Aspire easyStore Series User Guide
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iii Safety instructions Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. Turning the product off before cleaning Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.
iv Warnings • Do not use this product near water. • Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product falls, it could be seriously damaged. • Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface.
v • Do not overload a power outlet, strip or receptacle by plugging in too many devices. The overall system load must not exceed 80% of the branch circuit rating. If power strips are used, the load should not exceed 80% of the power strip's input rating. • This product's power supply is equipped with a three-wire grounded plug. The plug only fits in a grounded power outlet. Make sure the power outlet is properly grounded before inserting the power supply plug.
vi Note: Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition. Disposal instructions Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding. To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global environment, please recycle.
vii Regulations and safety notices FCC statement This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This device generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
viii Remarque à l'intention des utilisateurs canadiens Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
ix Acer Incorporated 333 West San Carlos St. San Jose, CA 95110, U.S.A. Tel: 254-298-4000 Fax: 254-298-4147 www.acer.com Federal Communications Commission Declaration of Conformity This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
x Acer Incorporated 8F, 88, Sec.1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih Taipei Hsien 221, Taiwan Declaration of Conformity We, Acer Computer (Shanghai) Limited 8F, 88, Sec.1, Hsin Tai Wu Rd., Hsichih, Taipei Hsien 221, Taiwan Contact Person: Mr. Easy Lai Tel: 886-2-8691-3089 Fax: 886-2-8691-3120 E-mail: easy_lai@acer.com.
xi Council Decision 98/482/EC (CTR21) for pan- European single terminal connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC on the Restriction of the Use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment The standards listed below are applied to the product if built with WLAN module or wireless keyboard and mouse. R&TTE Directive 1999/5/EC as attested by conformity with the following harmonized standard: • • • Article 3.
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1 Features Specifications Overview Front view Rear view System LED indicators 2 3 4 4 5 6 2 Setting up the system 11 Check package contents 12 Select a location 13 Recommended environment 14 Connect the power cord 15 Connect to the home network 16 Power on the system 17 Install the Windows Home Server Connector on the first computer 18 Install the Windows Home Server Connector on the client computers 31 Connect to the Home Server Console 34 3 Windows Home Server Console Computers & Backup User Account
xiv Settings for iTunes Server Resources Shut Down 60 61 61 4 Managing the server 63 Create user accounts Add a shared folder Configure backup for home computers Back up the home server Configure the home server for remote access Access the Aspire easyStore Series home page Access the shared folders on the home server Enable media sharing Enable Digital Media Server Enable iTunes service Stream audio Using the one-touch USB backup feature Set up Wake On LAN on the home server Set the home server uptime
1 1 Introduction Thank you for choosing Aspire easyStore Series. The Aspire easyStore Series is a data storage and digital media content server for your digital home. Featuring an Intel® Atom™ processor, up to 2 GB memory, four-drive hot-swap bay*, Gigabit Ethernet, eSATA and four USB ports for extended storage, a USB backup port for backing up data from a USB storage device, and a recovery/reset button to recover from a system failure or reset the system to factory default.
2 1 Introduction Features • Powerful processor with excellent file sharing performance. • Fast network performance in the home is delivered through a Gigabit Ethernet connection. • Equipped with Microsoft’s Windows Home Server operating system to help you centralize and connect your digital assets. • Back up home computers daily. See “Configure backup for home computers” on page 71 for more information.
3 Specifications Processor Intel® Atom™ Processor Chipset Intel 945GC Express Chipset and ICH7R Drive storage Up to four 3.5-inch hot-swappable SATA hard disk drives (HDD) Memory Up to 2 GB DDR2 MHz unbuffered SDRAM Ethernet High performance (10/100/1000) Gigabit Ethernet port I/O ports USB 2.
4 1 Introduction Overview Front view No. Icon Component 1 Power button/power indicator 2 Network indicator 3 Hard disk drive (HDD) status indicator 4 System status indicator 5 USB backup button/USB backup indicator 6 USB 2.
5 Rear view No.
6 1 Introduction System LED indicators Front panel LED indicators The LED indicators mounted on the front panel provide information about the status of the system, its hard drives, and network connection. No.
7 No. Indicator Color State Description 3 HDD status (4) Purple On • System not initialized • HDD is not mounted into the drive bay Random • HDD is mounted into the drive blink bay and is in the process of being manually added into the server storage • HDD is in the process of being removed from the server storage. For detailed instructions on how to add or remove a drive from the server storage, see “5 Configuring the hard disk drive” on page 107.
8 1 Introduction No. Indicator Color State 4 System status Blue Random • System is booting blink • System is shutting down On Description System initialize operation completed.
9 Gigabit Ethernet port LED indicators No.
10 1 Introduction
11 2 Setting up the system Follow these steps to set up Aspire easyStore Series to run in your home network.
