MediaSmartServer.net
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/

Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=14826		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  stigzler [ Sun Feb 03, 2019 8:36 am ]
Post subject:  Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
Hi all,

So I was loving WHS2011.. until today! 8GB limit on RAM? MS - I love you, but sometimes your idiocy shines through! ](*,)

Leads to the first question:

a) Is there any way around the 8GB limit?

I'm using my WHS a lot - serving webpages; a mysql server; ftp server; svn server; plex media server etc etc

It took me ages to set up, and I's shuddering at the thought of starting from scratch. Leads to the second question:

b) Is there anyway to 'upgrade' WHS 2011 to a more current version whilst keeping all my IIS/installations/setups etc?

Lastly, I have around 10TB of data on it. This is managed by StableBit drive pool. If I move to a newer server OS, how on earth to I go about migrating that?

So, the things I have setup, that I'd like to preserve are:

- 16TB data managed by StableBit drivepool
- Filezilla Server
- MySQL Server
- WebServer (and several websites) via IIS
- VisualSVN Server
- OpenFire Chat Server
- Plex Media Server
- Parachute Power Manager

If there are no option through (b):

c) What is the best way to go about migrating to a newer Windows Server OS?

This feels like an absolute nightmare, so any help appreciated!
Author:  Jachin99 [ Tue Feb 05, 2019 3:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
I hate to be the one to say this but if you upgrade your OS you will have to start over. For stablebit it would probably be as easy as removing your drives from the pool, and transferring your license if necessary. I pulled a drive from my pool not to long ago, and I was able to remove all of my data from it via stablebit. For all of your applications like sql, your site, etc I'm not sure. Maybe you can back all of those up or find a migration wizard somewhere. For your site at least it would seem like you could copy it, then import into a new instance of IIS. There was a kernel edit on the sony vgx xl proboards that let you remove the 4 GB limit from windows 7, and maybe the same trick would work on homeserver but I'm not sure. https://sites.google.com/site/vaioxlgro ... des/memory
Author:  Jachin99 [ Fri Feb 15, 2019 9:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
I found some detailed instructions for removing the ram limit on win 7 32 bit. https://forums.evga.com/HOW-TO-Removing ... 60087.aspx

I wonder if it would work on WHS https://web.archive.org/web/20130101153 ... -7-32-bit/
Author:  Jachin99 [ Fri Feb 15, 2019 9:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
From one of the threads above:

Another simple way to use lots of RAM on a 32bit OS is to create a RAM drive with any RAM over 4GB and then move your pagefile to the ram drive.

So when windows runs out of RAM it will begin to page to the pagefile on the RAM drive which is now just RAM.

I've used is to use 8GB of ram back on Windows XP before VIsta and 7 and it was working quite well. I was able to work with large photoshop projects and boot lots and lots of virtual machines without slowdown like when I didn't have the RAM drive activated.
Author:  580guy [ Sat Jun 20, 2020 5:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
I know this is an old post, but this is one of the beefs I have with WHS2011. MS crippled it to address only 8GB of ram. I have 8GB installed on my server, but I have empty slots for more (TS-440). I thought about using a ram drive, but how could you do that? It seems that the swap file will only use a device that is present at boot up, before the OS starts up. I need to research this more. A Ram drive could help a lot as I have to wait frequently for swap file tranfers on my server. Of course, I could go the full-blown server OS, but WHS2011 is running so solid and just works great as a home server OS. Don't want to deal with active directory, domains and all that stuff!

Again, apologies for replying to an older post, but this caught my attention as I have been battling this limit for years.
Author:  stigzler [ Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
My advice? Bite the bullet and go for a Windows Server 2016/2019 fresh install. I'm a hobbyist and managed to get it set up with a bit of research and work. Admittedly it does take a bit of time, but it's definitely worth it. It wasn't as painful as I was worrying about.

Whislt you're at it - it's a good time to update your hardware. I left my trusty HP Server for a Dell T20. Now all up and running - haven't looked back. Specs::

Image
Author:  580guy [ Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:21 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
Jachin99 wrote:
From one of the threads above:

Another simple way to use lots of RAM on a 32bit OS is to create a RAM drive with any RAM over 4GB and then move your pagefile to the ram drive.

So when windows runs out of RAM it will begin to page to the pagefile on the RAM drive which is now just RAM.

I've used is to use 8GB of ram back on Windows XP before VIsta and 7 and it was working quite well. I was able to work with large photoshop projects and boot lots and lots of virtual machines without slowdown like when I didn't have the RAM drive activated.


How can you set up a ramdrive on memory that cannot be addressed from the OS, using utilities while you are in the OS?

I found a few utilities that will create a ramdisk. You use them while booted up in the OS. But, since the OS can't see the additional ram present, how is it possible to tell the ramdisk utility create a ramdisk in the memory that is now unseen by the OS?

Since you mentioned you have done this before, how did you do it? Almost seems to me you would to do something in the system bios before the OS booted up, or something like that.
Author:  580guy [ Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
stigzler wrote:
My advice? Bite the bullet and go for a Windows Server 2016/2019 fresh install. I'm a hobbyist and managed to get it set up with a bit of research and work. Admittedly it does take a bit of time, but it's definitely worth it. It wasn't as painful as I was worrying about.

Whislt you're at it - it's a good time to update your hardware. I left my trusty HP Server for a Dell T20. Now all up and running - haven't looked back. Specs::

Image


Thanks for the reply. Yes, I have read about putting 2016 essentials over 2019. Probably the way I would go if I ever decide to upgrade.
https://www.theofficemaven.com/news/installing-windows-server-essentials-experience-on-windows-server-2019

BTW, I am not running the MSS any longer, I guess you missed my signature.
Author:  stigzler [ Sat Jun 20, 2020 6:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Upgrading from WHS 2011 - recommendations?
I can't remember how exactly I did mine. However, it was a clean install, not one over the top. I'd thoroughly recommend this. I was running stable bit drive pool on my old + now on my new. It was surprisingly easy to add all the existing data drives back into the pool on the new setup, so don't worry about that. Also, any other server functions (I serve webpages, files, MySQL and all sorts form mine atm) were easy to set up. Go for the clean install.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 7 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/