Windows Home Sever 2011 - The hard way

How not to Install Windows Home Server 2011

Part 1 - Background
We have been using a server at home for storing all our documents, pictures, videos etc for about 10 years. We switched to using Microsoft WHS when it first came out in 2007, partly because of it's ability to create one big folder (to store all your info in) by merging together several smaller Hard Disks. As we had a few spare HD's kicking about this saved some cash, so we just tbought a new barebones kit. I've added to and upgraded the Hard Disks over time but the case is now full & we are totally out of storage space again. As the original WHS software is only 32bit & a new version; WHS 2011 is available for only £30 it seems the right time for a major software overhaul and hardware upgrade. Easy I thought, buy some new big hard disks, install WHS 2011, copy all the data across and Bob's your uncle! 


Not quite that easy unfortunately. As I have found out the hard way how to upgrade I thought I'd share my experiences, so if you are thinking of upgrading you can avoid some of the issues I have discovered by research before hand or through falling into during the process. 

I hope this is useful if not amusing to somebody :)