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How do I change the home page of WHS?

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I have been having fun with the warious add ons but wanted to change the home page of WHS - how do you do this?

Sunday, August 12, 2007 12:57 PM

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If you want to have a page you create display when someone comes to your site instead of the page which is displayed now, it is very easy to do. Just follow the three steps below.

Note: Always make a back up of any core file you are going to change. This will allow you to easily revert back to the default functionality. As a tip, I usually leave it right where it originally lived (so you will know where it goes) and add an extension of ".original" to the file.

On the WHS machine, navigate to c:\inetpub\wwwroot.

Open the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.htm file for editing by right-clicking it and choosing "edit".

Make the change detailed below and save the file. That's it!

Original Code

<script language="javascript">
document.location = 'home/Default.aspx?gotodefault=true';
</script>

Edited Code

<script language="javascript">
document.location = 'home/Default.htm';
</script>

Let me explain what you are doing in this change. First, c:\inetpub\wwwroot\ is the true root of your WHS website. When someone navigates your WHS server using "http://[yourservername].homeserver.com" they actually are hitting c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.htm which redirects them to c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.aspx?gotodefault=true using a javacript command. You just changed the command to redirect to your page instead.

In the example change above I am redirecting to the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\home\Default.htm file by using a "relative" path. You can also use a "fully qualified" path like http://[yourservername].homeserver.com/home/Default.htm if you want. This change assumes your new page is Default.htm and it lives in the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\home\ directory.

Potential Gotchas

The original landing page has a "Log On" button which redirects users to the login page for your WHS. If you forget to provide access to this page, "Remote/logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fremote%2fDefault.aspx" from your new custom landing page, users will not be able to log in and access your WHS site unless they knew the URL.

As I mentioned in the explaination above, the code change you are making is javascript. Please make sure the semi-colon ":" is at the end of the line. Yes, it will work in some browsers without it, but there are situations when it won't work without it. To ensure maximum compatibility end the line with the semi-colon.

You don't have to use the filename and paths I used in my example if you don't want, but make sure your URL is correct or you will "break" your WHS website and no one will be able to use it.

Once your WHS website is "live" and you have given people access to it, make sure you manage it for what it is, a "live" website. Even simple changes, like the one above, can bring your site down. For example, if you change the javascript to redirect to your custom page and it does not yet exist, your users will get an HTML 404 error.

Expanded Options

If you are comfortable with HTML development and website management, you can make your own website and change the javascript to point to it.

If you are comfortable with ASP or .Net development, you can create your own web application and change the javascript to point to it. There is no reason you have to settle for the limitations of an HTML page! I would suggest you create a new website in IIS for your application and put it into its own AppPool if you decide to go this route.

As you can see, there is a lot that can be done to customize the experience of your WHS server. Just make sure to keep the modifications to the "core" files to a minimum so updates from Microsoft don't overwrite your efforts. In my opinion, the form of modificaition I am suggesting is "best practice" for implementing a custom landing page because it limits the modifications to core WHS files.

Please reply if you have any other questions. I am Consultant (developer) in "real life", so I deal with this kind of thing daily. I am new to WHS and am excited to see what I can make it do. Changing the home page is my first step, so I thought I would share what I know so you can easily change yours as well.

When you are done with your custom pages, post your links here so we can see your handy work!!
- Edited by Ranbou Saturday, June 6, 2009 2:15 AM
- Proposed as answer by Ranbou Saturday, June 6, 2009 2:15 AM
- Marked as answer by Ken WarrenModerator Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:36 PM
Saturday, June 6, 2009 1:27 AM

R_usty wrote:

I have been having fun with the warious add ons but wanted to change the home page of WHS - how do you do this?

Hi,

To modify the web design or a look, in your WHS folder:

C:\Inetpub\home\images\ for the home
C:\Inetpub\remote\images\ for the remote.

Just replace the images with the same name and a like.

