In Pictures: Microsoft hardware successes and failures

Microsoft’s new Surface tablet isn’t the first time that Redmond has moved into the hardware arena. The result: Some wins, but even more fails.

Flop: Windows Home Server (2007)

Although Windows Home Server is software, we include it on this list to honor the many consumers who found that trying to use their home server with this software was too darn complicated, even though it brought them such desirable features as home file-sharing, automated backups, a print server, and remote access.

In 2010, Hewlett-Packard decided to retire a line of servers carrying the Windows Home Server OS.

And while folks continued to give Windows Home Server the cold shoulder, services such as Google Cloud Print, Dropbox, and Microsoft's own SkyDrive came along to render the Microsoft product unnecessary--except for cloud-wary geeks who enjoy tinkering with network setup options.

If that describes you, you might want to give Windows Home Server 2011 a try.

Image: The Acer RevoCenter with Windows Home Server 2011.

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