MS Windows Home Server

This is an update on the Philip Churchill's blog from May 28-2008

Foldershare Beta is replaced by Windows Live Sync, updated instructions can be found here:


I Recently discovered Foldershare and wanted to have this installed and running as a service on WHS.
However, the FolderShare Beta application seems to have changed, and the description needs to be updated, to get it runnning as a service on WHS.

Here are the steps (with quotes from the original Blog post.)

Since the FolderShare software will only work when a user is logged in, we will have to turn it into a Service. This is easy enough to do but be sure that you have already downloaded and configured FolderShare and that data is being synchronized before proceeding and be sure to shutdown FolderShare before performing these steps. This can be done by using remote desktop into WHS as an Administrator.

1. You will need instsrv.exe and srvany.exe from the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools.
2. Copy instsrv.exe to C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare
3. Copy srvany.exe to C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare
4. execute “C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare\instsrv.exe” FolderShare “C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare\srvany.exe”
5. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\FolderShare\Parameters /v Application /d “C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare\FolderShare.exe”
6. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\FolderShare\Parameters /v AppDirectory /d “C:\Program Files\Windows Live\FolderShare”
7. execute c:\reg DELETE HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v Foldershare /f
8. Move (cut/paste) ALL the files from C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings to C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings
9. execute c:\net start Foldershare

The major difference with the initial instructions are the changed directory locations in step 2-6 and the additional step 8. It took me a while to figure out step 8, as the service started to run smoothly, but it did not pick up my configuration automatically.

Everytime WHS is (re-)started, FolderShare becomes active automatically.

It would be nice to have an add-in to manage FolderShare settings, since you cannot change them (only by logging in via remote desktop and copying the files as described in step 8 after the changes have been made).

I can't get this thing running whenever my computer starts-up.

Yes, finally the "FolderShare"-service is running and started automatically. But I found no way to let FolderShare connect with my username and password.

I've read your message carefully, copied the "settings"-files from my account to "default_user", but still FolderShare won't log-in.

Any idea?

I just edited / highlighted the following sentence in the opening Post:
be sure that you have already downloaded and configured FolderShare and that data is being synchronized before proceeding.

This should be done through a remote desktop session. One this is done, the settings will be created and once these settings exist the account used will be picked up.

No go.

At least, the machine will stay online to Foldershare.com.

Even if I'm not connected to it via Remote Desktop.

I've tried to reproduce it on my WHS. You could try the following:

- Log on via remote Desktop
- Stop the Foldershare service
- If Foldershare is running as an application (when the foldershare icon in the system tray is showing), also stop this.
- delete all the files in the following folders:
--- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings
--- C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings
- Start The Foldershare application (not the service)
- Supply your credentials and set up any of the shares you want to sync through the Foldershare website.
- In the Foldershare Settings, uncheck "Automatically run FolderShare when I log on to FolderShare"
- If you want to use the FolderShare application to access your WHS files remotely with the Foldershare application, you may check the option " Allow remote Access to this computer".
Also set the setting to not start up
- Wait until all synchronization set up is finished
- Stop the foldershare application
- Move (Cut/Paste) the settings files generated in:
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings
to
C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Local Settings\Application Data\FolderShare\settings (this will leave the settings at one place and will not update the settings file when logged on through Remote Desktop in the Administrator settings folder).
- Exit Remote Desktop
- Restart WHS or Start the FolderShare service with the advanced admin console (add-in).

Now check with a desktop PC whether Foldershare becomes active (WHS status becomes automatically online). If you have set "Allow remote Access to this computer" you should be able to browse throughthe files on the WHS via the FolderShare site.

Are you running Foldershare with power pack 1?

Do you get any errors from locked files?

Yes Running PP1 and shares set up via the path D:\Shares\etc..
I Haven't seen or found any error so far. As far as I understand them, the log files look fine to me. Only errors seen are due to connectivity issues, when switching on/off a VPN connection from one of the machine used for sharing. The service is running over a week now (though I must say I shut down my WHS at night via the Lights-out add-in).

