Monday, August 11, 2008

Windows Home Server and blog self-hosting

I recently setup one of my old machines using Windows Home Server and thought it would be nice to run my blog on it instead of GoDaddy.  The obvious approach was to use the terrific Whiist add-in and that's exactly what I did at first.

I encountered the first problem when setting up the web site because my site had to be a subsite under the main site.  I didn't really want my site to be found at xxxx.homeserver.com/reggie so I started playing with domain forwarding and masking at GoDaddy.  With the help of their fine support I managed to get www.reggieburnett.com redirected to my sub-web but none of the sub-links worked (photos, archives, etc).  Plus I didn't really like the CNAME redirect.

So this morning I set out to fix that and fix it I did.  Here's what I did:

  1. Removed forwarding of my site at GoDaddy
  2. Signed up for the free trial at www.zoneedit.com.  You get free dynamic DNS support for up to 5 sites and 200 MB of DNS traffic (apparently that is *ALOT*)
  3. I was already using the excellent dd-wrt firmware on my Linksys router so I just needed to tell it to update zoneedit when my IP changes (and give it my hostname and credentials)
  4. Then I disabled my site using the Whiist add-in
  5. And finally redirected the default site under IIS properties to point to my blog folder.  The /home and /remote subwebs are still there and point to the correct place.

Now you can go to www.reggieburnett.com and land on my self-hosted blog and I can also reach the WHS goodies through subweb URLs.

**EDIT** looks like my home link is broken but I can fix that with some web.config hacking.  No time right now though.  :)

70 comments:

  1. i think this the new

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  2. I think this widget is useful. I believe a lot of people will use it

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  3. blog self hosting is great ;)

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  4. yeah, blogself hosing can earn money so much :D

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  5. Nice post.

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  6. Manitowoc Ice MachineFebruary 15, 2009 at 3:43 AM

    I do not have much experience with Windows servers, is it easy to use?

    ReplyDelete
  7. this is the best tool you can use to your blogs

    ReplyDelete
  8. oakland motorcycle accident attorneyFebruary 28, 2009 at 6:00 PM

    Thank you for explaining this. I've been thinking about setting up a home server for a while now.

    ReplyDelete
  9. blog self hosting is great ;)

    ReplyDelete
  10. The attraction of a home server, such as Windows Home Server, is obvious for any household with several computers. But even if you have just one PC, the technology offers significant benefits -- such as automatic backups that will let you survive a catastrophic hard drive failure without losing any of your precious data.

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  11. Electric Fence for DogsApril 3, 2009 at 3:12 PM

    Version 1.0.0.3 of WHS File Manager is now available which now supports drag-n-drop and rename.

    WHS File Manager is a simple dual-pane file manager for the WHS management console. It allows you to safely copy, move and delete files on your home server. It will only show your shared folders and it will use UNC for file copying. This means it will be slower than copying to/from local disks using remote desktop, but it’s also a lot safer.

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  12. Automotive Tune up ServicesApril 13, 2009 at 2:12 AM

    Thats really nice. Good job. I just like your blog very much..keep blogging!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Invisible Dog FenceApril 19, 2009 at 1:42 AM

    With serious competitors for its MediaSmart home server finally coming to the U.S., Hewlett-Packard today is announcing a big software update of the Windows Home Server-based system.

    Highlight include new software for automatically converting videos to a mobile format so they can be loaded onto the iPhone, iPod, PlayStation Portable and other mobile devices.

    ReplyDelete
  14. pennsylvania medical malpracticeApril 28, 2009 at 8:00 PM

    hosting your own blog sounds like a great idea.. seems a little complicated.. I'd just stick with go daddy.

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  15. Why struggling to host your own blog when you could use Wordpress instead?

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  16. knowledge management softwareMay 5, 2009 at 10:05 PM

    You could also you log into the server and check Add/Remove programs to see if there's any old/partial install of Whiist?

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  17. Microsoft previewed its long-awaited Windows Home Server (WHS) product, a Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based server for consumers that dispenses with the complexities of most Windows Server versions and provides the core storage, sharing, and remote access functionality that digital media and home networking enthusiasts require.

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  18. thanks for sharing it

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  19. i think blog self hosting is great...in my opinion...

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    Self hosting - something for the future? Read about how to host your site on your ... But the fact that the Windows Home Server Product is built around a .... Six Easy Steps DIY: Move Your Wordpress.com Blog · Recycling for Future Data ...

