In an attempt to set a static IP address on my HP EX475 server, I screwed up and disabled the network adapter entirely! Unfortunantly, I have the past three months of research data stored on the server and do not have a back-up. Attempting to set the IP address on the server was part of a network overhaul along with installing Windows 7 on my laptops and desktops. I hadn't gotten to the point where I copied all of my docs off the server yet so now I'm really screwed.

Any suggestions? Prayers are welcome...

I think pretty much your only option would be to build a VGA/keyboard/mouse cable (or buy one), and put a monitor/keyboard/mouse on the unit, then you will be able to re-enable to network interface. Other than that, I don't think much else can be done. You could try taking one of the pooled drives and connecting it to a desktop PC, but it would be safer to get your NIC working again.

Mitch

First, WELCOME to the world of MSS/WHS! Great to have you aboard!

Buying the cable (or building one) is a good long-term solution. You might also try a Server RESTORE. (Do NOT do a Factory Reset as that WILL reformat your disks and you would loose your data.)

If the data is in Shared Files you can access the data from another computer. If you have a lot of drives, files may be located on different drives but NORMALLY WHS tries to keep things in each sub-directory together. You may have to look around a bit but they are there and they are accessible. It would be best to copy the data to another location for interim use, being VERY careful not to write to the MSS/WHS drive. Don't let it get caught in any automatic defrag, cleanup, etc. Put it into another computer, get the data you need and remove it immediately.

The ability to get that data off another computer is one of the big advantages of WHS and the Drive Extender (DE) logic asd compared to most RAID configurations!

_________________
....JBick

EX475, 2 GB, LE-1640
PC1: Vista-->W7 Ultimate/32, (D-Drive RAID-5 Array)
PC2: Lenovo Laptop, Win XP Home SP3
2xLinksys WRT54G v1.1 and 2xNetGear GS105 Gbit switch

I am running x64 on Windows 7 right now. Will this be a problem or do I need to access it with a x32 bit system? I want to purchase the cable but some things I read say you can only access the BIOS - not the OS while using the cable. Is this correct?

Thanks for the heads up and responses.

Don't forget there is a blind method using a USB keyboard to fix the network adapter. Here are the Wiki instructions. http://www.mediasmartserver.net/wiki/in ... _interface

_________________
HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

That's fine for an EX47x but I am not certain it is the correct sequence of steps for the EX48x, EX49x and LX195 so I have really stopped recommending it! But it should do the trick on the EX475 mentioned here.

Anyone tried it on the other hardware?

_________________
....JBick

EX475, 2 GB, LE-1640
PC1: Vista-->W7 Ultimate/32, (D-Drive RAID-5 Array)
PC2: Lenovo Laptop, Win XP Home SP3
2xLinksys WRT54G v1.1 and 2xNetGear GS105 Gbit switch

John, I suppose that's a good point for the EX48x and EX49x series and we should put that caveat on the Wiki instructions until someone tries it to confirm. I suspect it's the same since it's Windows Server 2003 in all three models but can see that it's possible something minor changed in the last steps if the NIC is different in the other models.

_________________
HP MSS EX490 with Intel E6300
4 GB RAM
7 TB Drive Storage

MediaSmartServer.net Wiki, it's loaded with helpful information about WHS and the HP MediaSmart Server.

This process works fine for any system with a single network interface and is drastically simpler than a Server Recovery. I've updated the Wiki page to include a screenshot of the resulting control panel and a statement that it should work on a system with a single network interface.

_________________
Alex Kuretz
Remote Notification: Monitoring and alerting for your Home Server via email, Twitter, text message, RSS, push notifications, and on your Mac desktop
Have you tried our Add-Ins?

Thank you, everyone, for all of the great information. I got to thinking about the last post from yakuzza that the blind method works great for anyone with a single network interface. I have a VPN connection that is set-up on my WHS. Will this pose a problem?

I would try the steps myself on a Windows 2003 server but I recently updated that to run 2008 so I can't.

Thanks in advance.

I do not see this as causing a problem with the VPN setup but that is easy to re-install if necessary.

_________________
....JBick

EX475, 2 GB, LE-1640
PC1: Vista-->W7 Ultimate/32, (D-Drive RAID-5 Array)
PC2: Lenovo Laptop, Win XP Home SP3
2xLinksys WRT54G v1.1 and 2xNetGear GS105 Gbit switch

The "blind" method worked like a charm. I had to end up pressing the up arrow twice at the end but I'm up and running. Live and learn...I'll be very, very careful in the future.

I can't thank you guys enough!

Just gonna hitchhike this thread. There are enough of these on the board already...

I can enroll in the group of those who deactivated their NIC by now. In an attempt to change the VPN-behaviour on my box (darn MCTS-Exam Preparation) I ended up without any Network-Connectivity at all. At least apart from a hosted Linux-Installation, which kept on working just fine.

However, in the end I pulled the System-Drive from my MSS and put it into my Desktop. Booting went fine and after I logged on I was greeted by the Activation-Assistant (obviously the Hardware is quite different). Still lacking a working Network-Connection I went on Calling Microsofts Activation Hotline and reading that key to the nice computer-lady. What she told me was not so nice however, because she said that she cannot identify my product and that I might have not a genuine version of whatever I have.

Is that a normal or intended with Windows Home Server? I doubt that HP gave me an unlicensed version, but is there any way to make sure?

Oh, by the way. After spending some time on the console thinking what other options I might have a custom-service spawned an Internet-Explorer in my Session that I could use to access the Control Panel and deactivate Routing and Remote Access Services. Shutting down, putting the drive back into my MSS and booting afterwards gave me my installation back without any further hassles.

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HP EX475, 2GB RAM, BE-2300 | Linksys WRT54G (Tomato)

HP is shipping fully licensed software. Did you read the key off the bottom of the server?

_________________
Alex Kuretz
Remote Notification: Monitoring and alerting for your Home Server via email, Twitter, text message, RSS, push notifications, and on your Mac desktop
Have you tried our Add-Ins?

No, it was the one that had been generated by the Activation Assistant. Therefore it was not my Software-Registration Key.

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HP EX475, 2GB RAM, BE-2300 | Linksys WRT54G (Tomato)

I don't know how the Activation Assistant works, but it may depend on the OEMBIOS details that are in the BIOS of the server and would not be present in your PC that you booted the drive off of.

_________________
Alex Kuretz
Remote Notification: Monitoring and alerting for your Home Server via email, Twitter, text message, RSS, push notifications, and on your Mac desktop
Have you tried our Add-Ins?