User Reviews

1. Review Date: 2009-11-23

   After configuring the server, I was about to add a second Hard Disk. When I opened the drawer to add a Hard Disk - the drawer fell apart. Looking at the construction - the plastic hinge on the removable hard disk drawer was not completely formed and therefore could not hold. Called Acer customer service - first disconnected me after being on hold for about 15 minutes (I guess that is what they do at the end of their day - because when I called back - I was told to call the next day). I contacted online support - after responding to their questions I was told they could not help and told me to call in over the phone. When I called - I was eventually told to call again during business hours because this product in only supported by their second line support. So called again - only to be told that plastic parts are not covered under their warrantee and that I must have broken it. (Sure - as the part was not correctly molded!!.) I was told that I could buy a replacement for $20 plus shipping, the only other option, I was told, return the product!!!!
   
   User: Peter Kozdon
   Rating:
   Summary: Worst Customer Service I have ever experienced
   Helpful Votes: 0
   Total Votes: 0
   

2. Review Date: 2009-11-09

   Rather technical to set up, especially if everything doesn't work right out of the box. I eneded up reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling everything before I could get the system to come up. And help? Non existant, even on their website, which is surprising for a company as established as Acer.
   
   But, once things were up and running, and with a bit of help from a friend, everything is working smoothly.
   
   One complaint: the hard drive trays are extremely flimsy, and one broke through the simple act of installing the 2nd hard drive.
   
   Conclusion: recommended for those with some technical background and don't mind taking some time to get things running smoothly. Not an out-of-the-box-ready system, but well worth the money once it's running.
   
   User: Jason Clemens
   Rating:
   Summary: Overall, a good purchase
   Helpful Votes: 2
   Total Votes: 2
   

3. Review Date: 2009-11-05

   This is a very small home server that is big enough to hold a total of 4 SATA hard drives for a total of 8TB or more. The server comes with 1TB and I upgrade my with another 1TB for a total of 2TB join space. There is different RAID for mirroring, combine the disk spaces and other types of RAID offering after you add in 4 hard drives. It does a pretty good job of back up your home computer.
   You can also setup a website to share your pictures, music, video, software, etc. For the free domain use the one comes with Microsoft Home Server. Your domain name will be .homeserver.com.
   Be sure if you are sharing to download an Add-in application to extending your session time out. I was sharing my brother upload a freeware application and it timed out. Another great application to use for FTP is File Server Serv-U. They offer a free version for home user.
   The unit is very quiet and you can hardly hear the fan noise. Highly recommend this home server to centralize your home storage.
   
   
   User: Master Q
   Rating:
   Summary: Highly Recommended Home Server!
   Helpful Votes: 1
   Total Votes: 1
   

4. Review Date: 2009-11-04

   I received the Acer Aspire WHS about 5 weeks ago. The server is solid and very easy to use. When I opened the box the server seemed tiny compared to the pictures I saw on Amazon. It is a nice compact box, perfect size for all it can do. It was incredibly easy to set up and configure. I added a 1 TB drive to it so it now has 2 TB (1.82 TB). This way I could duplicate the data for some shared folders for added protection. I have about 12 shared folders that are accessible from all 4 of my computers. It effortly backs up all the computers in my household every night. (2 personal computers and 2 corporate computers, 2 are Windows XP and 2 are Windows 7). Setting up remote access was also very easy. I can log into and remotely control all 4 computers, from home or a friends house. I can access all the files on the server from anywhere via the web interface. The interface has a great upload utility to make it easy to drag and drop files that need to be uploaded to the server remotely. Microsoft has a free dynamic dns service which is easily configured within the console. Another great feature is that I can access my movies/pictures/music on the server from my xbox 360 and slingcatcher! The WHS really tied it all together and now I have peace of mind that my home movies, pictures, music, software and data are safe.
   
   I don't have one bad thing to say about this server. Great value!
   
   User: C. Hunter
   Rating:
   Summary: Love it!
   Helpful Votes: 1
   Total Votes: 1
   

5. Review Date: 2009-10-31

   I REALLY wanted to be able to use this server. But, in the end, I never could get it configured to run properly. I suspect part of the problem is that I'm on satellite for my internet and according to their TOS, they don't allow any kind of server in the home. I suspect they are blocking ports that the server needs. I could never get the server to connect to the internet (so no Windows Updates). I even bought a new router that was recommended as one that works with WHS but no joy. I spent 2-1/2 frustrating days trying to get it to work and finally gave up. I could have lived with it as a nice automated backup system (remote access would have been very nice but not critical) but even automated backups failed. I got one manual backup to work, but automation is key for me. Hours cruising the internet for possible solutions didn't help solve my problems. As well, only my desktop was ever able to install the connector software. Neither of two laptops (one running XP Home, one Win 7 Home Premium) could install the connector software whether they were connecting wirelessly or through an ethernet cable.
   
