Creat a Windows Home Server (part 2) - Configure Windows Home Server Settings & Manage Windows Home Server

Note

If you do not have your Connector CD, you can install the Connector software from the Software shared folder on Windows Home Server.

Manage Windows Home Server

With everything installed, you can now start personalizing Windows Home Server. You’ll need to create user accounts for everyone on your network and familiarize yourself with the shared folders on the new server. You’ll also want to browse the options in the Windows Home Server Console, where you can view computers and backups, server storage, the health of the network, and more.

User Accounts

User accounts let Windows Home Server know that it’s all right for the people on your network to access the shared folders on the new server. Without a user account configured on the server itself, users won’t be able to access the shared data on it.

To add a user account, follow these steps:

1.	From any networked computer with Windows Home Server Connector software installed, right-click the Windows Home Server icon in the Notification area of the taskbar.
2.	Click Windows Home Server Console. See Figure 3. Figure 3. The Windows Home Server Console option is available in the Notification area of any PC with the Windows Home Server Connector software installed.
3.	Type the password, and click the right arrow to proceed. The Window Home Console opens, and you have access to the Windows Home Console on the server. What you see here is exactly what you’d see if you logged on to the server itself and opened the console from the Windows Home Server PC.
4.	Click the User Accounts tab. See Figure 4. Figure 4. The User Accounts tab.
5.	Click Add, and work through the User Account Wizard. You’ll need to type the following: First name and optionally a last name. Logon name. (Use the same logon name used on other computers; it’s best if they match. If they don’t, users will be prompted each time they log on.) If you want the user to have remote access to the server. Remote access lets you use a Web browser to access your Windows Home Server files when you are away from home. Password. (Use the same password associated with the logon name used on other computers; it’s best if they match. If they don’t, users will be prompted each time they log on.) Access to shared folders (Full, Read, or None).
6.	Click Done.
7.	Repeat for the other users on your network computers.

Shared Folders

Shared folders let you store data on your new server so that others on the network can access them easily. Several shared folders are already created for you:

• Photos

• Music

• Videos

• Software

• Public

• A personal shared folder for each user account

You can also add your own folders to share and thus further personalize Windows Home Server. To add your own shared folder and view shared folders already created, follow these steps:

1.	From any networked computer with Windows Home Server Connector software installed, right-click the Windows Home Server icon in the Notification area of taskbar.
2.	Click Windows Home Server Console.
3.	Type the password, and click the right arrow to proceed. The Windows Home Console opens, and you have access to the Windows Home Console on the server. What you see here is exactly what you’d see if you logged on to the server itself and opened the console from the Windows Home Server PC.
4.	Click the Shared Folders tab. See Figure 5. Figure 5. Add a shared folder from the Shared Folders tab in the Windows Home Server Console.
5.	Click Add.
6.	Type a name for the server and, optionally, a description. Click Enable Folder Duplication if you have multiple hard drives. (Folder Duplication folders are duplicated across multiple drives, and if one drive fails, you have a secondary backup.) Click Next.
7.	Choose the level of access for each user. You can choose from Full, Read, or None. See Figure 6. Figure 6. Choose the level of access each user has to your new shared folder.
8.	Click Finish. Click Done.