If you’re considering Windows Home Server (WHS) 2011, you are probably doing so in large part because of the operating system’s advertised ability automatically to back up all of the machines in your house every night. And it does that, with aplomb.

The trouble comes when you want to restore your data. The first release of WHS2011 (the one available as of this writing) is effectively broken when it comes to selectively restoring data from backups. The reason: restoring data proceeds at a snail’s pace. How slow, exactly? Well, reports vary, but everyone seems to agree that restoring selectively via WHS’s wizard is so slow as to be useless.

In my own test, an attempt to begin restoring 250 GB of data from a backed up computer took over three days just to “prepare to copy” all of the files. I never actually got to restore any files because there was a power outage at my place before the restoration could begin (somewhere in the middle of day 3).

Microsoft already angered a substantial portion of its WHS user base by removing from WHS 2011 the drive extender technology that was so popular in the original WHS. Some intrepid users bought WHS 2011 anyway, willing to give the new OS a chance. My advice: Don’t follow their lead, at least not until Microsoft acknowledges the WHS 2011 restore issue and, more importantly, fixes it.

As for me, once (or if) I get my 250 GB of data off of my WHS 2011 server, I’m going back to the original WHS until I can find a better backup solution that’s just as easy.

Have a first-hand experience with WHS 2011? Leave a comment.

Very annoying problem, this: You have a batch file that you created under Windows 2008 as Administrator, and you use the Task Scheduler to run it automatically. But the task scheduler won’t launch it! You can run it manually, but the task scheduler never launches it. Here’s a fix that often works:

1. Open the Task Scheduler, right-click the task, and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
2. From the resulting Properties dialog box, click the Change User or Group button.
3. From the resulting Select User or Group dialog box, click the Advanced button.
4. From the resulting Select User or Group dialog box (yes, same title), click the Find Now button.
5. From the list of search results, select Administrators (plural), not Administrator (singular), and click OK.
6. This takes you back to the first Select User or Group dialog box, with Administrators listed in the “Enter the object name” box. Click OK.
7. This returns you to the Properties dialog box that you invoked in Step 1. Click OK.

Task scheduler should now launch your task.

Books may not be extinct just yet. But with eBook readers–or E-readers–now well into the realm of affordability, the venerable paper book is becoming less appealing by the day. After all, with an E-reader, you can have thousands of books available to you in a device no larger or heavier than a slim magazine. You can enlarge the text on E-readers, and you can look up words in an instant. You can even use some E-readers to surf the web and purchase new books with a few clicks or taps.

Yet not all E-readers are created equal. That’s why when you start thinking about joining the E-reader revolution, you’ll need to know the pros and cons of the technology behind today’s best readers. Here’s what to look for.

— Screen technology

E-books today fall into two categories when it comes to the technology used to display text.  Back-lit models use an LCD technology familiar to computer users, while E-readers such as the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader use a non-back-lit technology called E Ink, from a firm of the same name. E Ink screens use no backlighting, and that’s largely why they’re generally considered easier on the eyes for long periods of reading. Like books, you need decent lighting to read E Ink screens, which also means it’s possible to read them outside in bright sunlight – something that’s a challenge for backlit E-reader. On the downside, E Ink screens are not at responsive as LCD-based ones. When you turn pages on an E Ink E-reader, for example, you’ll notice a momentary delay.

— Battery life

The last thing you want to worry about when enthralled by an e-book is having your E-reader’s battery die. That’s why one of the specifications you should look carefully at when considering an E-reader is how long it will run on a single battery charge. E-readers that use E Ink screen technology come out ahead in this department, as the screens are miserly in their use of battery power. Depending upon how long each day you use an E Ink-based reader, you can expect anywhere from 10 days to a month of use before you have to recharge. LCD-based models, by comparison, may need to be recharged on a daily basis.

— Size

E-readers come in various sizes, and you should think carefully about how and where you’ll use the E-reader to help you in determining which size to buy. Small E-readers are generally about the size of a large paperback. They can be carried and read comfortably on a crowded bus or subway, but they may not have enough screen real estate to read large blocks of text comfortably, especially if you have aging eyes and prefer to increase the size of text. Larger e-book, generally about the size of a large textbook – although not nearly as thick – are better suited to reading newspaper-style pages. They’re nicest if you plan to use your E-reader primarily in your home, where there’s plenty of space.

— Interface

How you interact with your E-reader – how you turn pages, get back to the start of a book, look up words, and more – can be the single most important factor in determining whether you love your reader or leave it on the shelf.

There are generally two interface paradigms prevalent today: the iPhone-like touch screen, which allows you to turn pages simply by swishing your finger across the screen, and the keyboard interface, which relies upon buttons and typing to execute commands. It’s hard to argue with the convenience of the touch screen interface once you’ve gotten used to it. It’s no doubt why Apple’s iPhone and iPad are such hits. And E-readers such as the Sony Reader and Barnes and Noble Nook take full advantage of this type of interface. The Amazon Kindle, by comparison, actually comes with a small keyboard attached to the reader. You use that, in conjunction with buttons on the side of the device, to turn pages and perform other actions.

— Connectivity

You get books and other reading material onto an E-reader in one of two ways. You can download reading material from the internet – or from the E-reader maker’s online store. Or you can load your reading material through a reader’s USB port from a flash drive or through a connection to your computer. When it comes to online connectivity, many E-reader makers offer you models with either WiFi or with WiFi and network connectivity such as 3GS. The latter devices typically cost more but offer greater mobility, as you don’t need to be connected to a local WiFi hotspot in order to download content. Think carefully about when and how you’ll want to get content onto your E-reader before deciding on whether the more expensive options are worthwhile.