Also here for changing the layout as well in this topic

Also, here a quote that have full explain issue:

judgeschambers wrote:

Well, there is no need to be limited by just the set size and file name that is in WHS.

The pics are here: C:\Inetpub\home\images
The web page file is here: C:\Inetpub\home
The current pic is: i_landingpage_main.png

Now, find any picture you want and copy it to the C:\Inetpub\home\images folder
Keep your size reasonable. Don't want it to hog the whole page now...
In C:\Inetpub\home you will see a file called default.aspx . This file is basically the file that controls how the web page looks and what pictures to use. Just right click it and select "Edit."
It will open in Note Pad.
Scroll half way down and you will find the original text for the main picture <td background="images/i_landingpage_main.png" width="759">

Now change the file name to match the name of the pic you placed in the images folder.
Example: <td background="images/myfavoritepic.jpg" width="759">
You can adjust the width=759 up or down to widen the table holding your pic.
You can adjust the height with the code just above your pic code: <table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="images/i_lightblue_u.png" height="593"> But leave the images text "/i_lightblue_u.png" alone! Just adjust the "593" number up or down to match your pic height. This affects the height of the table...
To save your changes go to the top and click "File" and then "save."
Now go to your home page and refresh. Whala.
Adjust the width and height numbers in the default.aspx file, hit save, and refresh your
home page unitl the pic is just right.

I would advise making a copy of the ORIGINAL default.aspx file and putting it in the shared folder of WHS should you totally screw up your code. .LOL. Then you can just copy and paste the original file back, overwriting the messed up default.aspx file and putting WHS back to stock. If you know a little bit about HTML and tables you can figure this out.... Be careful!!

Use Remote Access to get to the WHS desktop or use a KVM switch to get into the WHS desktop. This cannot be done through the console...

If you actully want another page be as the one come up insed of the one from /home, you have to add another web site, and give it the main ip, and remove the ip from /home, but that involt modfy the IIS in your WHS.

Hope that help.

My best.

Sunday, August 12, 2007 2:36 PM

All replies

R_usty wrote:

I have been having fun with the warious add ons but wanted to change the home page of WHS - how do you do this?

judgeschambers wrote:

Sunday, August 12, 2007 2:36 PM

If you want to have a page you create display when someone comes to your site instead of the page which is displayed now, it is very easy to do. Just follow the three steps below.

Note: Always make a back up of any core file you are going to change. This will allow you to easily revert back to the default functionality. As a tip, I usually leave it right where it originally lived (so you will know where it goes) and add an extension of ".original" to the file.

On the WHS machine, navigate to c:\inetpub\wwwroot.
Open the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.htm file for editing by right-clicking it and choosing "edit".
Make the change detailed below and save the file. That's it!

Original Code

<script language="javascript">
 document.location = 'home/Default.aspx?gotodefault=true';
</script>

Edited Code

<script language="javascript">
 document.location = 'home/Default.htm';
</script>

Let me explain what you are doing in this change. First, c:\inetpub\wwwroot\ is the true root of your WHS website. When someone navigates your WHS server using "http://[yourservername].homeserver.com" they actually are hitting c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.htm which redirects them to c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Default.aspx?gotodefault=true using a javacript command. You just changed the command to redirect to your page instead.

In the example change above I am redirecting to the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\home\Default.htm file by using a "relative" path. You can also use a "fully qualified" path like http://[yourservername].homeserver.com/home/Default.htm if you want. This change assumes your new page is Default.htm and it lives in the c:\inetpub\wwwroot\home\ directory.

