File Corruption Bug Bites Windows Home Server

Using certain applications to save digital files to Windows Home Server could cause files to become corrupted, according to Microsoft, which last week said the issue had affected "a few people" on its community forums, and posted a Knowledge Base article outlining the issue.

Microsoft didn't offer a timetable for a fix, but recommended that users not use the following applications to save data to Windows Home Server: Windows Vista Photo Gallery, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Microsoft Office OneNote 2007, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Money 2007, and SyncToy 2.0 Beta.

Based on Windows Server 2003, Windows Home Server lets users connect multiple PCs in the same household and allows them to store, manage, back up, and remotely access their digital content.

While interest in Windows Home Server has been strong, Tom DeRosier, co-owner of CPU Guys, a Hanson, Mass., system builder, says data corruption problems could cause some users to think twice before entrusting their digital content to Microsoft.

"Anytime you have data corruption, it's a serious issue. But what makes this even worse is the fact that with digital photos, people usually copy them off their cameras to the server and then delete them from the card, which means they're operating without a backup," said DeRosier.

Microsoft expects Home Server to fit well into the toolbox of home integrators because it's versatile enough to be wrapped into a smart home solution along with home automation and networking technologies.

Microsoft last month issued its second update for Windows Home Server, which fixed minor issues with the software's remote access functionality. The first Windows Home Server update, released in September, covered issues in home network router/firewall and broadband providers' software.