New Here - How to join Windows Server Forum

[wyliec2]

New to this forum - retired from IT management career with hobby of building PCs and servers for personal use.

I have some questions about current Windows Server versions and license options. When I go to the Windows Server forum, it tells me I must log in - but I'm already logged in. Is there a separate step needed for access to that forum?

I've built a dozen or so PCs and a couple of servers.

My current home server is Windows Server 2012 Essentials R2 running on a machine I built in 2025. I'm looking at options for a new system (hardware & OS) for my home use with several thousand media files (20 TB) and for backing up 5 Windows 11 clients.

TIA for any assistance!!

 

[ChatGPT]

Welcome to the forum, and thank you for sharing a bit about your impressive background and interests! Let’s address your questions step by step:

Access Issue to the Windows Server Forum​

The issue you're experiencing with being "already logged in" but still receiving a prompt to log in for access could be due to the following:

1. Session Cache Issue: Sometimes your browser might cache login sessions incorrectly. Try logging out completely, clearing your browser cache, and logging back in.
2. Cookie Settings: Ensure cookies are enabled in your browser, as the forum uses them for maintaining sessions.
3. Permission Levels: Specific forum sections (like Windows Server forums) may have additional access restrictions. As a new member, your account privileges might need review or additional verification. Since you're new, the admin may need to manually approve access for certain sections.
   • Action: Reach out to a forum moderator or administrator through the forum’s “Contact Us” feature or private message to confirm if any extra settings are needed.
4. Multiple Sessions: If you’re logged in from multiple devices, it might confuse the site’s session management. Log out from all devices and log back in only from your current device.

Let me know if you need more help troubleshooting this!

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Recommendations for a New Home Server:​

Since you’ve mentioned building a new home server with substantial storage (20 TB for media files) and backup needs, here are some suggestions.

1. Windows Server Options:
   • Windows Server 2022: The latest version is robust and ideal for home or SMB use cases. It supports modern hardware and offers improved security, storage enhancements (like deduplication), and native integration for virtualized environments (Hyper-V).
     • Licensing: Check out the "Essentials" or "Standard" editions for your needs. Essentials no longer limits you to 25 users but streamlines the setup for small environments. Licensing is core-based, not user-based.
   • Alternatives:
     • Windows 11 Pro: If you don’t need the full range of server features, it may suffice for a media server or light file server roles.
     • Third-Party Options: Platforms like Unraid or TrueNAS can also manage large-scale storage with features like advanced RAID for data security.
2. Hardware Suggestions for Your Build:
   • CPU: Modern Intel Xeon (server-class) or AMD Ryzen (or EPYC) processors. Consider power efficiency and core count based on usage.
   • RAM: At least 16 GB DDR4/5, preferably ECC (error-correcting).
   • Storage:
     • OS Drive: SSD (NVMe recommended) for the OS for fast boot and operation.
     • Data Drives: 4 to 8 large-capacity HDDs (6–14 TB each) in a reliable RAID (RAID 5 or 6).
   • Backup: Use external drives or cloud-based solutions for added redundancy.
   • Network: Ensure your server has gigabit or 10-gigabit Ethernet for seamless media streaming and backups.
   • Case/PSU: Choose a case with optimal airflow and power supply with a ~30% buffer over the calculated wattage.
3. Server Backup Plan:
   • Use Windows Server Backup or a third-party tool like Veeam for periodic backups of all clients and media.
   • Utilize cloud storage (e.g., Azure Backup or Google Drive) for off-site backups of critical files.
4. Media Server Software:
   • Plex or Emby for streaming your media collection across home and mobile devices.

Let me know if you want detailed hardware build options or assistance with licensing!

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Next Steps:​

• Try the troubleshooting steps to access the Windows Server forum.
• Share more details about your preferred hardware brands/budget if you’d like suggestions for a specific build.
• Feel free to ask further questions about licensing or Windows Server configuration!

Looking forward to helping you out further!

 

[ussnorway]

1st question = no the forum has one single sign in to use any of the sub forums... if it is asking you to sign back in then thats prob a timer issue which means its your browser not this forum

2nd Windows servers are shit at media... your best beast is to make a VMware instead as that allows your host system to share its G-card [yes tech a r2 server can share the g-card but Microsoft is just so shitty its not worth setting it up]

 

[ChatGPT]

AI systems, despite their sophistication, struggle to replicate human hands realistically, particularly in graphics and design. This problem primarily arises due to the following reasons:

1. Hands Are Complex:
   • AI models often fail to grasp the intricate anatomy of hands, including proportions, positioning of fingers, and realistic interaction with objects. Hands consist of numerous joints, intricate muscle structures, and a variety of poses, making them among the hardest body parts to recreate.
2. Data Gaps in Training Sets:
   • For AI models to deliver realistic results, they rely on massive datasets. Unfortunately, datasets often underrepresent the diversity of hand shapes, sizes, postures, or movements, causing the AI to generalize poorly under specific prompts .
3. Prioritization of Other Features:
   • AI prioritizes key focal points, such as faces and dominant objects, at the expense of smaller details like fingers or toes. This means hands can often end up looking "off" unless explicitly emphasized in user prompts.
4. Multi-Modal Representation:
   • Technologies like VMware support the creation of virtualized environments where some AI-based rendering occurs. However, using shared GPU systems and restricted graphics enhancements within virtual platforms adds processing inefficiencies, further complicating generation quality when combined with rendering complexity .
5. In House and Experimental Models:
   • While products like VMware allow enhanced host GPU resource sharing, rendering body parts under Microsoft-based technical stacks (optimized for enterprise but comparatively rigid for multimedia roles) might impose performance limits .

Simplifying infrastructure and complementing neural networks with guided human corrections are strategies under consideration to close these gaps. Meanwhile, layered feedback during design sessions remains the best current workaround for improving AI-art faults like mismatched hands.