12 2 Setting up the system Check package contents Check the following items from the package: • Aspire easyStore Series system • Power cord • Network cable • Aspire easyStore Series Installation discs • Software Installation Disc Use this disc to do the following: - Install the Windows Home Server Connector software. Refer to “Install the Windows Home Server Connector on the first computer” on page 18 for detailed instructions. - Install the Lights Out Client.
13 Select a location Before unpacking and installing the system, select a suitable site for the system for maximum efficiency. Consider the following factors when choosing a site for the system: • Near a grounded power outlet • Clean and dust free • Stable surface free from vibration • Well-ventilated and away from sources of heat • Secluded from electromagnetic fields produced by electrical devices such as air conditioners, radio, TV transmitters, etc.
14 2 Setting up the system Recommended environment For best results, your computer should meet the following hardware and software requirements: • Processor • System memory • • 1 GHz Pentium 3, Pentium 4, AMD x64, or newer processor 512 MB or above • Hard drives • Operating system • • • 80 GB internal (ATA, SATA, or SCSI) as primary drive • Windows Vista Home Basic • Windows Vista Home N (EU only) • Windows Vista Home Premium • Windows Vista Business • Windows Vista Business N (EU o
15 Connect the power cord Plug the power cord into the power connector and the other end into an electrical outlet.
16 2 Setting up the system Connect to the home network Important: Connect the Aspire easyStore Series to your broadband router with a network cable. Wireless connection to your broadband router is not supported. However, home computers that are connected through a wireless connection is supported. Connect one end of the network cable into the network port and the other end to a Gigabit Ethernet port on a broadband router.
17 Power on the system After making sure that you have set up the system properly and connected all the required cables, you can now power on the system. Press the power button to turn system on. The LED indicators on the front panel will flash, change colors and turn to solid blue after startup. Note: During initial startup, the system status indicator on the front panel will flash red and turn to solid blue. This is a normal power-up sequence.
18 2 Setting up the system Install the Windows Home Server Connector on the first computer After setting up your Aspire easyStore Series, you must install the Windows Home Server Connector on your computer. Note: Prior to installing the Windows Home Server Connector, make sure you have administrator privileges. Refer to the Windows Help for more details on changing your user account settings. 1 Place the Aspire easyStore Series Software Installation Disc in the optical drive of the first home computer.
19 2 Click Install the software on the computer and then click Next. 3 Click Install to begin the installation process. The Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 and Windows Installer 3.1 components are installed.
20 2 Setting up the system After the components are installed, the Windows Home Server Connector installation starts to find and connect to your Aspire easyStore Series. Once the server is found, the Welcome window appears.
21 4 Click Next. 5 Click Next. 6 Select the “Download the updates from my home server and install them automatically” option button if you want to download the updates for the Connector.
22 2 Setting up the system Note: Performing the initial Windows Update automatically may take up to one hour. You may select Let me download and install the updates myself to speed up the process. 7 Click Next. 8 Select the “Yes, wake up this computer if it is in sleep or hibernate mode and back it up” option button if you want Windows Home Server to wake up your sleeping computer to back it up.
23 9 Click Next. 10 Click Next to perform an initial configuration of the home server. Note: The initial configuration of the home server is performed once on the first home computer.
24 2 Setting up the system Note: You will not be able to perform the initial configuration on a default resolution of 1024 x 600. You will need to switch to a higher resolution before doing the initial configuration. 11 Click the Next arrow. The Windows Home Server initialization begins and could take several hours depending on your hardware. 12 Once the initialization is completed, click the Next arrow.
25 13 Enter a name for your home server. The name of your home server can contain a maximum of 15 characters (includes letters, numbers or hyphens) with no spaces. 14 Click the Next arrow. 15 Enter a strong Windows Home Server administrator password, confirmation password, and a password hint. This is the password that you can use to manage your home server from the Windows Home Server Console.
26 2 Setting up the system server and client PC. Connect the two and insert the Server Recovery Disc into the client PC's optical drive to start the process. 16 Click the Next arrow. 17 Select the “User recommended settings” option button if you want to use Windows Update to automatically download and install updates for Windows Home Server, then click the Next arrow.
27 18 Choose if you want to participate in the Customer Experience Improvement program, then click the Next arrow. 19 Choose if you want to participate in the Windows Error Reporting program, then click the Next arrow.
28 2 Setting up the system 20 Click the Next arrow to automatically download and install available Windows Home Server updates. This could take some time to complete but will not need additional information from you. Important: Do not restart or turn off your home server during the update process. 21 Once installation is complete the Windows Home Server windows displays.
29 22 Click the Next arrow. The Windows Home Server log in window displays. You can now manage the home server through the remote admin console. 23 Enter the administrator password, then click the Next arrow. The Setting Password dialog box appears.
30 2 Setting up the system 24 Enter the administrator password to start the hardware health and performance monitor service, then click OK. The Windows Home Server Console window appears. The Windows Home Server icon also appears in the system task tray and the Shared Folders desktop shortcut your desktop. appears on The Windows Home Server icon displays the current health and status of the home server as well as all the computers connected to your home network.