Potential Gotchas

The original landing page has a "Log On" button which redirects users to the login page for your WHS. If you forget to provide access to this page, "Remote/logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fremote%2fDefault.aspx" from your new custom landing page, users will not be able to log in and access your WHS site unless they knew the URL.
As I mentioned in the explaination above, the code change you are making is javascript. Please make sure the semi-colon ":" is at the end of the line. Yes, it will work in some browsers without it, but there are situations when it won't work without it. To ensure maximum compatibility end the line with the semi-colon.
You don't have to use the filename and paths I used in my example if you don't want, but make sure your URL is correct or you will "break" your WHS website and no one will be able to use it.
Once your WHS website is "live" and you have given people access to it, make sure you manage it for what it is, a "live" website. Even simple changes, like the one above, can bring your site down. For example, if you change the javascript to redirect to your custom page and it does not yet exist, your users will get an HTML 404 error.

Expanded Options

If you are comfortable with HTML development and website management, you can make your own website and change the javascript to point to it.
If you are comfortable with ASP or .Net development, you can create your own web application and change the javascript to point to it. There is no reason you have to settle for the limitations of an HTML page! I would suggest you create a new website in IIS for your application and put it into its own AppPool if you decide to go this route.

As you can see, there is a lot that can be done to customize the experience of your WHS server. Just make sure to keep the modifications to the "core" files to a minimum so updates from Microsoft don't overwrite your efforts. In my opinion, the form of modificaition I am suggesting is "best practice" for implementing a custom landing page because it limits the modifications to core WHS files.

Please reply if you have any other questions. I am Consultant (developer) in "real life", so I deal with this kind of thing daily. I am new to WHS and am excited to see what I can make it do. Changing the home page is my first step, so I thought I would share what I know so you can easily change yours as well.

When you are done with your custom pages, post your links here so we can see your handy work!!

Edited by Ranbou Saturday, June 6, 2009 2:15 AM
Proposed as answer by Ranbou Saturday, June 6, 2009 2:15 AM
Marked as answer by Ken WarrenModerator Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:36 PM

Saturday, June 6, 2009 1:27 AM

I put a quick landing page together to prove out the solution. I will do more with it later, but I thought I would share it with all of you. Please feel free to let me know what you think.

https://thebouquets.homeserver.com

I am interested in seeing what designs the rest of the community comes up with so post the here and show them off!

Monday, June 8, 2009 2:08 PM

Very nice! A little wide, though. :)

One thing you will need to be careful of is the installation of additional power packs, updates, etc. If Microsoft modifies the remote access site you may well find your work replaced with the original again.

I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)

Monday, June 8, 2009 6:54 PM

Moderator

That shouldn't be an issue if they just "lay down" the files over the old one because I created a new file, "welcome.aspx", instead of updating one of the core files. As for the javascript redirection, you are absolutely correct, I will have to make that change again. However, a one line change is no big deal. I tried to figure out another way to make the change without changing any of the core files, but couldn't. :(

True, it is wide. :)

That is one of the joys about developing for a known audience. You can take certain indulgences like that. The reason for the width is because of my plans for the page. I am going to have the part at the bottom of the graphic, where the WHS log is created be a menu. The menu will cause a section below the graphic to be revealed and will turn into a tab to show what is selected. This will be used to explain to users of the site what they can do with the site. It is because of that content I chose to go so wide. Well, that and the fact that everyone with and actual login has a widescreen monitor! :) Thanks for the advice. It was spot on!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 3:38 AM

I haven't tried this yet, but couldn't you just create your new site as a new IIS site on say port 81, and then modify your router to map the external port 80 to the WHS port 81. This shouldn't interfere with the remote access stuff since that is all happening on https or port 443.

You then never have to worry about any updates modifying your site.

Edited by Jean Marois Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:06 AM typo

Saturday, September 12, 2009 2:06 AM

Potential Gotchas

The original landing page has a "Log On" button which redirects users to the login page for your WHS. If you forget to provide access to this page, "Remote/logon.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fremote%2fDefault.aspx" from your new custom landing page, users will not be able to log in and access your WHS site unless they knew the URL.

When creating a custom page is it possible to create an area on the page that can be clicked for login, but has no label? For example, if you click within 1"x1" square in the lower right corner, it acts the same?

