A few months after the arrival of Power Pack 2, Microsoft has today kicked off a beta of Windows Home Server Power Pack 3.
The beta, available by signing up at Microsoft Connect, promises to improve the integration of Windows Home Server and Windows 7. The update's key new features are listed by Microsoft as follows:
- Full Image-based Backups of Windows 7 PCs
After the Windows Home Server Connector is installed on your Windows 7 PCs, Action Center should no longer display that your files are not being backed up.
- Windows 7 Libraries Support
Music, Photos and Videos shared folders from your Windows Home Server will be added to Windows 7 Libraries. Content saved to these shared folders will be able to be quickly accessed through your Windows 7 Libraries. And any application, like Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center, will be able to access content saved on your Windows Home Server through Libraries as well.
- Windows Search 4 is now included
With Windows Search 4, Power Pack 3 offers improved query search times, indexing times and reliability. Easy search through a Library in Windows 7 with files stored in multiple locations.
- Windows Media Center Enhancements
Archive old recorded TV shows onto your Windows Home Server in a variety of formats. Use Console Quick View to see statistics about your Windows Home Server through Windows Media Center.
- TV Archiving
The TV Archive tile in Windows Media Center will give users the option to move recorded TV content to the home server in a variety of resolutions.
- Console Quick View
Console Quick View allows users to see statistics about the home server through Windows Media Center and Windows Media Center Extenders.
Microsoft hasn't yet revealed when it expects a final version to be made available, but we'd expect to see the free update land around the same time as Windows 7 - that's October 22nd.
Further details on how to get Power Pack 3, and a closer look at its new features, can be found over at Microsoft's Windows Home Server Team Blog.
