Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-In

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One of the goals of Windows Home Server is to protect you from a hard disk crash. It succeeds because it places copies of a file on the various hard drives that are connected to the Windows Home Server. However, the question remains on what drive these copies are placed on and in the event of a hard disk crash, you will be confronted with file conflicts. This Add-In tries to be of assistance in these events.

Table of contents

What do you need? (downloads) Installation Usage Sponsors Case study's History

What do you need?

• A Windows Home Server updated to PP3 [download]
  
• Recommended:
  The Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-In (v1.1.1, januari) [download]
  See whats changed
  
  
• Old versions:
  The Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-In (v1.1.0, januari) [download]
  The Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-In (v1.0, januari) [download]
  

Installation

• Update your Windows Home Server to PP3 if you have not already done so

• Unzip the file Windows_Home_Server_Conflict_Resolver.zip that you've just downloaded to a folder of choice
• Copy the contents of the zip file to \\Server\Software\Add-Ins

• Log on to the Windows Home Server Console
• In the top right corner, click Settings
• Now go to Add-Ins, click on the tab Availlable and select Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver. Click Install

• After the installation has completed, restart the Home Server Console

• When everything went well, the Conflict Resolver Add-in is now installed and a new button 'Conflict Resolver' is availlable

Usage

The Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-in comes in handy when you are trying to figure out how safe your files are on a Windows Home Server. It uses the tombstones that keep track of all the files on a Home Server and searches for the actual files. It checks every file for availlability and readability. When files are considered unsafe, missing and / or corrupt, causing file conflicts in Windows Home Server, you can try to resolve them with this Add-In.


While scanning, the Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-in uses the following terms:

• Found and secure: the file was found on two or more drives in the storage pool
  Note: this state is only possible when 'folder duplication' is enabled for a shared folder

• Found, but unsecure: the file was found only on one hard drive in the storage pool
  Note: this state is perfectly normal when 'folder duplication' was disabled for the shared folder

• Missing: the file was not found on any hard drive in the storage pool

• Corrupt: the file was found on at least one hard drive in the storage pool but is not readable
  Note: check to see if this claim is true by opening this file with the associated program

In case you have 'Found, but unsecure', 'Missing' and / or 'Corrupt' files, the Add-In gives you four options to resolve the file conflicts on your Windows Home Server.

• Fix found and unsecure files: use when you have duplication enabled but the Drive Extender program is skipping (for some reason) a file so it's not being duplicated. The file will be recopied to the server so it's detected by the Drive Extender program.
  I've seen this happen on my server after a hard drive crash.
  

• Delete missing files: be careful and use this option only when all hope for the file is lost. When the file was not found on any disk in the storage pool, it will be deleted preventing it from causing file conflicts.
  

• Fix corrupt files: be careful and use this option only when you have tried opening the file with the associated program (e.g. opening an mp3 file with Windows Media Player) but failed. The Add-In will search for a working copy of the file in the storage pool and recopy the file to the server so it can be detected by the Drive Extender program.
  

• Delete corrupt files: be careful and use this option only when fixing of the corrupt file has failed and you have verified that the file is indeed corrupt. It will be deleted preventing it from causing file conflicts.

[click picture to enlarge]

Caution: the Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver Add-In is doing some serious 'under the hood' work with your files. Please be careful when it comes to deletion / fixing of presumably 'missing' or 'corrupt' files. I strongly advise you to take a backup of all your files before subjecting them to this Add-In. As always, software can contain errors and errors can lead to loss of data! Altough I tested this Add-In for quite some time, I'll never claim it's perfect...

[click picture to enlarge]

Sponsors

I love working on little programs like this one and if I could, I would make my living out of it... This Add-In will always remain 100% free (like in free beer) but if you do want to donate, please give us a present from our Amazon wish list below.

Case study's

Single drive

First, I would like to advise against this type of Windows Home Server Setup because you are asking for trouble. You will lose your files when the (only) hard disk crashes. As this is just a matter of time, you are already scr*wed. Sadly, there is little this Add-In can do for you in the event of file conflicts on your home server. However, you can get rid of the file conflicts messages by checking 'Delete missing files' and 'Delete corrupt files'. Only do this when you are absolutely sure!

Two or more drives in the storage pool, duplication disabled for share X

When you have file conflicts on share X with duplication disabled there is little this Add-In can do for you since the only copy you had of the file is now missing or corrupt. However, you can get rid of the file conflicts messages by checking 'Delete missing files' and 'Delete corrupt files'. Only do this when you are absolutely sure!

Two or more drives in the storage pool, duplication enabled for share X

If you have files that are on a share with duplication enabled but they are marked as 'Found but unsecure' you can check 'Fix found and unsecure items'. The files will be recopied to the server so they can be detected by the Drive Extender program. After a rebalance cycle, some of your files (if not all) will be rated 'Found and secure' again. If you have large amounts of 'Found but unsecure' files, it can take multiple rebalance cycles. You can invoke a storage balance manually by clicking the 'Rebalance Now' button in the top right corner of the Add-In.

If you have missing files, this means two hard drives have been removed from the storage pool and the only hope is to get at least one back. There is little that can be done for missing files... You can only get rid of the file conflicts messages by checking 'Delete missing files'. Only do this when you are absolutely sure!

In case you have corrupt files, you have a fighting chance. First, verify the files are indeed corrupt by trying to open them with the associated program (e.g. opening an mp3 file with Windows Media Player). If they are, check 'Fix corrupt files' and perform the scan again.
The Add-In will search for a working copy on drives attached to the storage pool and recopy the working file to the server so it can be detected by the Drive Extender program. You'll need a little bit of luck for this one, but it's worth a try. Since the corrupted file will be deleted and overwritten by a working copy, you should only do this when you are absolutely sure!

If the fixing of a corrupt file has failed than there is little this Add-In can do for you since all copies you had of the file are corrupt. However, you can get rid of the file conflicts messages by checking 'Delete corrupt files'. Only do this when you are absolutely sure!

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History

• v1.1.1
• Changed installation file so it is usable for German (and possibly Japanese [not tested]) Windows Home Server systems
  
• v1.1
  
• Implemented 'The Stamp Icon' by JasonMFC from http://www.homeserverland.com
  
• (Hopefully) fixed bug where very large files were being marked as corrupt
  
• Improved user experience with checkboxes
  
• Implemented debug mode that is accessible by pressing F3
  
• v1.0
  
• Support for One, two and multiple disk(s) setup
  
• Changed name from Windows Home Server Risk Assessment to Windows Home Server Conflict Resolver