Windows Home Server

Introduction

In the event of a disaster it’s best not to have all your data in the same place.  The trouble with Windows Home Server backups, is that they are generally in the same building as the client PCs, so if you lose the building, you lose everything.  The following method will allow you to do an encrypted backup to a remote drive that could live, for example, in your garden shed.

A feature that was pulled from Performance Pack 1 was the ability to backup the client backup files.  An add-in was developed that automated the documented process that Microsoft published, though the PDF file that contains those instructions, now seems to have been removed / moved.

The manual process was:

I’ve developed this manual process into a an automated script that will give you a fully encrypted backup of both the PC backups and the WHS shares to any NAS drive or server that supports files over 4Gb.  For my system, I’m using a 500GB Freecom Network Drive Pro.  It has to be the Pro version as the cheaper one only supports FAT32 as a file system.  FAT32 has a 4GB single file limit.  The Pro supports ext3 which doesn’t.  The NAS drive can then be located off-site i.e in the shed or garage.

Assumptions

You already have a backup of all your data on another media or are using a test server.
You are confident in using MSTSC and creating command files (batch files).
Your WHS does not already have a T: drive
You have a working NAS drive/server that supports large files

Download the software

Two pieces of software need to be installed on the WHS.  Firstly Robocopy, which can either be installed as part of the Windows 2003 Server resource kit, or by itself, with a later version, from the RoboCopy GUI  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/magazine/cc135870.aspxkPick Robocopy from the  November 2006 section.

If you don’t want an encrypted backup, skip the TrueCrypt parts and replace the mount and dismount parts of the script with drive mapping commands, but if you do, it can be downloaded from www.truecrypt.org.  These instructions are based on 6.1a. 

Prepare the NAS drive 

 I’ve named my NAS drive the same as my WHS, but with a -B suffix, so in these examples it’s called \\SNOOPY-B.  I’ve created a share called WHS and a user called Administrator with the same password as on my WHS.  The user has full access to the share.  

Logon to your WHS

 You need to logon to you WHS using MSTSC.EXE to get a remote desktop session to the server.  Logon as Administrator using your administrator password. 

TrueCrypt Setup/Installation

 Run the setup program and accept the defaults for everything.  Installation will take less than one minute. 

Creating the encrypted container

Run TrueCrypt from the desktop icon and select ‘Create Volume’ 

Select ‘Create an encrypted file container’ and select ‘Next’

Select ‘Standard TrueCrypt volume’ and select ‘Next’

Enter a volume location of ‘\\SNOOPY-B\WHS\Backup.raw’ and select ‘Next’

Pick an encryption and hash algorithm or just accept the defaults and select ‘Next’

Select the size of the volume you want to create. You should pick roughly the same size as your WHS.  Be aware that a 400Gb volume may take 20 hours to create! Select ‘Next’

Enter the Volume password.  Don’t go overboard with the password as it has to be stored in plain text in the script anyway. In this case it was ‘Password’.  Select ‘Next’

Change the File system to NTFS, move the mouse around for a bit, then select ‘Format’.  If the format does not start, move the mouse around some more. 

Sit back and wait…..

Select ‘Exit’ to quit the Wizard and ‘Exit’ to quit TrueCrypt.

RoboCopy Setup/Installation

 Run the setup program (UtilitySpotlight2006_11.exe)  

Unzip the files to C:\Temp 

Copying the Scripts

 Create a folder under ‘C:\Program Files’ called ‘Conscious’ 

BackupShares.cmd

REM Windows Home Server Off-Site encrypted backup of shares folder
REM (C) 2008 www.HomeAutomation-Direct.com
REM Released under GPL. No consequential loss or damages accepted.  Use at your own risk!

REM Mount the TrueCrypt container on T: No user output
“C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe” /V \\SNOOPY-B\WHS\BACKUP.RAW /L T /P “Password” /Q /S

REM Copy the “shares” folder in Mirror Mode, Restartable, All attributes, No progress, 4 retries, 5 second wait between retries, Log to file, Console output
Robocopy D:\shares T:\shares /MIR /Z /COPYALL /NP /R:4 /W:5 /LOG:”C:\Program Files\Conscious\BackupShares.log” /TEE

REM Dismount the container
“C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe” /D /Q

BackupBackups.cmd

REM Windows Home Server Off-Site encrypted backup of backup folder
REM (C) 2008 www.HomeAutomation-Direct.com
REM Released under GPL. No consequential loss or damages accepted.  Use at your own risk!

REM WHS will complain if the services are stopped for too long!