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  21. Replica LV HandbagsMay 20, 2009 at 2:06 PM

    Acer's Aspire easyStore is on the cheaper and smaller side of pre-built Windows Home Server configs at $US400, but unlike some at that price, this little cube actually has three hot-swappable HDD bays to expand its 1TB of storage.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Michael Kors watchMay 20, 2009 at 6:37 PM

    Self hosting - something for the future? Read about how to host your site on your ... But the fact that the Windows Home Server Product is built around a .... Six Easy Steps DIY: Move Your Wordpress.com Blog · Recycling for Future Data

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  23. Self hosting - something for the future? Read about how to host your site on your ... But the fact that the Windows Home Server Product is built around a .... Six Easy Steps DIY: Move Your Wordpress.com Blog · Recycling for Future Data ...

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  24. That is trial hosting owww

    ReplyDelete
  25. Windows Home Server, code-named Quattro, is a home server operating system from Microsoft. Announced on 7 January 2007, at the Consumer Electronics Show by Bill Gates, Windows Home Server is intended to be a solution for homes with multiple connected PCs to offer file sharing, automated backups, and remote access.[3][4] It is based on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.

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  26. Knowledge Base SoftwareJune 2, 2009 at 8:26 PM

    So you've decided to blog, but aren't sure whether you should host the blog yourself or sign up for a free service like blogger.com. It's a dilemma that many bloggers face.

    ReplyDelete
  27. A home server and a netbook can be a complementary solution. In addition to the image-based backup software included in Windows Home Server, the ability to augment the netbook storage space with a home server is a no-brainer.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Windows Home Server is part of a long-term vision by Microsoft to create a new platform for the home. Launched in 2007, Windows Home Server helps families and home-based businesses with multiple computers to organize, share, and automatically back up photos, videos, music, and other important documents.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Doctor of Audiology OnlineJune 15, 2009 at 2:53 AM

    Recently I convinced my brother to move from a hosted WordPress.com blog that was doing rather well, to a self-hosted WordPress blog.

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  30. replica Louis Vuitton handbagsJune 15, 2009 at 4:23 PM

    *EDIT** looks like my home link is broken but I can fix that with some web.config hacking. No time right now though. :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. At the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week (see my special report), Microsoft previewed its long-awaited Windows Home Server (WHS) product, a Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based server for consumers that dispenses with the complexities of most Windows Server versions and provides the core storage, sharing, and remote access functionality that digital media and home networking enthusiasts require.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Blogging is becoming more and more popular on the internet these days. Blogging can be an easy way for unexperienced (and experienced) users to put their.

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  33. Nice post.WHS File Manager is a simple dual-pane file manager for the WHS management console. It allows you to safely copy, move and delete files on your home server.Thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. health insurance leadsJune 24, 2009 at 10:52 PM

    PerfectDisk are offering 25% of off all their PerfectDisk 10 products including PerfectDisk 10 Windows Home Server as a summer special.

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  35. Sure, the Home Server is intended to do other things like backups, storage, printer management etc., in addition to making home content available on-line.

    ReplyDelete
  36. win free demi lovato concert ticketsJune 26, 2009 at 6:48 PM

    The home hosting market will get more interesting with the arrival of Microsoft Windows Home Server. There are other home hosting alternatives out there too.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Australian ShepherdJune 28, 2009 at 8:00 PM

    Data centers have traditionally provided facilities and the equipment to allow the rest of us to host our web-sites with them. Continuous availability, high bandwidth, on-demand disk space and reliable equipment traditionally are the reasons why hosting has for most part been associated with data centers, except for a fraction of technically inclined users who put up servers in their basement. In the dial-up world where retail infrastructure was poor, and computers malfunctioned frequently, there seemed no other alternative.
    Clearly, a lot has changed since the time data centers were first setup. Retail internet connections have rapidly become faster and uptime is high.

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  38. Many sites offer free blog hosting. Among them are Forumer, Blogger, BlogEasy, Aeonity, BlogThing, and Blogates. A quick search for free blog on Google reveals many possibilities

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  39. Internet Marketing CompanyJuly 1, 2009 at 4:24 PM

    That's great, I never thought about Windows Home Server and blog self-hosting like that before.

    ReplyDelete
  40. With serious competitors for its MediaSmart home server finally coming to the U.S., Hewlett-Packard today is announcing a big software update of the Windows Home Server-based system. Emo Clothes

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  41. personal finance blogJuly 4, 2009 at 4:36 PM

    Windows Home Server was released to manufacturing on 16 July 2007 and officially released on 7 November 2007. Power Pack 1 for Windows Home Server was released 20 July 2008 and Power Pack 2 was released 24 March 2009.

