Wow, I cant believe I found this forum through an online MediaSmart article. So here is the background and my questions...

Bought a new HP MediaSmart EX495 server back around 2009 but didn't install it until late 2012 so it is the original software (WHS Powerpack 3) and a 1.5Tb Seagate ST31500341AS. I have mapped it to a Dell Inspiron running Windows 7 and a Macbook Pro Retina (2014) running OS X Yosemite. The MediaSmart is plugged into a Cisco Catalyst 3500 XL. I also installed the Windows Home Server Console on my Dell pc.

Here is what I would like to do:
-add memory and have 3 open bays to do so
-back-up mine and my wife's pc, and my Macbook to the server
-load up all my music (about 300gb) and play using iTunes AND a Sonos system
-load other media (movies, photos, etc)

This is what I am wondering:
1) What brand/model HDs do you recommend and what is the max capacity for each that I can install in the bays?
2) Can I back up the pcs and the Macbook to the same HDs?
3) Macs use Time Machine to back up but I have a number of programs to back up the pcs including Norton and the Windows 7 program. Recommendations on the best program to conduct back-ups to the server?
4) After the back-up, I would like to install the latest Windows 10 and Mac El Capitan. Is this system compatible and what problems can I expect?
5) Assuming I get 3 or 4 HDs, should I set up two discs for a RAID 1 for the pcs and Mac back-ups and dedicate the other one or two for media (iTunes, movies, photos etc)?
6) My Sonos system can run iTunes but asks to map to a NAS. Can this be one of the HDs I plan to install in the MediaSmart?
7) Can I install the WHS Console on my Macbook?
8) Do you recommend that I upgrade the WHS? If so, what system should I upgade to for the server to do all of the above? I do not want to spend too much $.

Not sure if this makes a difference but I am upgrading to the latest MS Office for the pc and run the latest MS Office 2016 for my Mac.

Seems to be lots of IT and network geniuses on this site. My experience with networks is all self taught through google, playing on the pc, and asking friends so I may not be up on the lingo. Please dumb it down when answering my questions. Any other suggestions on how to improve my system is absolutely welcome!

Thank you so much!
R/
Ron

Welcome, you have found the best place on the net for these little dudes.

Stock software on the server you can use 4 (2tb) drives.
The system does not use a typical raid setup, it has a main system drive with a OS partition and what is left and all the other drives are pooled into 1 large drive.
Forget the mac, the older versions of mac worked but the newer version is not supported.
Win7 32 and 64 bit win 8 and win 10 are all still backing up and working.

I use all red WD drives 2tb, they are not as fast but do run cooler.
Some use WD blacks for the speed but they do run warm.

The system sets up defaults folders for Music, videos, user folders, photos.

Hope this helps. Read some of the guides.
Two things:
1) when you get all setup and have all the windows updates and all the HP updates then go out and get the Free Smart addin to keep and eye on your drives.
http://www.dojonorthsoftware.net/dl/InstallHomeServerSMARTClassic.zip
2) always have a backup outside the server of the stuff you can't lose, because the server runs Windows and we all know that things can go very wrong very fast.
Some backup to the cloud or external drives, something. I backup to another server. and to other drives.

As far as upgrading, you have the last in the series of this Gen of micro servers, hardware wise. The EX-490 and X-510 were the last of the systems running the stock software. The ram and the cpu can be upgraded if needed. The stock software is win server 2003 and is End of life, but still usable IMHO.
Some but the video adapter and install win server 2011 which is built on win server 2008 and some have installed win server 2012E.
If you upgrade to these OS'es the hardware can run larger drives and these OSes are 64 bit. The stock software is 32 bit, hence the 2TB limit.
I plan on using mine stock for as long as I can and I will pass on Win 10 for now and wait a couple of years to see what happens. Win 7 works fine for me.
I have 9 win7 PC's that backup to the server and 1 vista PC.

You should be able to map to any folder for devices to find your data.

One of the best things I like about these little servers is you can pull any drive out and attach it to another pc with a usb to sata dock or cables and you can read your files.
Most NAS'es can't say that.

Good Luck and as you get farther down the road, shout out if you have questions.

P.S. ram can be upgraded to 4 gig in two slots.
The bottom bay is the system drive bay, that drive always has to be in that bay, the other drives can go into whichever.

_________________
[X510 CPU/RAM/All 2 TB Red's] [X510 CPU/Sync'ed Backup/All 2 TB Hitachi's]
[X510 /2 in box]
[X710 LIAN LI DIY W2016E] Stablebit Drivepool [EX-503 LIAN LI 5-bay USB3 External]
Fear the Cloud

Thanx Gardian, this info is most helpful. I think I will stick with Win7 and have my wife do the same as it is serving us just fine. Re my Macbook, I'll use a separate HD for Time Machine back-ups. I do b/u my computer to a separate USB drive (Seagate GoFlex) just in case. And I, on occasion move folders and files to different drives. The issue I am having now is that I have so many back-ups to different (and some outdated) external HDs that I do not know what to get rid of. LOL! Guess I will keep em all just in case. Old 500gb HDs are not worth much anyway.

I'll also take your advice and stick with the current server OS. If it is working and doing what I want, why "fix" it. Will come back to this forum when it becomes apparent that I'll need to upgrade. For now, I am going shopping for some 2Tb WD Reds.

What is your recommendation for upgrading the RAM?

I have upgraded the ram on mine, but to tell you the truth, it doesn't use it most of the time.
The ram you will fine in the hardware threads, just pick the one that matches yours.
The memory is kind of old now and most likely you will end up getting it on ebay.
I upgraded the cpu which helped more then the memory.
I have the X-510 which is the same as the EX-490 same ram same cpu. I think i used the Intel E8500 cpu, works great!

Old backups, I have told my girls to keep all their files on the server and no local, so I just cleand out all the clients backups except for the very first one and the the latest. I am going to just keep two backups on all my 9-10 pc's so it doesn't take up so much room and if the backups don't work, I can do a new install pretty quick, since they keep all the files on the server.

I backup the server to another server monthly and I back it up to non-pooled drives about 2-4 times a year and keep one backup offsite.

These little servers are pretty awesome, a usb to sata dock comes in real handy and I have a Lian Li 5 bay usb external enclosure that I can put 5 2tb drives in or just 5 of any size drives in and keep all kinds of stuff on them loloolololo

If you get the video setup you could install whs 2011 which is built on win server 2008 and the the server can take the 4 and 6 tb drives.
Also the servers are known to need power supplies, I keep a couple on hand just in case.

Photos, those are what kill me, holy smokes, how do you organize them??? OMG!

Check out the hardware threads that match you server and then checkout the DIY section and you can read about some of the newer builds with windows 2012E on them.

Enjoy and good luck.

_________________
[X510 CPU/RAM/All 2 TB Red's] [X510 CPU/Sync'ed Backup/All 2 TB Hitachi's]
[X510 /2 in box]
[X710 LIAN LI DIY W2016E] Stablebit Drivepool [EX-503 LIAN LI 5-bay USB3 External]
Fear the Cloud