Windows Home Server Shared Folders: Add & Manage - Guide

Managing Shared Folders on Windows Home Server

By default, Windows Home Server incorporates several shared folders categorized for different types of data. However, users frequently require the creation of custom shared folders tailored to their specific needs. This article details the process of creating these folders, controlling access permissions, activating folder duplication for data redundancy, and more. For the purposes of this guide, we will demonstrate accessing the Home Server Shared Folders from a Windows 7 environment.

Default Shared Folders

Upon installation of Windows Home Server, pre-defined shared folders such as Music, Photos, Public, Recorded TV, Software, and Videos are automatically generated. While these default folders cannot be deleted, the system allows for the creation of additional, user-defined folders as required. Furthermore, existing folders can have their permissions modified and their historical data reviewed.

Accessing Shared Folders

There are multiple methods to access your shared folders on the server. One approach involves double-clicking the "Shared Folders on Server" icon, which is created on the Desktop during the WHS Console installation.

Alternatively, you can right-click the WHS Console icon in the system tray and select "Shared Folders" from the context menu.

Within the WHS Console, navigate to "Shared Folders" and right-click to open the desired folder.

Another method is to access the "Network" location and double-click the Home Server icon.

Regardless of the chosen method, the Shared Folders directory will open, enabling you to browse your stored data.

Adding a New Folder

The process of adding a new folder is quite simple. Open the Windows Home Server Console and, under "Shared Folders," click "Add" from the toolbar. You can also right-click within an empty area of the Shared Folders view and select "Add" from the resulting context menu.

This action will launch the "Add a Shared Folder" wizard. Here, you will input a name for the new folder and optionally provide a descriptive text. A key decision is whether to enable folder duplication. Enabling this feature creates redundant copies of the folder and its contents across multiple drives on the server. This increases storage requirements but provides enhanced data protection.

In scenarios involving large files, such as video content, duplication may not be necessary.

Setting Access Permissions

Following folder creation, you must define the access levels for each user. The available access types are:

• Read: Allows users to view and copy files.
• Read/Write: Grants users the ability to view, copy, modify, and delete files.
• Full Control: Provides complete access, including the ability to change permissions.

Once the wizard is completed, the new folder will be successfully created. You can then close the wizard and begin adding files.

The newly created folder, in this example named "DVD Movies," will now be visible in the Windows Home Server Console. Information such as the description, current emptiness, duplication status, and overall health will be displayed.

Deleting a Shared Folder

To remove a shared folder you have created, right-click the folder within the console and select "Remove" from the menu.

A confirmation prompt will appear; click "Finish" if you are certain you wish to delete the folder. Keep in mind that if the folder is duplicated, all copies will be deleted. The default folders provided by WHS cannot be removed.

Changing Folder Properties

You can modify folder properties and user access at any time. To do so, right-click the folder and select "Properties."

The Properties window will open. Under the "General" tab, you can enable "Folder Duplication" if it wasn't initially selected. This requires at least two drives within your server. Folder duplication automatically replicates the folder and its contents to another drive, ensuring synchronization. If a file is removed from the original folder, the change is reflected in the duplicate as well. This provides a safeguard against drive failure. Remember that duplication doubles the storage space required.

Click the "User Access" tab to adjust the access permissions for individual users.

A message will appear indicating that the new permissions will only take effect after the user logs off and back onto the system.

Users attempting to access files without the appropriate permissions will receive a "File Access Denied" error message.

Folder History

You can review a folder's history to track its growth over time. Right-click the folder and select "History." This will display a screen showing the folder's usage patterns. You can choose to view data for a week, month, year, or the entire history.

If a folder has not been in operation long enough to accumulate history data, an error message will be displayed. A minimum of one week is required to generate historical information.

Conclusion

Windows Home Server provides a centralized solution for managing your data and accessing it from various devices. Effectively managing shared folders is a core administrative task. You can control user access to network and web-based folders. The Folder Duplication feature offers a valuable layer of redundancy for critical files. This guide provides a foundation for understanding and utilizing shared folders on your home server. Further exploration of user account management and backup procedures is recommended.