do you use homegroup in win7

or what did you set up at home? just being curious. it seems limited imo

 

I'm only running one 7 computer right now, so I'm not doing anything with Homegroup. Even with more than one computer, I doubt I'd do anything with it, since I use WHS to handle all of my sharing/streaming needs. It's a good idea, and I hope to see the Homegroup integrated into the next WHS release that will be based on 7/Server 2008.

With Homegroup, you can do some pretty cool media sharing. If you get a chance, take a look at the MS Shareholders meeting video.

 

While I like the idea of Homegroup for many users, I ultimately like all my shared data centralized so its easier to keep backed up.

I don't know if WHS will integrate Homegroup or not--a server is really a good way to centralize data, whereas Homegroup works on a model of decentralized data.

 

I don't see much of a point to Homegroup if you have a WHS. It does pretty much the same thing + some.

 

No, it doesn't, not really. WHS consolidates DATA in one place, whereas HOMEGROUP shares data across multiple volumes.

To the end user, it is not different as everyone has access to all data, but to a network administrator, it is a world of difference

 

For those who are lost when it comes to Homegroup, here's a great explanation of the hows and whys:

http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2008/12/30/at-home-with-homegroup-in-windows-7.aspx

I would love to see WHS implement the Homegroup concept. Centralized storage; the ability to auto-connect to any machine in the Homegroup (no connector software needed, or installed automatically and hidden from the end user); files tagged as "child safe" on the WHS for families (imagine your complete audio/video collection on the WHS, with "questionable" content automatically shielded from children); add-ins that can stream multimedia to wireless speakers that belong to the Homegroup; new content downloaded by a client scanned and transferred to the WHS automatically...the possibilities could be endless.

 

Thanks for link. Great idea. Maybe WHS version 2 (whatever they call it) will make use of this. Server 2008 and Windows 7 are loosely based on the same code too aren't they? So perhaps it will find its way in.

I like the concept, but mainly when coupled with WHS.

TBH, WHS has completely relieved a lot of backed up data stresses for me. Wish I had done it sooner. Something like Homegroups will only enhance the experience.

 

Yes, 2008 was created off Windows 7's code base, and WHS 2 will be based off 2008.

 

GREAT! Look forward to it. But probably won't bother until at least the first Service Pack. Don't want to screw with my home server data too much unless I know it's safe. By the time its released, hopefully I will have started migrating my 1TB drives to 2TB drives and end up with 10TB storage, although don't think I'll need THAT much. I realize my needs only increase by a couple hundred GB each year, not a few TB.

 

Homegroups is little more than a "script" of network connections governed by a password. For someone who is familiar with Windows networking, it really offers nothing new beyond convenient management.

I've been running into some stubborn permissions issues regarding usual drive mappings, leading me to believe Homegroups may be something they intend to force down our throats.

 

well im not to good with networking and have been strugling with fixing my network up properly in vista and as i dont have a server it will be great for me... i have been looking forward to something like this since before it was even announced...

atm im only running 7 on my desktop so once my pre-order arrives ill defs be using homegroup.

i would use a server but i have no idea how to set one up or manage it so i wont bother.

 

I'm pretty sure the Homegroup isn't targeted at a network admin. Homegroup was designed for the average home user to simplify a home network. If you haven't already done so, give the link I posted a read. It's a very well written paper.

 

Homegroup is freaking awesome for a user like me. I have several computers at home but didn't bother getting WHS or equivalent so its features are like a revelation.

Setup and connection is extremely easy. When you assign a network as "Home" or "Work," it automatically associates the Homegroup with your connection. Then all you have to do is input the password and you're good to go. Streaming is quite fast and I have no issues at all watching videos or listening to music stored on a different computer on the same Homegroup.

This, along with Live Mesh, pretty much eliminates the need for a local server.

For consumers like me and I would argue small businesses, Homegroup is a major selling point for W7.

 

sounds good... i cant wait for my copy to arrive so i can get everything setup and going... omg october 22nd is so far away...

 

losely based? it's the identical code

yeah, home group will come to whs2 for sure. still unsure what i plan to do with it. i like it to be some sort of like "connecting to a wlan" with the key. but i'm quite unsure how it will behave for someone like me, who may have to walk around in 3 different homegroups. how handy is this? no clue.