REM In this example, destination NAS drive is called \\SNOOPY-B with a share called WHS
REM TrueCrypt volume is called Backup.raw. Password for TrueCrypt volume is “Password”

REM Start the Drive Letter Service
NET STOP PDL

REM Start the Backup Service
NET STOP WHSBackup

REM Mount the TrueCrypt container on T: No user output
“C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe” /V \\SNOOPY-B\WHS\BACKUP.RAW /L T /P “Password” /Q /S

REM Copy the “backup” folder in Mirror Mode, Restartable, All attributes, No progress, 4 retries, 5 second wait between retries, Log to file, Console output
Robocopy D:\folders\{00008086-058D-4C89-AB57-A7F909A47AB4} T:\folders\{00008086-058D-4C89-AB57-A7F909A47AB4} /MIR /Z /COPYALL /NP /R:4 /W:5 /LOG:”C:\Program Files\Conscious\BackupBackups.log” /TEE

REM Dismount the container
“C:\Program Files\TrueCrypt\TrueCrypt.exe” /D /Q

REM Start the Backup Service
NET START WHSBackup

REM Start the Drive Letter Service
NET START PDL  

Testing

Make sure you either have a backup copy of all your shared folders, or you are running this on a test server.  I used Microsoft Virtual PC (free download) to develop the scripts before installing it on my real server.  Be aware that the /MIR option on RoboCopy will DELETE files so if you get the parameters wrong you will lose data. 

Type ‘BackupShares.cmd’

The script should run and all the files will be copied across to the NAS drive.  A summary will be shown at the end and a log file will have been created in the same folder.  If you run it again, it should be a lot quicker as it will have nothing to do and the summary should reflect this in the Skipped column.

Once you are happy that’s working, you can backup the backups.

Type ‘BackupBackups.cmd’

Again , the script should run and all the files will be copied over.  The only difference with this script is that it needs to stop and start a couple of services.  WHS will warn you this has happened, but you can ignore it. 

Scheduling the scripts

You can use the built-in  Scheduled Task service (under control panel) to schedule the scripts to run.  The BackupBackups one should be run outside of your WHS backup window i.e. after it, because if it runs during it, the backups will fail.  The BackupShares script can be run at anytime.  If you have masses of data you can limit the run time of the scripts through the scheduled task.  RoboCopy has been setup to use restartable mode so any files that are being copied will just continue the next time it runs.

Real World timings

The following timing were taken from my production WHS running on a Tranquil PC, connected over a 1Gbs network to a Freecom Network Drive Pro, backing up two laptops and a PC.

Creation of a 450Gb encrypted volume: 20 hours

Initial copy of ’shares’ folder: 214Gb in 9.5 hours
Second run the next day: 0Gb in 3.5 minutes
Third run: 0Gb in 3.5 minutes

Initial copy of ‘folder’ folder: 94Gb in 4.5 hours
Second run the next day:81Gb in 4 hours
Third run: 5Gb in 14 minutes

It would seem, that when the PC backup cleanup runs (on a Sunday), the timestamp on every backup file is updated, so RoboCopy has to re-sync it.  I don’t know why it does this so I’d be interested in other peoples thoughts.  Apart from that, just the changes are transferred to the NAS drive everyday.

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Available is the Chromoflex III RC Stripe and i350, which is the wireless version and the Chromoflex II Standard Stripe and i350, plus associated remote controls and dongles.

1. Use MSDTC to connect as Administrator to your WHS.

2.  Download the latest version of the software from here.  You want the Windows 2000/XP/Vista version.  You should save it on the Desktop of the server.  If you don’t you will need to unblock it by right clicking on the file and selecting ‘Unblock’

3. Run the .exe, ignore the security warning.

4. Just keep the defaults for everything i.e. keep selecting ‘Next’.  There are some opinions around that say don’t install anything on the C: drive, but it’s small enough not to matter.

5.  Select All Programs, Squeezecenter, Squeezecenter startup option from the Start menu.  Select ‘Start Squeezecenter automatically…’ and enter ‘Administrator’ as the user and your administrator password.  This will allow Squeezecenter to run as a service so will be available when you log off.

6.  You can now log off the WHS.  If you try and run Squeezecenter using IE on the server, you will get errors as IE is running in a secure restricted mode.

7. Use the browser on your PC to point to http://<WHS name>:9000

8.  The setup wizard should start, just follow it through, pointing the Local Music Folder to ‘D:\shares\music’ which appears as Music under shared folders on your PC.  Any music in there will then be scanned and added to the library. 

9. Connect your hardware i.e Duet, Classic etc. and point it to the WHS.

That should be it.  The only reason you should need to log back into the WHS via MSTSC is to do an upgrade, which is exactly the same process as this minus a few configuration steps.

