Why these manufacturers can't expose a simple VGA port on the back of the device is beyond me.
In any case, you'll need to follow the server recovery procedure documented on page 94 of your user's manual exactly. Here is a direct link to a Zip file from the Acer global support site:
http://global-download.acer.com/GDFiles/Document/User%20Manual/User%20Manual_Acer_1.0_A_A.zip?acerid=634595136245720067&Step1=REVO&Step2=REVO&Step3=RC111&OS=ALL&LC=en&BC=ACER&SC=PA_6
Don't expect to be able to find the server on a wireless
network while performing recovery. I don't have experience with this product, but you will almost certainly need to connect your systems to a wired Ethernet network during this process. Is your D-Link router also a wired switch? If so, there should
be several Ethernet jacks on the rear of the router. Plug the server into one, and your client PC into another, then attempt the recovery process.
I don't think having Windows 8 on your client PC should be an issue.
If after following these instructions exactly you still can't get things sorted, you'll just have to reach out to Acer Support. (I did read somewhere that the server may have a "hidden" VGA port which you can access if you remove the case;
however, you'll still need a Windows Home Server installation media and a product key. I've only got experience with the retail WHS product, not with OEM distributions, so I can't really say how you could make use of this.)
It goes without saying that if you do get things recovered, you should follow the initial setup and install instructions to the letter the second time, and make sure to supply user names, passwords, or whatever else is needed.
FYI, once any WHS is up and running, you can also use Remote Desktop from any client PC to log directly into the server using the built-in 'Administrator' account and the server password you supplied during set up (assuming the Acer exposes this to you). This
procedure will allow you to run the WHS Dashboard locally on the server to set up new user accounts should you somehow get locked out of the Launchpad on your client PC.
Edit: is your server still functional from your original install, and does the server show up by name on your network in Windows File Explorer? If so, you may not need to do a full recovery if you have the server password. You should be able
to just reinstall the Connector on the client, then log in. Have you tried this?
Good luck.
