Converting an Old PC to A server or Buy Home Server?

[DonJ]

I have an older Compaq Desktop running XP Home that was upgraded from
Millenium. I don't use computer any more as I am using two wireless laptops
(1 XP, 1 Vista Home Premium). I have over 600G of hard drive storage on the
old PC and machine still works fine. Can I convert this Old PC to a Server
for my home network to Back up laptops, store files, and share printer, and
are there reliable instructions on how to convert? Once converted will it
autmatically keep itself updated or will I have to access it via a laptop to
get updates as I want to get rid of monitor and keyboard and have tower in an
unseen place? Any input and suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[philo]

I have an older Compaq Desktop running XP Home that was upgraded from
Millenium. I don't use computer any more as I am using two wireless laptops
(1 XP, 1 Vista Home Premium). I have over 600G of hard drive storage on the
old PC and machine still works fine. Can I convert this Old PC to a Server
for my home network to Back up laptops, store files, and share printer, and
are there reliable instructions on how to convert? Once converted will it
autmatically keep itself updated or will I have to access it via a laptop to
get updates as I want to get rid of monitor and keyboard and have tower in an
unseen place? Any input and suggestions would be appreciated.

If your home network has all the machines connected through a router.
then basically all you have to do is setup a folder (or folders) on the
machine...
then allow file sharing.
You will need to configure your firewalls to allow access...
and then finally, you will probably want to block internet access to and
from that machine.

As far as backing up automatically...
you will need to set the schedule for that
using your backup software.
I suggest using anything but MS backup!

 

[Anteaus]

Yes, it should be OK for that kind of light fileserving duty. Any OS would do
for <10 users, though XP Home is not ideal owing to its lack of security
controls, and WinME is not all that stable when run 24/7 for long periods.
Win2000 or XP Pro would be good choices.

I would be inclined to remote control it with VNC. It probably could be able
to auto-update, though I don't like such arangements on servers. Better to
have some control over what software-state it's in. From a security POV a
server needs a decent firewall to prevent access from outside the permitted
subnet.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

I suggest you check out the 120 free trial of the WHS software. You can
order at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/eval.mspx

You didn't describe the hard drives you have in the old box but it is likely
that you can at least utilize the drives even if you do decide to buy a new
MediaSmart box. WHS is built on the Windows Server 2003 codebase so it is
very stable. You can talk with WHS users about it at
http://forums.microsoft.com/windowshomeserver/default.aspx?siteid=50
and tune in to what the Windows Home Server team has to say at
http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver/

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I have an older Compaq Desktop running XP Home that was upgraded from
Millenium. I don't use computer any more as I am using two wireless laptops
(1 XP, 1 Vista Home Premium). I have over 600G of hard drive storage on the
old PC and machine still works fine. Can I convert this Old PC to a Server
for my home network to Back up laptops, store files, and share printer, and
are there reliable instructions on how to convert? Once converted will it
autmatically keep itself updated or will I have to access it via a laptop to
get updates as I want to get rid of monitor and keyboard and have tower in an
unseen place? Any input and suggestions would be appreciated.

You sound like an ideal candidate to run Windows Home Server on that
Compaq. It will run headless (no monitor, keyboard, or mouse), will
share files, will keep itself updated, and will back up all the
computers on the network automatically every night. It itself will
need a wired connection to the network, but the client machines can
connect wirelessly. It's also much simpler and easier to set up than
most server operating systems.

I run WHS here myself, and it works very well.

Read about it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/default.mspx
or http://tinyurl.com/34a7vl

 

[John McGaw]

I have an older Compaq Desktop running XP Home that was upgraded from
Millenium. I don't use computer any more as I am using two wireless laptops
(1 XP, 1 Vista Home Premium). I have over 600G of hard drive storage on the
old PC and machine still works fine. Can I convert this Old PC to a Server
for my home network to Back up laptops, store files, and share printer, and
are there reliable instructions on how to convert? Once converted will it
autmatically keep itself updated or will I have to access it via a laptop to
get updates as I want to get rid of monitor and keyboard and have tower in an
unseen place? Any input and suggestions would be appreciated.

It is easily done and many people do it. I built my "server" from an old
PIII dual-processor motherboard, five 400gB drives from a previous
computer and the junk closet, a new Antec case w. PS (<$40), a new
Gigabit Ethernet NIC, some new memory to bring the system to 1gB, and
some other miscellaneous junk closet stuff. Took a few hours to put
together and get it working. The OS is W2K simply because that is what I
had lying about and it works just fine for this application. I can and
sometimes do run it from a virtual console although I find it easier to
simply log on "in person" when I think about it to download new AV
definitions and do other simple maintenance tasks. The machine lives in
the equipment closet downstairs and is seldom seen. I've seen little
reason to buy into the new Home Server software which looks bloody
expensive for what meager benefits it offers over W2K which was
effectively free.

Oh, and for backup I use Cobian (free) which backs up important data
among my various systems daily so that there are always at least three
copies of anything of great value not counting the periodic backups
which go onto three USB hard drives which get rotated into my bank's vault

John McGaw
http://johnmcgaw.com