No quick fix for Windows Home Server bug

Back in December, Microsoft dutifully notified the (few) people using its Windows Home Server software that a bug in the product could corrupt files.

Typically, when Microsoft posts a bulletin outlining specific problems in its products, as it did in this case, a fix is usually right around the corner.

Not so for Windows Home Server. According to a bulletin posted this week, the bug will not be fixed until June, when the company posts a patch. That means, in essence, Windows Home Server will be on the market for a year before the fix comes.

When certain programs such as Vista Photo Gallery, Microsoft Outlook, and Intuit QuickBooks are used to edit or transfer files that are stored on a server running Windows Home Server that has more than one hard drive, the files may become corrupted, Microsoft said.

Granted, the problem should affect only a small number of the few servers actually running the software. In January, Microsoft's Steven VanRoekel told CNET News.com's Ina Fried that the product's sales have exceeded the company's expectations, though he declined to give specific numbers.

"It's definitely tens of thousands," VanRoekel said at the time.

A post in the Windows Home Server team blog indicates that the problem has been found and acknowledges the tardy response, but doesn't really explain the delay:

From the outside looking in, some people would say "Why is this taking so long?" Fixing this issue is the Windows Home Server team's top priority and the team is making good progress on the fix. We understand the issue really well at this point--it is at an extremely low level of the operating system and it requires thorough testing to ensure that the fix addresses the issue. We have coded a part of the fix which is currently being tested internally. Internal testing is expected to continue for at least several more weeks.

As ZDNet blogger Adrian Kingsley-Hughes notes, that response will do little to boost confidence in--or sales of--the product:

...a patch needs thorough testing, but there's no excuse for releasing a file server OS containing such a critical flaw, and there's no excuse for a fix to take so long, leaving users in the lurch in the interim.

Microsoft and market analysts have noted that Windows Home Server will remain a tough sell for some time to come. The product is targeted at consumers as a way to simplify accessing music, video, and digital photos from any home PC.

Few people, outside of Bill Gates and some optimistic analysts, expect more than token sales for at least a few years. One problem: few consumers really understand what a server is, much less why they would need one in their home.

Out-of-the-box data corruption and a tardy fix for the problem will all but guarantee niche status.

[rstinnett]

You can't just snap your fingers...

... and fix code that is buried so deep within the OS itself. As any large software company can tell you that changing one line of code takes several man hours of coordination and testing. I would rather Microsoft take the time to get it right then to rush something to market that could break the entire system.

Considering WHS servers and the OEM OS itself is routinely out of stock, someone is using it. Furthermore, numerous companies have launched WHS versions of their software -- something you don't do if there is no market for it.

[gsekse]

Oh Please...

If this was a bug in the COMMERCIAL side server, every engineer would have been sleeping at the office until it was fixed. It's just another example of MS not using code that works. They didn't want to just use the regular server software without crippling it so businesses would not use it. They just went too far with the hamstring and made it useless.

That is why my home server is a little dedicated box with a linux samba server on it. Small, simple, and reliable. AND... it doesn't try to check the legalities of my files or other such crap. KISS...

[Penguinisto]

Eh?

While it is true that fixing bugs does take time, one would think that with other server products already on the shelves (e.g. Win2k3 Server), they would've had this one hashed out long before RTM.

Maybe if they dropped the DRM?

[i]"Considering WHS servers and the OEM OS itself is routinely out of stock, someone is using it."[/i]

If I only put three of something on the shelves in a market of maybe 1,000 customers, odds are good that it'll be out of stock. ;)

And where are you getting this information, anyway?

[i]"Furthermore, numerous companies have launched WHS versions of their software..."[/i]

Such as ...?

/P

[ittesi259]

You're kidding me right?

While yes, proper patch work takes time and blah blah blah....3 months? Better yet...its a flaw the corrupts files...that NEVER should have been released with that kind of flaw in it. MS has a long established history of removing key selling point features and delaying release dates....this would have been a good reason to delay the release date.

[Dalkorian]

rush to market

Rstinnett posted:

"I would rather Microsoft take the time to get it right then to
rush something to market that could break the entire system."

You mean like they obviously did with WHS to begin with? It's a
home server that corrupts your files, I'd say it wasn't ready when
they released it. Given the history of winblows, I'd argue it'll
NEVER be ready. The last thing Joe Sixpack needs is a server in
the home that's vulnerable to millions of viruses and can be
hacked by any 12 year old! Corrupting files is just icing on the
cake.

[Penguinisto]

Newsflash: Microsoft Produces Buggy Code!

Oh, wait... that isn't news.

Heh.

/P

[ittesi259]

A little unfair

Thats kinda harsh Penguinisto, and remember someone can always point somewhere to say "That Linux product was buggy" or "Look at Apple's fun mistakes" blah blah blah

But yeah, this one is pretty friggin big.

[rapier1]

News Flash EVERYONE makes buggy code

everyone.

[Lee in San Diego]

Cut them some slack Bro

Sooner later everyone pulls a Spitzer and as Rapier says software
publisher has bugs in their code.

No wait, your in Britain right? Sooner or later everyone pulls a Profumo

[Piric]

If you read the report!

If you read what was reported on the bug, was that if you modify a certain files (Quicken, Pictures, Music) on the server it-self and then save the modify work file back to the server you may have problems. To me the server was for backing up my machines and store files that I want others on my home network to be able to use. Not to be used as a working directory for files that would be modify. Now I agree that Microsoft should fix the issue and sorry to see that it will take to June, but rather one fix than two. So you know I was one of the thousands who was a beta tester and I never tried the Home Server in the reported bug fashion. So maybe all us beta testers should be blamed for missing this problem....