In June of this year, Digital Home Canada sat down with members of the Microsoft Home Server team who gave us an in-depth preview of the new features consumers can expect in Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 (WHS PP3).

At the time, Microsoft promised that consumers would be able to download and install the software update no later than the Windows 7 general availability date of October 22nd.





The launch of PP3 by October 22nd is critical because important features such as the ability to backup and restore Windows 7 computers would only be available in Power Pack 3. Without WHS PP3, users will not be able to backup and restore their Windows 7 computers on the Windows Home Server.

Despite assurances in June, the news from Microsoft this week was negative. In a Home Server blog posting yesterday, Microsoft said it would not deliver Power Pack 3 on time.

Citing the need for "the absolute highest level of product quality" the company says that it must perform additional testing of the software before its release. 

Problems with the beta version of Power Pack 3 include bugs that can: prevent the complete restoration of a Windows 7 computer; prevent a Windows 7 machines from automatically backing up when in standby mode; hang a backup at 79% when Auotplay is enabled; and a bug that prevents the Home Server Client PC Connector software from installing on Windows 7 Starter Edition PCs.

Microsoft did not announce a revised release date and would only say that it expects to deliver the next update "before the end of the year."