This week DropBox, a similar application to Foldershare went public.

Both have their own pros and cons, but the major con between FolderShare and DropBox is the fact that DropBox does have a limitation on the maximum size (current 2Gb). But it also has a very easy way to share your documents to the public especially photo's) on the web.

Since Dropbox looks similar, I thought it should be easy to create a windows service on WHS, similar to FolderShare. And it indeed is. Here are the steps:

Since Dropbox will normally only work when a user is logged in, we will have to install and use it first via remote desktop, before it can be turned it into a Service.

1. Remote desktop to your WHS as administrator
2. Get DropBox from their website.
3. Install and configure Dropbox as you like. e.g. I made a special share on my WHS named Dropbox before the installation and linked Dropbox to this share. Then exit dropbox from the system tray.
4. Similar to Foldershare, you will need instsrv.exe and srvany.exe from the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools.
5. Copy instsrv.exe to C:\Program Files\Dropbox
6. Copy srvany.exe to C:\Program Files\Dropbox
7. execute “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
8. execute reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v Application /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe”
9. execute reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v AppDirectory /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox”
10. Delete or move the shorcut to Dropbox away from the startfolder (Start -> All Programs -> Startup) on the startmenu.
11. Move (cut/paste) ALL the files from C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\DropBox to C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Dropbox
12. execute net start Dropbox

Everytime WHS is (re-)started, Dropbox becomes active automatically.

Like folderShare it would be nice to have an add-in to manage the Dropbox settings, since you cannot change them (only by logging in via remote desktop and copying the files as described in step 11 after the changes have been made).

pcmklein wrote:This week DropBox, a similar application to Foldershare went public.

Both have their own pros and cons, but the major con between FolderShare and DropBox is the fact that DropBox does have a limitation on the maximum size (current 2Gb). But it also has a very easy way to share your documents to the public especially photo's) on the web.

Since Dropbox looks similar, I thought it should be easy to create a windows service on WHS, similar to FolderShare. And it indeed is. Here are the steps:

Since Dropbox will normally only work when a user is logged in, we will have to install and use it first via remote desktop, before it can be turned it into a Service.

1. Remote desktop to your WHS as administrator
2. Get DropBox from their website.
3. Install and configure Dropbox as you like. e.g. I made a special share on my WHS named Dropbox before the installation and linked Dropbox to this share. Then exit dropbox from the system tray.
4. Similar to Foldershare, you will need instsrv.exe and srvany.exe from the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools.
5. Copy instsrv.exe to C:\Program Files\Dropbox
6. Copy srvany.exe to C:\Program Files\Dropbox
7. execute “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
8. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v Application /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe”
9. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v AppDirectory /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox”
10. Delete or move the shorcut to Dropbox away from the startfolder (Start -> All Programs -> Startup) on the startmenu.
11. Move (cut/paste) ALL the files from C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\DropBox to C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Dropbox
12. execute c:\net start Dropbox

Everytime WHS is (re-)started, Dropbox becomes active automatically.

Like folderShare it would be nice to have an add-in to manage the Dropbox settings, since you cannot change them (only by logging in via remote desktop and copying the files as described in step 11 after the changes have been made).

Please anyone help me with how to execute the following for dropbox

7. execute “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
8. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v Application /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe”
9. execute c:\reg ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Dropbox\Parameters /v AppDirectory /d “C:\Program Files\Dropbox”


i have tried run: then typed as execute “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
should i remove quotes or what am i doing wrong?

Thanks

mkehinde2 wrote:i have tried run: then typed as execute “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\instsrv.exe” Dropbox “C:\Program Files\Dropbox\srvany.exe”
should i remove quotes or what am i doing wrong?

Thanks

Did you try this by typing the commands (not copy/past from this forum!!) in a command prompt?
That should do the trick.