HP EX485 MediaSmart Home Server

Product Features : HP EX485 MediaSmart Home

Intel Celeron 2.0GHz 64-bit Processor
Network-Based Backup of Macs Using Apple's Time Machine
Single SATA 7200 RPM 750GB Drives
Photo/Video Sharing and Remote Access to Digital Media and Files on a Variety of Devices
Automatic Digital Content Organization Across All PCs

Product Description : HP EX485 MediaSmart Home

The HP MediaSmart Server is a home server that can automatically backup and protect your digital memories, centralize your media and content for sharing with friends and family, and enable you to enjoy your digital media while at home or away.

Customer Reviews : HP EX485 MediaSmart Home

I applaud HP for generating this unique product. WHS (Windows Home Server) is an excellent solution to the everyday needs for backup and file sharing, and the EX485 is compact and well-made.

This review is from: HP EX485 MediaSmart Home Server (Personal Computers)

Regrettably there's several issues with this server that irritate me. The most significant is the fan noise; the small fan on the power supply spins quick, and creates a high-pitched whine which I can basically listen to over the noise from my desktop computer (also an HP). It may be simple to ignore in an office setting, but HP MediaSmart Home Serve irritates me when working at home late at night. And the fan runs constantly, even when the server is sitting idle (no backups or file access going on).

The ability to access the files remotely over the Net is useful. In case you install Hamachi (third-party application, free for non-commercial use), you may even mount a folder on HP MediaSmart Home Serve as a network drive over the Net. HP MediaSmart Home Serve is fantastic for use with Microsoft OneNote - keep the OneNote files on the server and HP MediaSmart Home Serve can be accessed/edited from my desktop, or from my laptop computer from anywhere in the world.

Second issue is probably a generic WHS issue: Whenever I connect my transportable hard drive to my desktop, the server application notices the computer configuration has changed, and brings up a mistake message on *all* connected computers saying I require to configure the backup options again.