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Thinking of reformattting and reinstalling WHS

Question
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No matter what I try I cannot get the WHS Backup service started on the WHS box.
On the server, I type in "services.msc" and it shows the service is started but
when I go under the console under "computers and backups" and I chose my client computer
and tell it to turn on backups, it says the backup service is not running and to start it.
When I tried to install the connector software on my client, all went okay except when
it was trying to conigure the backups. It errored/timed out and said the backup service on the server
wasn't running.
I'm not sure what else to try..Wednesday, September 2, 2009 1:52 PM
All replies
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No matter what I try I cannot get the WHS Backup service started on the WHS box.
On the server, I type in "services.msc" and it shows the service is started but
when I go under the console under "computers and backups" and I chose my client computer
and tell it to turn on backups, it says the backup service is not running and to start it.
When I tried to install the connector software on my client, all went okay except when
it was trying to conigure the backups. It errored/timed out and said the backup service on the server
wasn't running.
I'm not sure what else to try..
I would try a Server Reinstallation as well. (I don't see how Services can show the Backup Service is running, yet the Console doesn't.)Wednesday, September 2, 2009 2:54 PMModerator -
Thanx for the reply.
Before I do so I have a question that I hope someone can
answer.I don't want to make any of the same mistakes I might have
made before to create the problem.After I installed the WSH, before I did anything else except
install a few drivers (video card and sound card), I plugged
in a freshly formatted 500GB USB External Hard drive into
the server. On the server it showed up like on any other
computer as its own drive letter.I then installed the Connector software on my client and
got the "backup services not running on the server" error
message.So, I read online and someone mentioned that when you
add an external USB hard drive to a WHS, you should ADD it
to the WHS via the Console. I did that but nother ever
worked as far as the backups.So, did I do something out of order or wrong? Should I have
ADDED the external hard drive before running the Connector software
I am required to ADD the hard drive? What benefit is it to add it?Any help would be appreciated.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 5:34 PM -
Thanx for the reply.
Before I do so I have a question that I hope someone can
answer.I don't want to make any of the same mistakes I might have
made before to create the problem.After I installed the WSH, before I did anything else except
install a few drivers (video card and sound card), I plugged
in a freshly formatted 500GB USB External Hard drive into
the server. On the server it showed up like on any other
computer as its own drive letter.I then installed the Connector software on my client and
got the "backup services not running on the server" error
message.So, I read online and someone mentioned that when you
add an external USB hard drive to a WHS, you should ADD it
to the WHS via the Console.
I did that but nother ever
Logging into the server desktop is "wrong", but that by itself won't hurt anything. It depends on what you did while there that may or may not have somehow messed up the backup service.
worked as far as the backups.So, did I do something out of order or wrong?
Should I have ADDED the external hard drive before running the Connector software
It shouldn't make any difference, but I would recommend you install the Connector software on the client, then connect the external drive to the server, then open the Console to either A) add the drive to the storage pool or B) assign it as a backup drive. (NOTE: Other people who have tried using an external USB drive as part of the storage pool have had issues with the drives "disappearing" from the pool. As such, you would be better off using it strictly as a backup drive.)
I am required to ADD the hard drive?
Yes. If you don't, WHS won't use it for anything.
What benefit is it to add it?
See my above point about the 2 different uses of hard drives on WHS.
Any help would be appreciated.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 8:14 PMModerator -
Hi,
if external drives work or fail, depends very much from the electronics in the enclosure, from the cabling and from the USB port itself.
Since from time to time users experienced trouble with external drives in the storage pool, we recommend as better practice, to use such disks only as backup disk for the shares.
Besides that, after installing WHS you always should apply all updates, as long as still upgrades are offered.
Check the version numbers in the console under settings/ressources (should be 2030.x).
Sometimes also the backup database may run into issues, which can only be solved by deleting it. This is one of the situations causing a crash of the backup service while a backup should be started.
Best greetings from Germany
OlafWednesday, September 2, 2009 8:21 PMModerator -
Thanx for your response.
I appreciate your insight into what's happening.
As far as logging into the server, I did nothing more than install video and audio drivers and then
use the console to add the usb hard drive. Since I hadn't added the Connector software yet
and I had already disconnected the monitor and keyboard, I did not know how else to do these functions.
One last question that I am not sure about..You said to open the Console to either add the drive to the storage pool or to give it a drive letter. If I recall, I just click the hard drive showing on the Console, click on ADD and then the rest was automated. I don't think it asked anything else.
I would prefer to just give it a drive letter and keep it out of the pool. And would the server know automatically to save the backups to it? How do I just add it as a drive letter?
*******
Okay. I answered my own question by reading a different forum as how to add a non-pooled drive
a drive letter so WHS can use it on the network.
But, I still have the question if the WHS will backup client data to the non-pooled drive and if so how.
Thanx again!Wednesday, September 2, 2009 10:15 PM -
Thanx for your response.
I appreciate your insight into what's happening.
As far as logging into the server, I did nothing more than install video and audio drivers and then
use the console to add the usb hard drive. Since I hadn't added the Connector software yet
and I had already disconnected the monitor and keyboard, I did not know how else to do these functions.
One last question that I am not sure about..You said to open the Console to either add the drive to the storage pool or to give it a drive letter.
If I recall, I just click the hard drive showing on the Console, click on ADD and then the rest was automated. I don't think it asked anything else.
In order to use the external drive as a backup drive, you need to have at least Power Pack 1 installed first. Chances are you didn't, in which case you should keep installing updates until the Console reports there are no new updates for Windows Home Server.I would prefer to just give it a drive letter and keep it out of the pool.
You can do that, but since that would involve using the server desktop, it's unsupported.
And would the server know automatically to save the backups to it?
No. You need to use the server backup tool included with Power Pack 1.
How do I just add it as a drive letter?
Again, there is no supported way of doing that.Wednesday, September 2, 2009 10:32 PMModerator -
You said to open the Console to either add the drive to the storage pool or to give it a drive letter. If I recall, I just click the hard drive showing on the Console, click on ADD and then the rest was automated. I don't think it asked anything else.
If your WHS is not updated to at least Power Pack 1, you will have no choice for selecting, if the drive should be added to the storage pool or as backup drive. This would explain the full automatic behavior.
Best greetings from Germany
OlafThursday, September 3, 2009 6:59 AMModerator