So I've noticed a couple of files that suddenly became unreadable which made me check Home Server SMART. That showed me that there were 40 bad sectors and 29 pending bad with it's status as CRITICAL. This means that I will now have to replace the 1.5TB Seagate drive which holds the OS with a WD Red Drive (not buying another Seagate, this is the second 1.5 drive that died on me at the same time).

My question is, do I just re-install WHS or do I take the plunge and install either Windows 8 or Server 2012? Keep in mind I don't have a VGA cable so would have to do some kind of headless automatic install of whichever one seems like the right fit.

If I understand Storage Spaces correctly, it acts in a very similar way Drive Extender did. With multiple drives being seen as 1 logical drive that could be a stripe, mirror or both. Is the SS technology as easily expandable as DE was with being able to add/remove drives at will?

I know that Server 2012 Essentials RC is out but I would personally want to set this up and not have to re-install once the final comes out. I just checked my MSDN account and I have full access to Win8, Server 2012 and Server 2012 Storage Server and Foundation. Which would be the best choice for an EX470 with the 2GB update and a Athlon 1640-LE?

_________________
Current:
EX490
WHS 2011 w/DrivePool
Core 2 Duo E8600 (Wolfdale)
4GB RAM


Past:
EX470
WHSv1
LE-1640 CPU
2GB RAM

@smapdi, I can just shed a little bit of light on some of your questions. A little warning, before installing win8 or ws2012e RC you have to know that they are still in pre-release form. Usually MS suggest you use them only in a test environment, this being said, reading your message you seem aware of this, the decision is yours.

VGA cable is very helpful, but a config file for headless install is possible (I could not write one, not knowledgable enough), there is a xml file link in my guide here, but you have to edit it.

Storage Spaces is a DE replacement with more flexibility and options, but I wouldn't qualify it as easy to add/remove drives at will. Adding drives to a pool (of physical disks) is easy but removing takes a little time to master, if your Storage Spaces (virtual disks) use all the physical disks; it is the same for the Storage Spaces themselves, easy to create one, easy to expand it, but if you want to reduce it, good luck!

I don't know if the Athlon 1640 could qualify as x64 processor. If not, your best bet is Win 8 (available in 32 and 64 bits) cause ws2012e is a x64 system only.

Someone can confirm this last point?

_________________
HP-ProLiant N40L 8GB WHS2011
HP-EX470 4GB Athlon-X2-BE-2350-(Stepping G1) Windows 8 (server build)

Thanks for the reply, VieuxJules.

The final RTM bits for Windows 8 are already on MSDN which is why I'm leaning toward installing it (need to do this sooner than later). WS2012E is still in beta for some reason although the other WS2012 SKUs are final and on MSDN already.

The 1640 is a 64bit processor (I believe all Socket 939, AM2, and AM3 processors are 64bit) so the OS restriction shouldn't matter in that respect.

_________________
Current:
EX490
WHS 2011 w/DrivePool
Core 2 Duo E8600 (Wolfdale)
4GB RAM


Past:
EX470
WHSv1
LE-1640 CPU
2GB RAM

Great!
I might register on MSDN, then.

_________________
HP-ProLiant N40L 8GB WHS2011
HP-EX470 4GB Athlon-X2-BE-2350-(Stepping G1) Windows 8 (server build)