Ok, nobody has said it, so I will: having some extra drivers for non-existent hardware on the 2011 box is, IMHO, a non-issue. It's not like the drivers will get loaded. If the 2011 doesn't find a piece of hardware, it won't load a driver for it. In the end, all it costs is a bit of disk space and some time to get the proper drivers installed on the system.

You are correct, sir.

[jeffla]

An other option is to start the installation on an other PC where you disconnect it's current hard drive in favor of the WHS2011 hard drive and start the install there. This way you can see what's going on and input the corrent information. Then when you get past the part where you added the server name, product ID and administrator account and it asks to reboot, then transfer the drive to the MediaSmart server. If all goes well, the server will do more crunching and "MIGHT" reboot up t 5 times then it should settle down and not reboot, after say 5 minutes you should see the server on your network and then you can use the RDC on your PC to Remote Desktop Connect to your server and finish the installation.

You have nothing to loose if it doesn't work. You can reformat the drive and try again or use an other method.

This is the path I chose and it was remarkably simple. Grabbed an old spare 160gb drive and stuck it in the old Athlon64 desktop and fired up the WHS2011 install cd. About 20 mins later I put the drive in the ex487(e5200) and after about 20 mins I checked and sure enough it was ready to setup. I think I had to open IE and go to ipaddress/connect or maybe just the ip address and it walked me through the install via IE. Super simple, one of the easiest OS installs I have done in recent years. If all goes bad, just stick in the old whsv1 drive and your back.


Please take pity on my shameless self promotion, but I would really like some help with my issue posted here:Connector Color

[JazJon]

I've done the pre-install WHS 2011 trick on another computer 2 times before. (works great)

I would turn OFF the computer after the "very" first reboot. You can actually finish the rest of the install via http://serverIPaddress/connect

Step 1) in WHS V1's Drive Extender pool, remove the system drive so it's not used for Drive Extender. (since you'll be formating the drive

Step 2) physically remove the WHS system drive and hook it up to ANOTHER desktop computer. (unplug all other drives, this is a temp setup)

Step 3) boot off your WHS 2011 DVD, let the install begin, and shut OFF the computer after the VERY first reboot.

Step 4) insert the hard drive back into the WHS, turn on & wait until you can ping it. (after 10 or 15 minutes)

Step 5) finish the rest of the install via http://serverIPaddress/connect
You'll be able to give the computer name, password, etc etc all from the remote desktop connection.
Be sure you UNINSTALL the old WHS V1 connector software on your client computer(s)before doing step 5

Step 6) install driver named 3531_x64_w7_1.5.20.1_logo.zip
http://www.siliconim...px?pid=80&cat=3

Step 7) install StableBit DrivePool beta, and enjoy drive extender with file duplication just as before!

NOTE - all your old V1 data will be in HIDDEN DE folders and can be accessed no problem.


Step 8) install the LED Drive Lights driver for 2011
http://forum.wegotse...er-for-whs-2011


PS, I could NOT ever get the USB install method to work, and the above is much easier actually anyway.

Edited by JazJon, 20 July 2011 - 03:11 AM.

[ikon]

very nice writeup JazJon. Am I correct in assuming steps 6 thru 8 are specific to your setup and aren't really needed to get 2011 up & running?

Edited by ikon, 20 July 2011 - 06:38 AM.

[diehard]

step 6 is the driver for the esata port on the EX49x model. You won't be able to use the external esata port without it. It would show up in the Device Manager with a yellow mark.

for step 8, the WHS2011 OS does not support the drive bay lights on the case, they will be off and the 3rd light along the bottom of the case will flash. This is unique to the HP software. A member at WGS has developed a driver that will make these case lights work properly.

[ikon]

step 6 is the driver for the esata port on the EX49x model. You won't be able to use the external esata port without it. It would show up in the Device Manager with a yellow mark.

for step 8, the WHS2011 OS does not support the drive bay lights on the case, they will be off and the 3rd light along the bottom of the case will flash. This is unique to the HP software. A member at WGS has developed a driver that will make these case lights work properly.

cool. So anyone using this method on a non-HP box should just ignore steps 6-8?