Windows Home Server, officially available August 27

If there’s one computing server product every enthusiast and home-user should be excited about, that would not be Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems, instead it should be Windows Home Server – codename “Q”. Last month, WHS was released to manufacturing aiming for distribution “in the next couple of months” and retail availability “this fall”. The official availability date is now most likely Monday, August 27th 2007.

On the Microsoft Support Lifecycle website, a listing for Windows Home Server states the general availability date as 8/27/2007, and mainstream support retirement date as 10/9/2012. This however does not suggest OEM products such as those from HP will ship then – still expected to come “fall” (September).

In this case, general availability most likely refers to the DVD package for system builders and other OEM channels. If you’re one of those people who want to build your own Home Server, then you should consider bugging your local computer shop for a copy from August 27. Alternatively start your own OEM business.

Amazon leaks price, date of first Windows Home Server box

Details and prices of the first home server running Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Home Server software were posted briefly on several online stores yesterday. Systems are scheduled to ship Sept. 15 at prices starting at $599.

According to listings on such e-tailing sites as Amazon.com, PCMall.com and onSale.com, Hewlett-Packard Co.’s MediaSmart Home Server will be sold in two models at prices of $599 and $749. The pair are identical with the exception of the amount of included storage: the $599 server contains 500GB, while the $759 unit offers 1TB.

Both servers will be powered by a 1.8-GHz Sempron processor from Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and come bundled with HP’s Photo Webshare software, an add-on to Windows Home Server (WHS) that builds a photo-sharing Web site and serves it from the MediaSmart box. None of the for-sales listings spelled out the amount of memory in the servers, however.

Download Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 Editions Now !

 

Download:

  Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3 Standard

  Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3 Enterprise

  Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3 Datacenter

  Windows® Web Server 2008 Beta 3

  Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3 : System Requirements and Installation Documentation

Overview :

This time-limited release of Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3 will expire on April 7, 2008. After this time, you will need to uninstall the software or upgrade to a later release or a fully-licensed version of Windows Server® 2008.

This product requires a valid product key for activation – you may install the product without activation, but if you do not enter a valid product key and activate within 30 days of installation, the software will cease to function.

If you have received a product key via email confirmation, you may use the key with the software you download from this site or with a DVD containing Windows Server® 2008 Beta 3.

If you have not received a product key, you can obtain one by visiting one of the following sites :

Developers

IT Professionals

 

 Well, go on and enjoy testing. If  you are curious about which one i downloaded, well …….

I downloaded the Datacenter Edition  !