31 Install the Windows Home Server Connector on the client computers After installing the Windows Home Server Connector on the first computer, use the Aspire easyStore Series Software Installation Disc to install the Windows Home Server Connector on the computers you want to connect to your home server. If you have misplaced the disc, you can install the Windows Home Server Connector via the home server. Refer to page 33 for detailed instructions.
32 4 2 Setting up the system After the components are installed, the Windows Home Server Connector installation starts to find and connect to your home server. Once the home server is found, the Welcome window appears. 5 Click Next. 6 Read the End-User License Agreement. If you agree with the terms of the agreement, then select the “I accept the terms of the license agreement” option button. 7 Click Next. The installation status window appears. 8 Click Next.
33 To install the Windows Home Server connector directly from the home server 1 Open a Web browser. 2 In the address bar, enter http://Aspirehome:55000/, where “Aspirehome” is the name of the home server. 3 Under Windows Home Server Connector Setup, click Download Now. 4 In the File Download dialog box, click Run. 5 Follow all onscreen installation instructions until you finish installation.
34 2 Setting up the system Connect to the Home Server Console In order to remotely administer the home server, you need to log onto the Windows Home Server Console. Note: Make sure you have the administrator password to the home server. There are three ways to launch Windows Home Server Console Windows Start menu, double-clicking the Windows Home Server icon, or right-clicking the Windows Home Server icon.
35 To log onto the home server using Windows Home Server icon: 1 Right-click on the Windows Home Server icon in the system tray, then select Windows Home Server Console from the pop-up menu. Or, Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. 2 in the system Enter the administrator password, then click the Next arrow.
36 2 Setting up the system
37 3 Windows Home Server Console The Windows Home Server Console is a tool that provides remote management of the home server and allows you to monitor and backup computers on the home network. It allows you to remotely administer your home server from anywhere on the home network. Once logged in, you can monitor the health of the home server and connected computers on the network, create backup schedules connected to the computers, backup computers, and manage user accounts, shared folders on the server.
38 3 Windows Home Server Console Computers & Backup You can use the Computers & Backup tab on the Windows Home Server Console to view the home computers connected to the home server and monitor the health status of the home computers and administer backups. After you install Windows Home Server Connector on each of your home computers, they are automatically backed up on each night to your home server.
39 User Accounts You can use the User Accounts tab on the Windows Home Server Console to create a personal user account, enable a guest account, and maintain user accounts on the home server. The options on the User Accounts tab allow you to: • Add - Create a new user account on the home server and set access rights for the user. • Properties - View and change user account properties. • Remove - Delete a user account from the home server.
40 3 Windows Home Server Console Shared Folders You can use the Shared Folders tab on the Windows Home Server Console to add, open, remove, and view shared folders on the home server. With Shared Folders you can centrally store files on your home server so that you can share with other people on your home network.
41 The options on the Shared Folders tab allow you to: • ADD - Create a new shared folder on the home server. • VIEW/CHANGE - View and change shared folder properties. • OPEN - Browse files and folders in the shared folder. • REMOVE - Delete an existing folder from the home server. For more information, see Shared Folders in the Windows Home Server Console Help.
42 3 Windows Home Server Console Server Storage The Server Storage tab on the Windows Home Server Console displays all the hard drives installed on your home server. You can use Server Storage to view, add, repair, and remove hard drives from the home server.
43 Lights Out Lights Out is a power management add-in software that allows you to set the home server into suspend mode or wake the system at a chosen time with the aid of a calendar event. The Lights Out tab include the following options: • Refresh - Ensures you have the most resent version of the uptime diagram.
44 3 Windows Home Server Console McAfee Total Protection McAfee Total Protection is an add-in software for Windows Home Server. It is a comprehensive security management solution that checks for viruses, spyware, unwanted programs, and other potential threats on the home server.
45 System Information The System Information tab on the Windows Home Server Console provides an all around monitoring mechanism to help you keep an eye on the home server’s health and performance details. System Information supports the following features: • Acer Aspire easyStore Home Server - Displays basic information about the home server, such as the specification of the processor and memory currently installed in the home server, BIOS version, and operating system version.
46 3 Windows Home Server Console • Remotely Wake Up Aspire easyStore Home Server - Allows you to enable or disable remote wakeup feature. • Hardware Performance and Health Monitor - Allows you to view the performance data of the home server, and monitor the temperature, voltage and fan speed. To adjust the LED brightness of the home server: On the LED Brightness field, drag the slider in a horizontal manner to a desired position.
47 Network Health The Network Health tab displays health notifications from your home server and your home computers. You can view the health of your entire network from one convenient location so you can take the necessary actions to correct any problems. Note: Health notifications are also displayed in the Windows Home Server icon on home computers that have the Windows Home Server Connector software installed. The possible health states are as follows: Color Status Indicates a healthy network.