   I don't really think Acer is at fault here. I think it's WHS. I'm not a total novice when it comes to computers and have a lot of experience working with desktops. Less with networks though. All in all, this was just way too much trouble and heartache for something that should be fairly simple (at least for just doing automated backups). I scoured the "WHS for Dummies" book and that author had tons of problems himself getting things set up. He's very experienced. If he has problems, there's no real hope for someone like me. Throughout the book, he remarks that if you can get it to all work, you are very lucky indeed. I'm afraid I wasn't.
   
   I'm returning the server to Amazon for a refund and have no plans to try any other WHS.
   
   User: John H. Earl
   Rating:
   Summary: Didn't work for me
   Helpful Votes: 2
   Total Votes: 5
   

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Editorial Reviews

Designed for households and home-based businesses with multiple PCs, the Acer Aspire EasyStore home server (model AH340-UA230N) offers a simple way to network home computers, centralize, share and protect digital data as well as access it remotely from anywhere in the world. The EasyStore AH340 comes with a 1 TB hard drive, but it also includes three additional hot-swappable hard drive bays that enable expansion up to 7 TB--providing more than enough room for filing, storing and backing up a vast library of songs, videos, photos, games and documents.

Spec Check Intel Atom Processor 230 Microsoft Windows Home Server 1 TB Hard Drive 2 GB DDR2 Memory 3 hot swappable hard drive bays 5 USB 2.0 Ports 1 eSATA Port Gigabit Ethernet

The Acer Aspire EasyStore AH340 home server offers a compact footprint and stylish blue LED status lights (see a larger view of the features).

It includes three hot-swappable hard drive bays with simple, easy access to the drives (see a larger view; also see a view of the rear of the server).

Offering a compact footprint of just 7.8 x 7.1 inches, the EasyStore AH340 is both stylishly and functionally designed with a piano black bezel that's complemented soft blue LED status lights. It's powered by an Intel Atom processor 230, and it features 2 GB DDR2 memory, 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet, one eSATA port, and five USB 2.0 ports. The one-touch USB copy function enables quick file uploading--just plug in a USB device, push the button on the EasyStore AH340, and the data is automatically sorted and stored by file type into designated folders.

The Microsoft Windows Home Server operating system centralizes digital media in one location, making it easy to access files, photos, videos and music from any PC on your network. It also protects critical data by creating an image-based backup of every home computer every day, so you can restore a single file or an entire PC. With Windows Home Server, users can access the home network from the office or the road, for full access to their files and applications, just as if they were sitting in front of their home PC.

The hot swappable HDD cage enables you to increase your data storage by adding up to three 3.5-inch internal hard drives--allowing you to max out your storage capabilities at an amazing 7 TB (yes, that's terabytes). The cage is outfitted with release levers for each drive to keep them secure. In addition, a recovery/reset pinhole provides additional data protection by enabling system restores and data recoveries with just one-touch.

The server works with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) 1.5 Certified Home Server (DMS) and digital media player (DMP) to enable music playback as well as photo and video viewing on a TV. For internet security, the EasyStore AH340 comes with a 60-day free trial of McAfee Internet Security Suite 2008.

24/7 Global Access to Your Data
The Aspire easyStore offers a variety of networking benefits inside the home as well as remotely. For example, parents can access their children's homework while traveling for business. They can also upload videos and photos from sports events or summer vacations to the server, even while away from home. At any time, from anywhere, every family member with a PC in the home network can access photos, videos, music and other documents from the home server.

This centralization of digital data saves significant time by eliminating the need to transfer data from one PC to another, every time someone wants a photo, video or other document that's stored on another PC. It's also a safeguard. If a netbook or notebook is damaged, lost or stolen, users don't lose their data along with it, since it's backed up at home. In addition, when a new system is added to the network, it's quick and easy to upload data from the computer to the server.

Product Details

1. Easy-to-use server for home and small business users with 24/7 performance and 1 TB of storage
2. Three hot-swappable drive cages provides up to 7 TB of storage when you add optional drives
3. One-touch USB copy enables quick file uploading; access server via networked PCs as well as remotely
4. Intel Atom processor 230, 2 GB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, 5 USB ports, 1 eSATA port
5. Microsoft Windows Home Server operating system