Customer Reviews
Hewlett Packard EX495 1.5TB MediaSmart Home Server

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4 out of 5 stars   Works as advertised after some heartache
By Phudpucker on July 20, 2010
Verified Purchase
Review submitted for Hewlett Packard EX495 1.5TB MediaSmart Home Server (HPEX495)
Pros: Reliable auto-backups, Central access to media
Cons: Buggy software, Some initial pain
Other Comments: The hardware (as typical of HP servers) is very solid and robust. The issues I encountered were all software related - the Collector program written by HP (which regularly scans all PCs on the network for suitable media to copy to the server) is decidedly twitchy and not well-documented. The support staff I spoke to all seemed to admit it wasn't yet ready for prime-time and there seem to be all sorts of workarounds that they can suggest if problems arise. Eventually I got it working as advertised, but it took some time and experimentation (plus 3 calls to HP for more information about how it actually works). Fingers crossed it stays that way - although apparently some folks have no problems at all. The HP software is not very user-friendly, poorly documented and seems still quite buggy. It also lacks ANY error-reporting of any kind - e.g. if it encounters a bad file it doesn't bother to report that minor fact (or skip the bad one) - it just hangs there forever. The backup function was also frustrating in the beginning, but I believe that is part of Windows Home Server so we should probably blame Microsoft. It apparently doesn't auto-backup a laptop that's on battery power, but that's not documented anywhere - and no message is reported to let you know it didn't bother. Now that I know what's required (most specifically an AC connection) it seems to be working fine. In summary, I'm now a relatively happy camper (at present), but I spent 30 years in IT so I'm not your average home user. Could be REAL fun if Joe Blow encounters the same problems I had. Would I recommend it? - yes, now that I know more about its approach and limitations. But not for the faint-hearted or technically unaware user.
I recommend this product Yes, I recommend this product
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4 out of 5 stars   Easy backup for all computers on network
By networked and backed up on June 11, 2010
Verified Purchase
Review submitted for Hewlett Packard EX495 1.5TB MediaSmart Home Server (HPEX495)
Pros: Reliable connection, Fast Connection Speed, Smart Features
Cons: Slow Connection Speed
Other Comments: Relatively easy set up, but must run install on each computer, which then automatically backs up all files to the server. Cool feature which finds all networked machines' photos and other media and puts them in a shared folder for all to access. Fast access and transfer speeds to and from shared folders, but access to server control panel and individual backups takes ahwile to open. Overall good purchase which gets the job done for our 8 home networked desktops and laptops.
I recommend this product Yes, I recommend this product
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