48 Color 3 Windows Home Server Console Status Indicates an at-risk issue that you must attend soon. Indicates a critical issue that you must attend to immediately. For more information, right-click the Windows Home Server icon, click Help.
49 Settings The Settings button on the upper right hand corner of the Windows Home Server Console window allows you to configure your home server settings. The Settings window provides a variety of administrative options.
50 3 Windows Home Server Console • Settings for DMS • Settings for iTunes Server • Resources General The General settings page allows you to modify the date and time, language selection, Windows Update settings, Customer Experience Improvement program, and enable or disable Windows error reporting. For information about the tasks that you can perform on the General settings page, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the General page.
51 Backup The Backup settings page allows you to configure the start and end time for backing up computers on the home network, specify the number of months, weeks, and days to keep backups on the home server, and manually clean up old backups. For information about the tasks that you can perform on the Backup settings page, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the Backup page.
52 3 Windows Home Server Console Passwords Use the Password settings page to change the home server password and modify the user accounts password policy. For more information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the Passwords page.
53 Media Sharing The Media Sharing settings page allows you to enable or disable Windows Home Server media sharing capabilities. For information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the Media Sharing page.
54 3 Windows Home Server Console Remote Access The Remote Access settings page helps you configure everything you need to access the Aspire easyStore Series home page from the Internet. To get remote access up and running, you must turn on Web Site Connectivity, configure your router, configure a domain name for your home server, and set the Aspire easyStore Series home page. For more information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the Remote Access page.
55 Hardware Health and Performance Monitor Use the Hardware Health and Performance Monitor settings page to set a refresh interval for monitoring data, configure performance threshold settings, specify email destinations to which alerts should be sent when temperature, voltage, and fan speed abnormality is detected or the pre-configured threshold is exceeded.
56 3 Windows Home Server Console IP Configuration The IP Configuration settings page allows you to view the home server’s current IP configuration settings or change the IP configuration manually. For more information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the IP Configuration page.
57 Lights Out Use the Lights Out page to define times where the home server has to go to suspend or resume mode. In the Lights Out page, you can configure the following settings: • Client computer monitoring - Client computer monitoring is used to check periodically for active clients. When no active clients are detected, the selected action will be executed after the wait time. You can choose to disable client monitoring, put your server to suspend or hibernate mode, or shut down the server.
58 3 Windows Home Server Console McAfee Total Protection Service Use the McAfee Total Protection Service page to manage security for your home server. For more information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the McAfee Total Protection Service page.
59 Settings for DMS The Settings for DMS (Digital Media Server) page allows you to enable or disable digital media server function and customize the sorting method of photos and videos. With DMS enabled, digital media controllers and digital media players using UPnP (Universal Plug’n Play) protocol, will automatically discover, access, and play media files on the home server. It also makes possible for iTunes, PS3, or Xbox 360 users to share media files on Windows Home Server.
60 3 Windows Home Server Console Settings for iTunes Server The Settings for iTunes Server page allows you to enable or disable the iTunes server function, specify how often the music library is updated, set a password to secure the iTunes Server access. For more information, click the Help button on the lower right hand corner of the Settings for iTunes Server page.
61 Resources You can use the Resources page to view the following information about your home server: • Microsoft Windows - Activates Windows Home Server and allows you to view the Microsoft Software License Terms. • Home Server - Displays information about your home server hardware. • Version Information - Displays the version of the Windows Home Server services that are running on your home server. • Learn More - Displays additional Windows Home Server links.
62 3 Windows Home Server Console
63 4 Managing the server After you complete the Windows Home Server Setup and install the Windows Home Server Connector software on all of your home computers, you can now perform the following tasks: • Create user accounts • Add a shared folder • Configure backup for home computers • Back up the home server • Configure the home server for remote access • Access the Aspire easyStore Series home page • Access the shared folders on the home server • Enable media sharing • Enable Digital Medi
64 4 Managing the server Create user accounts After you complete Windows Home Server Setup and install the Windows Home Server Connector software on all of your home computers, you are ready to set up your user accounts for the people in your household. There are two types of user accounts that you can set up for the home server: • Guest account - If you want everybody to use the same user account to access the home server, you must enable the guest account feature in the console.
65 3 Click the User Accounts tab. 4 Under About Guests, click Enable Guest. Caution: If you have a wireless network, secure it before you enable the guest account with no password. For more information, see the documentation for your wireless device. 5 Click OK.
66 4 Managing the server To add a personal user account: Note: A personal shared folder is created each time you add a new user account. By default, only this user account has access to the personal shared folder. Users can store personal files in this personal shared folder. 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. in the system 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click the User Accounts tab. 4 Click Add.
67 7 Click Add. 8 Enter the user’s name. Note: When you create user accounts on Windows Home Server, use logon names that match the logon names of your existing user accounts on your home computers. Also, use the same password that you use for your existing user accounts. If the user accounts and passwords do not match, you will be prompted for a user name and a password when you open the Shared folders.