    ReplyDelete
  42. With Windows Home Server, you can back up all of your family's PCs automatically. Plus you can connect, organize, and share your photos, videos, music, and other files with friends and family. Try it all for free (this time-limited trial release will expire 120 days after installation).

    ReplyDelete
  43. fat loss 4 idiots diet reviewsJuly 8, 2009 at 9:09 PM

    We are pleased to announce Windows Home Server Power Pack 2. Power Pack 2 fixes known issues and adds new features to improve the Windows Home Server experience. Enhancements include: Improvements to remote access configuration, enhanced functionality for computers running Windows Media Center, and content streaming support for Windows Media Center Extenders. Power Pack 2 adds Italian language support on new home servers.

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  44. The first self-hosting compiler (excluding assemblers) was written for Lisp by Hart and Levin at MIT in 1962. Because Lisp interpreters existed previously, but no Lisp compilers, they used an original method to compile their compiler.

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  45. aSulumitsRetsambew.ComJuly 11, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    I enjoyed this blog.

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  46. Didn't know you could do that.

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  47. Interesting comment above "With Windows Home Server, you can back up all of your family's PCs automatically. Plus you can connect, organize, and share your photos, videos, music, and other files with friends and family. Try it all for free (this time-limited trial release will expire 120 days after installation). "

    So what happens after 120 days?

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  48. Tried to autotranslate you site not understand the writing any hope deutsch version?

    ReplyDelete
  49. canada vacation ideasJuly 14, 2009 at 1:10 PM

    Home Server is intended to do other things like backups, storage, printer management etc., in addition to making home content available on-line. But the fact that the Windows Home Server Product is built around a barebones version of Windows Server 2003 seems to suggest that eventually, the content residing on retail computers will be web accessible, with Home computers becoming a part of the world-wide web.

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  50. Online Nursing DegreesJuly 15, 2009 at 7:15 PM

    I woke this morning to see a headline on WeGotServed about a new twitter Add-In for Windows Home Server. As I wrote the popular @WHSTweet Add-In (I think it was the first twitter add-in, but I may be mistaken) I was interested, so I clicked over to read more.

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  51. Any home hosting solution needs to have two fundamental characteristics. It needs to be simple enough for a "mom" or "dad" user. The Product Manager for Microsoft Home Server has been quoted as saying that his product is not about making a geek happy.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Windows Home Server Product is built around a barebones version of Windows Server 2003 seems to suggest that eventually, the content residing on retail computers will be web accessible, with Home computers becoming a part of the world-wide web.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Windows Home Server helps families and home-based businesses with multiple computers to organize, share, and automatically back up photos, videos, music, and other important documents.

    ReplyDelete
  54. fire extinguishersJuly 17, 2009 at 11:21 PM

    In the dial-up world where retail infrastructure was poor, and computers malfunctioned frequently, there seemed no other alternative.
    Clearly, a lot has changed since the time data centers were first setup. Retail internet connections have rapidly become faster and uptime is high.

    ReplyDelete
  55. It wasn't too hard to see this one coming, but Microsoft has now officially rolled out the beta version of Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 which, among other things, brings with it a slew of new features that tie into Windows 7.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Windows Server 2003 seems to suggest that eventually, the content residing on retail computers will be web accessible, with Home computers becoming a part of the world-wide web.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Hi,

    Nice article....This means very good news. Let's hope more and more people adopt windows server technologies this way!

    ReplyDelete
  58. Microsoft is looking for guinea pigs to test Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 beta, which is - predictably - built around Windows 7.

    ReplyDelete
  59. The first self-hosting compiler (excluding assemblers) was written for Lisp by Hart and Levin at MIT in 1962. Because Lisp interpreters existed previously, but no Lisp compilers, they used an original method to compile their compiler.

    ReplyDelete
  60. Thanks for writing this. It was very helpful. Keep writing.

    ReplyDelete
  61. I posted your article to my myspace profile.


    Regards

    smith

    ReplyDelete
  62. It is so lucky of you that you have already started putting up your website. I have been studying sites and developing them so as to make a more attractive site. I do hope a few days from now i get to put up my own site also.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Generally I do not post on blogs, but I would like to say that this post really forced me to do so, Excellent post!

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  64. Thank you for a good post. So,I get experience is very good. Files Upload

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  65. It's mistake after mistake with Windows, why don't Microsoft sort it out?

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  66. Not sure I agree that it is mistake after mistake. They just don't think about things the same. Sometimes they are just too late to the party (see Windows mobile). WinMo 7 might change that tho.

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