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I admittedly am not too familiar with WSS. I just bought a new NAS box
(which allegedly was loaded with WSS). Booted it up and the splash screen
(and other OS references) reads "Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition". Is
this right? I would have thought that it would say "Windows Server 2003
Storage Server" or something to that effect.

I wasn't given any media. What am I to do if it crashes? Can I somehow
reload or am I just stuck?

- tex

The OEM should reply some sort of recovery mechanism? Most often this
includes an OS mirror and a recovery CD to restore factory defaults. I would
check their documents for that.

On the branding issue - if you click Start->Run and then "winver" - does it
say "Windows Server 2003", and then right under it "Appliance Edition"?

--
Mark St. John
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your reply.

Here is the response I got from my vendor from my two questions:

1) At this stage of development Microsoft has elected not to modify the
Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition splash screen to read Storage
Server 2003. Your comments are well taken and I will forward on to
Microsoft as this is important feedback.

Is this true? So is there any verifiable way to tell the difference between
WSS and W2K3 Standard Edition? I can't imagine that there isn't. Maybe I'm
totally misunderstanding it...but is WSS simply W2K3 + the Server Appliance
Kit (which I see in the Add/Remove Programs list)?

One thing I did notice, that I found really suspect was the ability to
upgrade the machine to a full AD domain controller (I spotted this in the
"Manage my server" screen..."Add Role"). From what I had read about WSS,
this wasn't possible.

I had also anticipated only being able to manage the machine from Terminal
Server/RDP & the web interface. I can do both, but I can also just plug it
it in to a monitor and keyboard and treat it like a normal server. Am I
missing something here? I didn't think this was supported functionality (at
least from what I read).

2) Since these are appliances media is not included. Additionally, the
specialized code used in the implementation process is not available to
the general public, resellers and VARS included, so we can not provide
with our appliances.

This answer sounds fishy to me. What "specialized code" could he be
referring to? I highly doubt MS would distribute WSS in anything but binary
form.

"Mark [MSFT]" <mstjohn@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:OctAsi5BEHA.1028@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

The OEM should reply some sort of recovery mechanism? Most often this
includes an OS mirror and a recovery CD to restore factory defaults. I
would
check their documents for that.

None was supplied...see above. Are there any MS regulations which would
prohibit an OEM from including a recovery CD with a WSS NAS box?

On the branding issue - if you click Start->Run and then "winver" - does
it
say "Windows Server 2003", and then right under it "Appliance Edition"?

I find no mention of "Appliance Edition" there...just "Standard Edition"

- tex

Is this true? So is there any verifiable way to tell the difference
between
WSS and W2K3 Standard Edition? I can't imagine that there isn't. Maybe
I'm
totally misunderstanding it...but is WSS simply W2K3 + the Server
Appliance
Kit (which I see in the Add/Remove Programs list)?

At risk of muddying the waters even more... ;)

WSS is based on Windows Server 2003. There can be branding elements involved
(the previously mentioned "Appliance Edition") as well as other features.
However, depending on the purpose for which the WSS server was built by the
OEM (file only, file/print, etc.), how their license was arranged and what
they want to present to the end user, the OEM has a cew choices that can
create a bit of confusion.

We are well aware of it and are working on it dilligently for future
releases.

One thing I did notice, that I found really suspect was the ability to
upgrade the machine to a full AD domain controller (I spotted this in the
"Manage my server" screen..."Add Role"). From what I had read about WSS,
this wasn't possible.

By license, even if available by code, WSS servers can not be run as Domain
Controllers, application servers, etc.

I had also anticipated only being able to manage the machine from Terminal
Server/RDP & the web interface. I can do both, but I can also just plug
it
it in to a monitor and keyboard and treat it like a normal server. Am I
missing something here? I didn't think this was supported functionality
(at
least from what I read).

This is also an OEM choice. There are models available without local display
or keyboard inputs -generally lower end/entry level devices. Most, however,
do have them.

This answer sounds fishy to me. What "specialized code" could he be
referring to? I highly doubt MS would distribute WSS in anything but
binary
form.

There is some secret sauce (for lack of a better term) that is provided to
the OEM for a variety of implementations and uses, which can not be
redistributed. However, this would not preclude the ability to provide
recovery mechanisms.

None was supplied...see above. Are there any MS regulations which would
prohibit an OEM from including a recovery CD with a WSS NAS box?

Not that I am aware of, but I will try to look in to it. I would be quite
surprised if there were no recovery mechanism whatsoever.

--
Mark St. John
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Mark [MSFT]" <mstjohn@online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:u6BirYFCEHA.3400@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

None was supplied...see above. Are there any MS regulations which would
prohibit an OEM from including a recovery CD with a WSS NAS box?

Not that I am aware of, but I will try to look in to it. I would be quite
surprised if there were no recovery mechanism whatsoever.

Any conclusive findings on this?

- tex

Sorry for the delay...

I could not find any explicit reason you have no media. But then again, that
doesn't mean that your configuration is invalid either :)
What model system do you have?

Regardless, all I can suggest is to keep following through with your vendor.

--
Mark St. John
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.