68 4 Managing the server 11 Enter a password which must be at least 7 characters, then re-enter it in the Confirm password field. 12 Click Next. 13 Assign user rights to the shared folders on the home server. • Full - The user can view, add, modify, and delete files in the shared folder. • Read - The user can view files in the shared folder, but cannot add, modify, or delete files. • None - The user cannot view, add, modify, or delete files in the shared folder. 14 Click Finish.
69 Add a shared folder Shared folders are places for you to organize and store files on the home server so that you can share them with other people on your home network. in the system 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click the Shared Folders tab. 4 Click Add. 5 Enter a name and description for the shared folder.
70 4 Managing the server 7 Click Next. 8 Assign user rights to the new share folder, then click Finish. 9 Click Done to exit the wizard.
71 Configure backup for home computers You can customize the backup of each of your home computers from the Windows Home Server Console. Note: After you install the Windows Home Server Connector to the home computer all hard drive volumes on the home computer are automatically backed up each night. To configure backup for a computer: 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. in the system 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click the Computers & Backup tab.
72 4 Managing the server Back up the home server You can back up your home server to ensure that you have backup copies of important files that are located in your Windows Home Server shared folders and application folders. You can add hard drives to your home server to use for server backups by using the Server Storage tab. To back up the home server: 1 Install a new hard drive to the home server. See step 1 of “Adding a hard disk drive” on page 107. 2 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray.
73 6 Click Next. 7 Select the “Use this hard drive to back up files that are stored on your home server” option button. 8 Click Next.
74 9 4 Managing the server Select if you want to preserve or format the hard drive, then click Next. 10 Enter a name for the hard drive, then click Next. Note: You can write this name on a label and attach it to your hard drive to help you identify it later. 11 Click Finish.
75 12 Click Done. 13 Click the Computers & Backup tab. 14 Select the Server Backup Hard Drive you want to use to back up your shared folders and application folders. 15 Click Back up Now. 16 Select a destination hard drive for each shared folder. 17 Click Back up Now. 18 Click Close.
76 4 Managing the server Configure the home server for remote access You must configure your home server for remote access to easily access your files and home computers from anywhere with an Internet connection. You can download files, upload files, connect to your home computers, and administer the home server. To configure the home server for remote access: Important: Only personal user accounts with remote access permissions can log on to the Aspire easyStore Series home page.
77 setting must be enabled on your router for Windows Home Server to automatically configure it. In this step, Windows Home Server configures the persistent port forwarding from your UPnP certified router to your home server, as follows: • Port 80 - Connects over your home network to the Aspire easyStore Series home page using the HTTP protocol. • Port 443 - Connects over your home network to the Aspire easyStore Series logon page using HTTPS, an encrypted Secure Sockets Layer protocol.
78 4 Managing the server 12 Enter the domain name and select a subdomain name. 13 Click Confirm to make sure the subdomain is available. 14 Click Finish. 15 Under Web Site Settings, you can choose a default home page and the Web site headline that appears on the Aspire easyStore Series Web page. 16 Click OK. 17 After you configure remote access, test the remote connectivity from outside of your home. Refer to “Access the Aspire easyStore Series home page” on page 79.
79 Access the Aspire easyStore Series home page After you configure a user account for remote access, you can use a Web browser on a computer that is outside your home to remotely access your home server and home computer. On the Aspire easyStore Series home page, you can perform the following: • Remotely access the Windows Home Server Console. • Remotely access your home computers. • Remotely download or upload files to shared folders.
80 4 Managing the server 5 Enter your home server user name and password. 6 Click Log On. The home page include three tabs: • Home - This page appears every time you log on to the Web page. • Computers - Allows you to perform remote administration on the home server and the home computers. To access your home server, click Connect to your Home Server on the Computers tab and enter the administrator password. The Windows Home Server Console interface opens.
81 Access the shared folders on the home server There are several ways you can access your shared folders on the home server. To access the shared folders using the desktop shortcut: 1 Double-click the Shared Folders desktop shortcut shared folders that are on your home server. 2 Double-click a shared folder to open it.
82 4 Managing the server To access the shared folders using the Windows Home Server icon: 1 Right-click the Windows Home Server icon . 2 Click Shared Folders. 3 Double-click a shared folder in the window to open it. To access the shared folders using the Windows Start Menu: • In Windows Vista, click Start, then type \\homeservername in the Start Search text box, where the homeservername (i.e. Aspirehome) is the name of your home server. Double-click a shared folder in the window to open it.
83 To access the shared folders using the Internet: 1 Log on to the Aspire easyStore Series home page. See “Access the Aspire easyStore Series home page” on page 79. 2 Click the Shared Folders tab. 3 You can navigate to a particular shared folder, then download or upload files to your home server.