Chris

Thursday, October 1, 2009 12:43 PM

Hi Guys i have a few ? I badly need arnsered

1 is it possiable to transfare all data files setting from a windows home server to a second

2003 server and keep all the os settings ect

or If I add aredirect to a new default home page and build

a new default index page to bulid a public site for friends so as to give asses to our sporting and vido pics as well

and added the links to them on this extre site will whs still sream the media

if it is link to it with a embeded player such as windows moya or dvix

i have bebing 2 months tryng to get to work on my home pc

and i am so reay to give up

Please realy nrrfsome help with this

iam on skype @ the_blackrose42 or you could E-MAIL me mailto:michelleepee@hotmail.com

with the up most

regards & best wishes

Michelle Murray

Monday, January 17, 2011 2:02 AM

Ranbou,

I really like your design. I am no genius to web design by any means, however I have played around with a bit of HTML and Wordpress, I would like to get the files you use to create this page, and instructions where to put them so I can customize mine and obviously add my own pictures and such. I don't need your main image, just the HTML and whatever else you think I will need.

Thanks very much

tallen8@hotmail.com

Tom

Saturday, February 19, 2011 7:42 PM

Hi,

I have not much experience and I would like to get rid off of WHS links for user's guide, online support, registration and shop HP

How can I do this, please?

Thanks

Monday, March 7, 2011 6:55 PM

Excellent guide.

I went for option 2.

I have created my own website and I have changed the default.htm in my WHS.

Now my WHS landing page is pointing to my own page

Thanks a lot for such a guide Ranbou

Sunday, March 13, 2011 4:38 PM

This is great! However, I just updated to WHS 2011. Anyone have a guide as how to do the same thing in that version?

Thanks for any help

Friday, June 10, 2011 10:56 PM

I have changed my home page and the images but the window is small. Where is the code to increase the window to full screen?

Thanks

Saturday, June 18, 2011 9:32 PM

This is great! However, I just updated to WHS 2011. Anyone have a guide as how to do the same thing in that version?

Thanks for any help

Hi Raydb

Did you find out how to get the home page up in WHS 2011 ??

I have both servers (WHS [1] and WHS [2001]) running on my network, and I am gradually moving over to WHS [2011] - unfortunately I cannot have both WEB pages running at once and cannot connect to both servers from the one PC!!

However, WHS [1] is still backing up the PCs connected to it and WHS [2011] is backing up "its" PCs - I guess I can now backup (or make images) of up to 20 PCs ;-)

When I managed to get the xxx.homeserver.com working I thought I was "right" all I had to do was create a page the same as the one on my old WHS [1] ... unfortunately I am still trying.

The files mentioned for WHS [1] and the folders like c:\inetpub\wwwroot\home\ don't exist!! :-(

I am going to try to create them and see if that fixes the problem, but I suspect it will not !!

- this is especially so, as I have not been able to find any discussion else where about WHS [2011] home page modification or creating a "public" web page like the one whiist created for WHS [1]!

regards,

Ray

Proposed as answer by lutges Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:27 PM
Unproposed as answer by lutges Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:27 PM
Proposed as answer by lutges Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:30 PM

Thursday, September 1, 2011 5:19 AM

the file you're looking for is located in

C:\Program Files\Windows Server\Bin\WebApps\RemoteAccess

the only problem is i don't know what you'll have to change to get it to work could someone write a quik tutorial about it ?

Proposed as answer by lutges Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:30 PM

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 4:30 PM

Hello, your post is dated 2009, however, it does interest me.

that's what I am trying to find out. How to change the default page accessed from remote computer.

I followed your instructions but couldn't find any default.htm inside the wwwroot folder.

My whs is the 2011 version, it might have been changed I guess.

Any directions would be more than welcome !

thk you very much in advance,

Eric

Sunday, July 20, 2014 1:22 PM

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How do I change the home page of WHS?

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