Best File Server to build for Home Use?

[BillStuck]

Hi I need some advice on the best file server setup for my home use.

I have a PII 200mhz box that I can use. What would be the best configuration for this machine to be a file serve...

What OS or does it matter? Win98SE, WinXP, or 2K server? or something else?
My other machines have 5400rpm drives so will a 7200rpm drive in the file server be overkill?
How much RAM? or does a file server not need much ram?

This machine will most likely be sitting in a corner with no monitor and set to 'Wake on Lan'
The files I'll be accessing from this machine across the network are 80% 1.5MB in size and 20% of them are 5 to 10MB

 

[thorin]

That box is perfect for what you need. A FS doesn't need much RAM (128 will suffice). The drive speed likely doesn't matter since you'll be sending information across the network at a max of 12.5MB/sec (100mbit/sec) which any ATA33 or better drive can handle (5400 or 7200 rpm) [unless of course you're going to have a huge number of client systems accessing it at the same time]. As for the OS I'd go with whichever one you are most familiar with as your first consideration and second the one that is smallest (has the lowest memory requirement).

Thorin

 

[sechs]

An NT-based OS, like Win2k or WinXP would be better than Win98. If you're not going to have a large number of clients (greater than 5), then the Professional versions should do just fine.

 

[Texun]

Please post your results with the WOL option. I tried the same thing with my file server but never did get the WOL to work right. I manually power it up and then use Remote Administrator to shut down, reboot, or access what ever I need from one of my other PC's.

As far as the OS... Win2K would be fine. I used Win98 and had to reboot more often due to a well known problem called "Operating System Crud Creep," whereas the OS eventually gobbles up the recources to a point where a reboot is needed to clean it up again. 256 worked very well in my FS but with the price of memory being dirt cheap I added another 128 and now have 384 total. While downloading numerous files at one time it still shows about 230M free. With dead end memory I am not about to invest any more that I have already.... at least for a few days.

 

[DeschutesCore]

If you're willing to invest a little time learning the system, linux can make for an amazing high performance file server. I'm curently using a Celeron 766 on a TUV4X running a minimal install of Mandrake with 128MB and two 18GB SCSI drives.

Currently I'm using:
Andromedia: the perfect script for mp3 local storage.
Samba: allows Windows users to share files on a linux box.
Mandrake 8.2: the backbone of the server.

DC

 

[Whitedog]

Windows 2000 will run just fine on a P200 with 128mb ram. We have them throughout all of our plants in Kiosks running that same configuration. They run mostly AS400 emulator software and web browser... but they run just fine.

You can have up to 10 connections running workstation, so for a home file storage, it would work great. I wouldn't concern over it.

 

[JackBurton]

I agree with DeschutesCore. I think Linux would be the best solution for you. I love 2000 and XP but with a P200, I'd try to cut down on as much overhead a I could, and Linux fits the bill perfect.

I like the Andromedia suggestion too DeschutesCore. Thanks!

 

[BillStuck]

Originally posted by: DeschutesCore
If you're willing to invest a little time learning the system, linux can make for an amazing high performance file server. I'm curently using a Celeron 766 on a TUV4X running a minimal install of Mandrake with 128MB and two 18GB SCSI drives.

Currently I'm using:
Andromedia: the perfect script for mp3 local storage.
Samba: allows Windows users to share files on a linux box.
Mandrake 8.2: the backbone of the server.

DC

Hey Yea I'm willing to learn and haven't messed with Unix except some class i had a long time ago. I have a copy of Red Hat 8 but never used it. Is that any good or is this mandrake allot better?

How can i go about learning the basics of installing and running a linux server.

 

[amdskip]

I use a duron 750 for mine with win 2k, gonna try linux hopefully soon

 

[deerslayer]

My fileserver is a Duron 600 @ 979. It works for running UT on the lan too tho

 

[MichaelD]

I never bother w/the WOL function. I just make my server as QUIET as possible and leave it on 24/7. It does double-duty as an FTP server and a file server for me at home.

I run W2K Pro/SP3 on all my boxes. I know nothing of Linux, so I can't speak to it, but as has been said, any NT-based OS will be fine.

Your PII box will be just dandy.


Good luck.

 

[DeschutesCore]

Originally posted by: BillStuck

Originally posted by: DeschutesCore
If you're willing to invest a little time learning the system, linux can make for an amazing high performance file server. I'm curently using a Celeron 766 on a TUV4X running a minimal install of Mandrake with 128MB and two 18GB SCSI drives.

Currently I'm using:
Andromedia: the perfect script for mp3 local storage.
Samba: allows Windows users to share files on a linux box.
Mandrake 8.2: the backbone of the server.

DC

Hey Yea I'm willing to learn and haven't messed with Unix except some class i had a long time ago. I have a copy of Red Hat 8 but never used it. Is that any good or is this mandrake allot better?

How can i go about learning the basics of installing and running a linux server.

The coolest part is there really isn't a lot involved. Start off by installing your prefered Linux flavor (Red Hat worts just fine, but there's a growing audience using Mandrake - Thankfully using linux is using linux. A distribution determines WHAT you get with it, it's still linux. At it's heart, the OS is Linux between them all.

Once you've got an installation you like and feel comfortable using, take a peek at the included help files (make sure to install them when you run the installer) and learn a few tricks for the command line, the difference between a root user and a normal user (and why you almost never want to log in as root) and how to install packages (gui installers are included in most distros).

Once you're sure you can see the machine on the network by pinging it's IP address and that you can log into servers you need (FTP, News, etc.), install Samba to allow Windows clients to actively use the server as a file repository.

I know only what is required to install and run Linux, I'm not remotely close to a power user, and I've been using this configuration for months, and I couldn't be happier. I used to use Win2k server, but startup times, device driver issues, etc. got old. I'm not knocking it, I just feel better with a sleeker install and low overheads.

DC

 

[SUOrangeman]

For those of you interested in Andromeda, I'd also like to highly recommend edna. Works nicely on Linux and Windows.

With a ID3 tag database and search capabilities, edna may be the perfect solution for streaming MP3s. (Ok, I'd probably add a Flash-based MP3 player to the dream feature list.)

-SUO