84 4 Managing the server Enable media sharing The Windows Home Server allows you to stream music, photos, and videos from the home server to any supported digital media receiver, such as PlayStation 3, or to a supported digital media player, such as Windows Media Player 11. To enable media sharing: 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click Settings. 4 In the navigation pane, select Media Sharing. 5 Select a folder, then click On.
85 Enable Digital Media Server The Digital Media Server feature allows you to browse, access and play media contents on the home server. It makes possible for iTunes and PlayStation 3 users to share media files on the home server.
86 7 4 Managing the server • Sorting by Name - Photos and videos are arranged according to the original organization, which is the default option. • Sorting by Date - Digital Media Server auto checks the latest modification dates of files and creates different virtual folders by year and subfolders by month. Click OK.
87 Enable iTunes service The Digital Media Server feature allows you to enable or disable the iTunes server function, specify how often the music library is updated, set a password to secure the iTunes Server access. To enable iTunes service: 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. in the system 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click Settings. 4 In the navigation pane, select Settings for iTunes Service. 5 Under iTunes Server, click the “Enable” option button.
88 4 Managing the server Stream audio You can use Windows Media Player 11 or iTunes to play music files stored on the home server to your computer. To stream audio in Windows Media Player 11: 1 Make sure that media sharing is enabled. Refer to “Enable media sharing” on page 84 for more information. 2 Make sure Digital Media Server is enabled. Refer to “Enable Digital Media Server” on page 85 for more information. 3 Open the Windows Media Player.
89 4 Click the Library tab. The Acer Aspire easyStore Series appears in the navigation pane. 5 Browse or search for the item you want to play, then click the Play button.
90 4 Managing the server To stream audio in iTunes: 1 Make sure that media sharing is enabled. Refer to “Enable media sharing” on page 84 for more information. 2 Make sure iTunes Service is enabled. Refer to “Settings for iTunes Server” on page 60 for more information. 3 Open the iTunes. The Acer Aspire easyStore Series appears under Shared on the left of the iTunes window. Audio files are streamed in iTunes and displayed under the Shared list.
91 Using the one-touch USB backup feature The USB backup button on the front panel allows you to back up data from a USB storage device to the home server. Windows Home Server copies all files into the Publics shared folder first then classifies the files according to media type into their corresponding shared folders, namely Music, Videos, Photos. When Windows Home Server cannot determine file type, the file is automatically stored into the Others folder.
92 4 Managing the server 2 Press the USB backup button. The USB backup indicator blinks blue. 3 All files on the USB storage device are copied into the Publics shared folder. Note: During the copy process, Windows Home Server checks the file properties including time, size, and file name to verify whether a file of the same name or exactly the same file exists in the folder. If there is a conflicting file name, the data will be copied but will be assigned a serial number on the file name.
93 Set up Wake On LAN on the home server The home server includes a Lights Out client software that allows the home computer to control the power state of the home server and wake up the home server from stand by. The Lights Out Client Service runs in the background. The utility does not have any user interface. You don’t have to configure any address.
94 4 Managing the server 3 Select a language. 4 Click OK. The Welcome window appears.
95 5 Click Next. 6 Click Finish.
96 4 Managing the server Set the home server uptime and down time You can define times when the home server has to be up and running or define services where the server is never put into sleep mode during an active backup operation to reduce the risk of data loss. Note: When creating an uptime you must enter a start and end time. The uptime end action can be created as a standalone action or in combination with an uptime.
97 4 Click Calendar. 5 Select a day or days in the Calendar, then click Add. 6 Under Uptime start, set a start time to keep the server running. 7 Enable the “Wake up from suspension” option if you want to bring the home server out of standby on the defined time. 8 Under Uptime end, set an end time to disable the server. 9 Select from the following end actions: • Do nothing - This is not useful for a standalone end action. • Suspend - Puts your server into suspend mode.
98 4 Managing the server 10 Enable the “Force end action” option if you want to immediately disable the server even when client monitoring detects active clients. 11 Select a day or days when to execute the command you selected in uptime start and uptime end parameter. 12 Click OK.
99 Monitor server health and performance Your system includes a Hardware Health and Performance Monitor feature to help you keep a close eye on the system health of the home server. You can view graphical representations of a performance counter for CPU usage, memory usage, and storage usage and view the status of the home server’s fans, voltage, and temperature. Note: To start the monitoring service successfully, it is required that you have administrator privileges on the home server.
100 4 Managing the server Set up email alerts You can set up an automatic email notification to provide alerts in the event of warnings or errors related to temperatures, fan speeds, or hard drive. To validate the email alert feature, you must also configure SMTP setup. To set up automatic email notifications: 1 Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. in the system 2 Log on to the Windows Home Server Console. 3 Click Settings.
101 6 Under Launch SMTP Setup, click Settings. The Internet Accounts dialog box include the following options: 7 • Remove - Deletes an Internet Mail Account. • Properties - Displays the Properties dialog box. This dialog box lets you configure the properties of established connections. • Set as Default - Sets an Internet Mail Account as the primary account. • Import - Imports your Internet Mail Account settings to an Internet Account (.iaf) file format.
