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Installing and Configuring Windows Home Server 2011

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Updated: April 17, 2011

Applies To: Windows Home Server 2011

You can install and configure Windows Home Server 2011 in two easy steps:

  1. Install Windows Home Server 2011

    In this step, you install the operating system on your home server.

  2. Complete Windows Home Server 2011 initial configuration

    In this step, you complete the installation by providing information about your home server. This information is used to get the server ready for you to use.

If you experience problems while installing and configuring Windows Home Server 2011, review Troubleshooting Windows Home Server 2011 Installation to help you resolve those problems.

Install Windows Home Server 2011

To Install Windows Home Server 2011

  1. Disconnect any external USB or FireWire (IEEE 1394) hard disk drives from your home server.

  2. Start your computer from the Windows Home Server 2011 Installation DVD.

    1. Turn on your computer, and then insert the Windows Home Server 2011 installation DVD in the DVD drive of your home server.

    2. Restart your computer. When the message “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” appears, press any key.

      Note

      If your computer does not start from the DVD, ensure that the CD-ROM drive is listed first in the BIOS boot sequence. For more information, see the documentation from the computer manufacturer.

    3. The Windows Home Server 2011 installation wizard starts.

  3. Click New Installation.

  4. Ensure that all of your internal hard drives are listed. If they are not, click Load drivers to add drivers for the connected hard drives that are not listed. For more information, see in “Adding Storage Controller Drivers” in Troubleshooting Windows Home Server 2011 Installation.

  5. Click I understand that if I click Install, all files and folders on my primary hard drive will be deleted, and then click Install.

  6. The operating system is installed on your primary hard disk drive. This takes approximately 30 minutes.

  7. When the operating system installation finishes, you must configure the server before it is ready for you to use. Proceed to Complete Windows Server Home Server 2011 initial configuration.

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Complete Windows Home Server 2011 initial configuration

Windows Home Server 2011 offers two ways to finish the initial configuration of your server:

  • Finish the initial configuration at the server. When you use this option, you use the keyboard, mouse, and monitor that are connected to the server. For instructions, see To configure your server at the server.

  • Finish the initial configuration from a home computer. This is the recommended method. When you use this option, you connect to the server from a home computer. For instructions, see To configure your server from a home computer.

To configure your server at the server

  1. Follow the instructions in the wizard to complete the initial configuration of Windows Home Server 2011.

  2. Connect each of your home computers to the server by installing the Windows Home Server 2011 Connector Software. Windows Home Server 2011 should be remotely administered. You can perform administration tasks from a home computer after you install the Windows Home Server 2011 Connector software. For information, see How do I connect computers to the server?

To configure your server from a home computer

  1. When the regional settings page is displayed on the server, go to a computer that is connected to your home network, open a web browser window, type https://server in the address bar, and then click ENTER.

    Note

    If your web browser is Firefox, click F11 to ensure that the entire wizard page is visible on your monitor.

  2. Click the arrow button, and then click Run in the dialog box.

  3. If you are prompted, click Yes in the User Account Control dialog box.

  4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to configure Windows Home Server 2011.

  5. On the Your server is now ready to use page, verify that the Connect this computer checkbox is checked, and then click Connect. Windows Home Server 2011 should be remotely administered. You can perform administration tasks from a home computer after the Windows Home Server 2011 Connector software is installed.

  6. Connect each of your home computers to the server by installing the Windows Home Server 2011 Connector Software. For instructions, see How do I connect computers to the server?

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