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Automation Hardware used:
CM15Pro Controller
Plug-in appliance modules
1 way and 2 way micro modules
Plug-in filters
Micro module filters
Micro module amplifier.
4 way remote control
Plug-in wireless module
Plug in power meter

Digital Music Hardware used:
Tranquil T7 PC
Logitech Squeezebox Duet

Energy Saving/Monitoring Hardware used:
Eco-Eye Elite

Automation
Initially the CM15Pro was setup to control a couple of plug in modules attached to table and floor lamps. These contained energy saving bulbs so lamp dimmer modules could not be used.
The CM15Pro was configured using the supplied ActiveHomePro software to turn the modules on at Dusk and turn them off at 23:00h. Channel 1 on the remote control was also configured to turn the modules on and off at will.

After a few days it was decided to change the ‘on’ time to fifteen minutes before dusk, this now brought the lights at a more comfortable light level. More plug-in modules were added along with micro modules placed behind existing light switches.

An additional plug-in wireless receiver and remote control was added to allow the bedrooms to control the lighting.

On one particular mains circuit (a radial not a ring), the X10 signals started failing. After unplugging all the devices on that particular circuit and powering them up one by one it was found that an HP PC base unit and Canon printer were causing the issues. Plug-in filters were connected to those two devices and the X10 signals once again flowed.

After adding more X10 modules to remote parts of the house, again, the signal started to become unreliable to the furthest one. An amplifier module was therefore added close to the consumer unit. This had the effect of doubling the signal strength on the X10 transmission, so now all parts of the house were reachable.

Energy Saving
A few hours were spent with a plug in power meter measuring the standby/off load of every device that was plugged into any socket. This ranged from mobile phone chargers (about 4w) to gas cookers (21w), the hi-fi (50w) and flat screen televisions (only 1w, don’t believe the media hype). After this list had been drawn up, plug in modules were placed on the high consuming devices and a macro created in the CM15Pro to turn all the devices off at 00:00 and back on again at 06:00. This is the sort of energy saving measure that is painless and just happens in the background. If anyone happened to still need anything after midnight, channel two on the remote control was programmed to re-enable i.e. turn on everything that had been turned off.

Alarm Interface
The interface to the intruder alarm has now been installed. Four outputs have been taken from the alarm panel : Alarm, Set/Unset, Chime and Lounge PIR. These go via a small relay board to provide isolation into a TMA4 4 channel X10 micromodule transmitter. An X10 On is sent when the input from the alarm goes high and an off is sent when it returns to low.

The Set/Unset signal triggers the powersaving macros described earlier. So when the alarm is fully set, i.e. the house is unoccupied, all devices that are not needed are powered off. When the alarm is unset, they are powered back on. Again, a simple technique that required no thought from the user will save energy. The Chime input is used to detect when any of the external doors are opened. This will activate the external lights and does away for the need for PIRs which can be a bit hit and miss. The Lounge PIR is used to stop the lights turning off at 23:00 if someone is still up. The macro to turn the lights off keeps checking every five minutes to see if there has been a trigger from the PIR, after fifteen minutes of no activity the lights will be turned off. The Alarm input is also useds to trigger the external lights and implement additional security protocols.

Download
You can download the actual AHX file that runs inside the CM15Pro from here. This will allow you to see how the macros have been implemented.

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Although the steps involved in the  recovery process are simple.  They don’t seem to be documented, so here they are:

1. Get the hardware working again, in this case it involved replacing the HDD in the laptop.

2. Download the latest recovery/boot cd from the Microsoft website.  Although you may have a ‘HomePC Restore CD’ folder on your server, unless you know it’s up to date, get the latest from here.

4. Extract the ISO by running the downloaded file and burn the ISO to a CD using your favorite burning software.

5. Open the last good backup for your PC using the WHS Console and copy the folder called ‘Windows Home Server Drivers for Restore’ to the root of a USB stick.

6. Connect the PC/Laptop to an Ethernet network with access to the WHS and boot off the CD you have just created.  It will ask for the drivers for your hardware, at this point insert the USB stick and let it scan it.

7. Select the backup you want to restore, if you have put a new HDD in, you will need to create a partition and format it.

8.  Let the restore run.  A 40Gb disk will take around 20minutes one 1Gbps network.

That should be it, unless you did have to replace the hard disk, in which case you’ll now find the PC/Laptop won’t boot as it doesn’t have a master boot record.  The steps to fix this are:

1. Boot the PC/Laptop off an original OS CD e.g. Windows XP and select the recovery console option.

2. Once in the recovery console run ‘FIXMBR’

3. Reboot the PC/Laptop, everything should now be as it was when the last backup was taken.

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