102 4 Managing the server 8 Enter your name, then click Next. 9 Enter your email address, then click Next.
103 10 Enter the SMTP server information, then click Next. Note: If you do not know your incoming and outgoing SMTP server name, contact your ISP (Internet service provider).
104 4 Managing the server 11 Enter the account name and password your ISP has given you, then click Next. Note: Select the “Log On Using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)” check box if your ISP requires you to use Secure Password Authentication to access your mail account. 12 Click Finish. 13 On the Hardware Health and Performance Monitor page, click Test to send testing mails to the email addresses specified in order to verify whether notification can arrive smoothly. 14 Click OK.
105 Explore the Windows Home Server icon The Windows Home Server icon notifies you about the health and status of the home server and your home computers. This includes notifications about user account password mismatches, software upgrades, and backup status. The icon also provides quick access to the Windows Home Server Connector software via a right-click menu.
106 4 Managing the server
107 5 Configuring the hard disk drive The system supports up to four 3.5-inch hot-swappable SATA hard disk drives. Warning: The first hard drive, located on the bottom of the HDD bay, is not hot-swappable. Adding a hard disk drive Caution: Hard drives are formatted before they are added to the server storage. Make sure that you back up any important files that are on the hard drive before you add it to server storage. Formatting a hard drive deletes all files on the hard drive.
108 5 Configuring the hard disk drive (2) Remove the HDD carrier by pressing the HDD carrier latch (1). (3) Pull the lever (2) and slide the HDD carrier from the chassis (3). (4) Insert the new drive into the right side of the carrier aligning the pins into the HDD’s mounting holes (1). (5) Slightly bend the left side rail and insert the pins into the HDD’s mounting holes (2).
109 (6) With the lever still extended, slide the carrier all the way into the drive bay (1). Do not push on the lever until it begins to close by itself. (7) Use the lever to push the carrier until it docks into place, then close the lever (2). (8) Close the door of the home server. 2 Add the hard drive to the server storage on Windows Home Server Console. (1) Double-click the Windows Home Server icon tray. (2) Log on to the Windows Home Server Console.
110 5 Configuring the hard disk drive (3) Click the Server Storage tab. (4) Select the newly installed hard drive (either internal or external), then click Add to run the Add a Hard Drive Wizard. (5) Click Next. (6) Select from the following options: - Add this hard drive to your server storage to increase the storage capacity of your home server. This option gives you more space to store home computer backups and more space for your shared folders.
111 - Use this hard drive to back up files that are stored on your home server. This option allows you to back up all your home server shared folders. (7) You can refer to the Windows Home Server Console Help for detailed instructions. Important: When you add a hard drive to your server storage, you commit it to be part of your total server-storage space. Do not disconnect the hard drive to use it for other purposes.
112 5 Configuring the hard disk drive Removing a hard disk drive Caution: Always remove the hard drive from the Windows Home Server Console before removing an HDD from the home server. You will lose all files on a hard drive if you physically disconnect the HDD from your home server without running the Remove a Hard Drive Wizard and you can no longer find the hard drive in order to connect it again. 1 Safely remove hard drive from the Windows Home Server Console.
113 2 Remove the HDD from the home server. Note: Before removing the HDD, make sure the HDD indicator on the front panel lights purple. (1) Open the door of the home server. (2) Press the HDD carrier latch (1). (3) Pull the lever (2) and slide the HDD carrier from the chassis (3).
114 5 Configuring the hard disk drive (4) Close the door of the home server. Replacing a failed hard disk drive 1 Follow steps 1 and 2 of the “Removing a hard disk drive” section. 2 Remove the HDD from the carrier. (1) Gently pry open the left side rail (1, 2), as shown. (2) Remove the drive from the carrier (3). 3 Install the new HDD into the carrier. (1) Insert the new drive into the right side of the carrier aligning the pins into the HDD’s mounting holes (1).
115 (2) Slightly bend the left side rail and insert the pins into the HDD’s mounting holes (2). 4 Install the new HDD to the home server.
116 5 Configuring the hard disk drive
117 6 Troubleshooting This chapter describes a list of possible situations that may arise during the use of your home server. If you are unable to resolve problems on your own, contact your dealer or local Acer representative for assistance. First steps checklist • Is the AC power available at the wall outlet? • Are the power supplies plugged in? Check the AC cable(s) on the back of the chassis and at the AC source.
118 6 Troubleshooting Recovering or restoring the home server Aspire easyStore Series includes a Server Recovery DVD that allows you to recover your home server after a system failure (i.e., the operating system is corrupted, the main system hard drive failed). You can also use this disc to restore the home server to its factory default. In Server Recovery, the home server’s system settings and user accounts will be lost.
