Microsoft retail Home Server disks missing in action

HP'S Windows Home Server box has tipped up at online retailers today, fuelling speculation that Joe Public will be able to pick up one of the machines in the near future.

That said, the DIY version of Microsoft's software is still missing in action, with no comment from the Vole on when it's going to be found.

Windows Home Server was unveiled at CES earlier this year, and promises to put Windows at the centre of your home media, by providing centralised storage, access, backups and distribution. The machines are headless, configured over a web browser, and feature dynamically-built RAID arrays, with the option to swap discs in and out with the array remaining intact.

HP is the preferred launch partner, and models have appeared priced at $599 for the 500GB storage model, and $749 for 1TB. Look to see models from Dell, Acer et al appearing on the wibble in the next few weeks, we suspect, as HP starts to boot these out of the door.

Home Server is supposed to be released to enthusiasts, too, to build their own systems - indeed, a beta of the software has been out for a few months now, and has had geeks scrapping together massive storage systems to test it out. Despite the code going gold in July, however, it is yet to appear on any shelves for purchase, leaving beta users - and eager would-be buyers - perplexed. The Vole merely says "soon", and refused to comment on pricing.

The cynics amongst us might suggest that MS is keeping the DIY version back for a couple of months while it gives HP the first pickings of the market, as a 'thank you' for the work HP collaborated on through development. But not us, oh no. µ