 

Ho wabout we settle with it's very closely based on the same code

WHS 2 + homegroup = automatic file sync from PC to server based on Homegroup settings? That would be amazing.

 

you should try out whs, then you would not care about homegroup for consumers like you, and small businesses, too, whs is the best thing ever can't listen to my music? oh, forgot, i bought it on the laptop, have to turn that on, wait a moment...

can't listen to the music from my gf? she's out, has her laptop with her..

no, sir, nothing beats a local centralized storage place

and nothing beats, that your data is redundant automatically on it (if you want), and you have automatic backups of all your systems. etc..

 

it is the identical code.. even microsoft states that. (at least the os code, the apps/services per distro are different, then).

yeah, i'm so hoping for auto-sync. homegroup, unimportant but auto-sync..

but i guess whs2 will be a homegroup by itself, sort of. means instead of "connecting to the homegroup", you connect to the "homeserver", being a homegroup itself

anyways, microsoft should continue to push whs.. i hope they really do with whs2. and i'd love to be able to connect to a "friend whs" to backup the most important data out to the friend whs. in my case, it would be the one from the parents.

 

I don't use it now that I have one computer, but when I used my Inspiron 9100 and EEE 901, it was useful to use instead of transferring things via a usb drive.

 

Love homegroups, one password and everything is shared over my network. Really easy to setup and change, if there is one machine already setup with it and you install Win7 on another it will detect it during set up, ask for the password and its set to go.

 

what do i need to set up a server...

also if all my stuff is on the server, what happens when i want to access that stuff on my laptop when im not at home?

 

if you want, you can set up your server to be accessible from the internet, no problem.

but normally, the data i use on the go is with me (it's not much you need on the go normally). the rest is on the home server, movies and such. setups for softwares, everything that you had to have physically, before.

my web connection has good enough upload for watching movies on the go, actually. not that i used it yet (not that i have webaccess right now.. ).


and that's why i hope sync gets in whs2 as a default. so that, in essence, you have your user profile on all your devices available all the time (definable, what each system should have locally, too).

 

I never tried Homegroup yet, but isn't it the same as Windows sharing but easier to set up?

 

so correct me if im wrong but this ( https://www.dreamspark.com/Products/Product.aspx?ProductId=16) is the 'OS' i would use on the server... is the 2008 version based around vista? ie does it have a vista taskbar? is that even how a server works? and can i just use one of my old pc's?

 

"Server 2008" is the same kernel and basic OS as Vista.

"Server 2008 R2" (NOT SP2), Server 2008 **R2** is based on Windows 7, with the funky taskbar and such.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/R2.aspx

 

how much will the new one cost and do you think it will be available on dreamspark?

 

one question, why dont they just call it 2009 or 2010??? instead of 2008 R2...

 

Most people here are using WHS (Windows Home Server) as their server, which is based on 2003 (not that it really matters, but just so you know). WHS 2 will be based on 2008 R2/Windows 7.

It's probably called 2008 R2 because it's pretty similar to 2008, just like Windows 7 is to Vista.

 

Does WHS help with gaming? I thought I heard that somewhere before...

As for Homegroups in Windows 7 I doubt I'll be using it at all since my laptop will probably be the only Windows 7 computer for a while in the family. Unless I take pity on my parents and pay to upgrade their computers and laptops...lol.

 

so whats the difference between windows home server and the one i mentioned?

 

Homeserver is modified 2003, with some utilies removed and some added. It is meant for a home environment.

2008 (R2) is made for a business environment and meant for networking and managing huge groups of computers. It is overkill for your house, unless you just want to play with it and learn about it i.e. you're not using it solely for functionality.

 

well it would be the origional not the R2... plus i can get it (2008 R1) for free where i would have to pay for the home server right... would 2008 still work the same?

cheers
mtarm1

 

For all intents and purposes, 2008 and 2008 R2 are the same thing. They're still different from WHS, which has backup service and drive extender, which Server 2008 (and 2008 R2) don't have.

There's a free 120 evaluation copy for WHS, try it out.

 

sorry do you have a link for that?

cheers

 

Absolutely