119 2 Click Next. 3 Read the End-User License Agreement. If you agree with the terms of the agreement, then select the “I accept the terms of the user license agreement” option button. 4 Click Next. 5 Uninstall the Acer Aspire easyStore Series and Windows Home Server Connector from your computer.
120 6 6 Troubleshooting Recover the home server. (1) Hold down the power button for 4 seconds to turn off the home server. (2) Press the power button to turn it on. (3) Turn the system around so that you have access to the back of the unit. (4) Insert the end of an unfolded paperclip into the opening, and then press and hold the recovery/reset button with the paperclip end. 7 Click Next.
121 8 Select the “Server Recovery: Use this option to recover from a system failure. You will lose your system settings and user accounts. Data recovery will be attempted. (Recommended)” option button. 9 Click Next and follow all onscreen instructions until you finish recovery process. To restore the home server to factory default setting: 1 Place the Server Recovery DVD in the DVD drive of a computer connected to the network. Or, double-click on the Acer ServerRecovery Utility.
122 6 6 Troubleshooting Recover or reset the home server: (1) Hold down the power button for 4 seconds to turn off the home server. (2) Press the power button to turn it on. (3) Turn the system around so that you have access to the back of the unit. (4) Insert the end of an unfolded paperclip into the opening, and then press and hold the recovery/reset button with the paperclip end. 7 Click Next. 8 Select the “Factory Reset: Use this option to restore factory defaults.
123 Restoring a home computer You can easily restore any of your home computers to a previous point in time with a backup stored on your home server. You can do this by using the PC Recovery Disc. This CD can be used to restore all of the files on your home computer from a backup, including the Windows operating system and applications. To restore a home computer: Important: You need the Windows Home Server administrator password to restore a home computer.
124 6 Troubleshooting When you boot the home computer to the PC Recovery Disc, it lists the NIC (network interface card) and storage devices it has found and it provides an option to load drivers, as shown in the screenshot below. It can also search USB flash or USB floppy drives for driver files and load any found Windows drivers.
125 Restoring files from a backup You can browse and restore lost files from any client computer on your home network that has been backed up with Windows Home Server. To restore files and folders from a backup: 1 Open the Windows Home Server Console. 2 Click the Computers & Backup tab. 3 Select a home computer, then click View Backups. 4 Select a backup, then click Open. 5 Select a volume to open, then click Open. Note: The Opening Backup status window appears while the backup opens.
126 6 Troubleshooting Update your home server with Aspire easyStore Series Software Update The Aspire easyStore Series Software Update is a tool which allows you to easily update the home server BIOS, drivers, and add-in software. To install the Aspire easyStore Series Software Update utility: 1 Place the Aspire easyStore Series Software Installation Disc in the optical drive of the home computer. The installation wizard starts. Or, double-click on the Client Installation.exe file to begin installation.
127 2 Click Software Update. The Welcome window displays. 3 Click Next.
128 6 Troubleshooting 4 Select a destination directory, then click Next. 5 Select a program folder or enter a new folder, then click Next.
129 6 Select the options you want installed on your hard drive, then click Next. 7 Click Install. 8 Click Finish.
130 6 Troubleshooting To update your home server with Software Update utility: 1 Make sure the Aspire easyStore Series Software Update utility is installed on the computer. Refer to previous section for detailed instruction. 2 On your computer, click Start > Programs > Aspire easyStore Series Software Update > Software Update. 3 In the Home Server field, select the home server you want to update. You can click Rescan to refresh the list.
131 Specific problems and corrective actions The following contains specific problems that may arise during the use of your server. Possible solutions are listed for each problem. Power indicator does not light. • Make sure the power button on the front panel is turned on. • Make sure the power cord is connected correctly. • Make sure that the wall outlet has power. Test it by plugging another device. HDD status indicator does not light. Make sure the hard drive is compatible.
132 6 Troubleshooting (3) Select “Reset the Windows Home Server Console” from the drop-down menu. (4) Click OK. Backup service is not running If you see the “If backup service is not running, please restart the console.”error message, try resetting the home server. 1 Launch Windows Home Server Console. 2 Click Options. 3 Select “Reset the Windows Home Server Console” from the dropdown menu. 4 Click OK.
133 Can’t connect to some computers on the Aspire easyStore Series Remote Access page Make sure the home computer is configured to allows remote desktop connection. To configure computers that are running Windows XP: 1 Log on to the computer with a user account that has administrator privileges. 2 Click Start, right-click My Computer, then click Properties. 3 On the System Properties page, click the Remote tab.
134 6 Troubleshooting 5 Click Select Users. User accounts with administrator privileges are automatically allowed to connect. If you want to allow additional user accounts to remotely access this computer, click Add to enter those user accounts. 6 If you use Windows Firewall, open Control Panel, then click Security. Click Windows Firewall. Verify that Windows Firewall is on. Click Change Settings, and then click Continue. Click the Exceptions tab, then verify that Remote Desktop is selected.
