Setting up a file server

[pheonixav]

I have an old gateway with a Celeron 533 MHz Processor, 384 in Ram, 40 gig HD and a Nic Card. I want to set it up to be a file server on my existing network. It has no OS and all the PC's on my network are using Windows XP. I want to know what OS I should use, I have some Linux knowledge, I want something simple. Thanks

 

[drag]

Simple or easy?

I'd just go with a Linux install, pick any distro your familar with and don't install or turn X windows off when you don't need a GUI running.

(for Suse/Mandrake/Fedora you have them run in "runlevel 3", which you edit the /etc/inittab to make default)

Do all your remote administration thru Putty.exe and ssh, or Webmin, or VNC, from your desktop machine.

 

[hopejr]

Also study a bit about how to set up Samba, otherwise there's no point using linux with the windows boxes. Samba allows Windows to access shares on a Linux/Unix box.

 

[skyking]

here is a good primer on samba....right at anand!

Link

 

[Nothinman]

Also study a bit about how to set up Samba, otherwise there's no point using linux with the windows boxes

Not true, you could install SFU and use NFS or even just use WinSCP if you don't care to have a mapped drive.

oh and

Debian.

 

[DaFinn]

Ubuntu!

 

[hopejr]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Not true, you could install SFU and use NFS or even just use WinSCP if you don't care to have a mapped drive.

What's WinSCP? I would love to know how to use NFS with Windows instead. Samba can be such a pain.

 

[Nothinman]

NFS is ass, I would avoid it. But just google WinSCP, if you have ssh setup you can use WinSCP to copy files back and forth.