running XP Pro SP2 in place of a server machine.. pros/cons????

[Niteowl]

Hi all,

I had a server hit with a power surge over the weekend, and it's dead...
getting info for replacing it, but ......

I was wondering if I can just install the 2 programs it was running on an XP
machine and run them from there. It would seem like it would work okay..

The unit I'm considering is a Dell Optiplex GX270, XP Pro SP2, 2.8ghz cpu,
768M RAM (I know it should be more, and could be easily enough)... 40G HD,

One program would have to serve 22 clients only... the other program is used
sporadically, perhaps 10 users at once... but is installed on all our
computers... approx. 100 units.

We have a simple WORKGROUP, so the server was really installed for future
use I think...

Please share any pros and cons you can, I need to get something up asap.

the only thing that I can think of at the moment, is I'd have to rename and
reassign the IP for that machine to match the dead one, so as not to have to
change all the links on the client stations.

thanks in advance for any wisdom.

niteowl

 

[John John (MVP)]

Get another server, XP pro is not suitable for your server needs.

John

 

[HeyBub]

Hi all,

I had a server hit with a power surge over the weekend, and it's
dead... getting info for replacing it, but ......

I was wondering if I can just install the 2 programs it was running
on an XP machine and run them from there. It would seem like it
would work okay..
The unit I'm considering is a Dell Optiplex GX270, XP Pro SP2, 2.8ghz
cpu, 768M RAM (I know it should be more, and could be easily
enough)... 40G HD,
One program would have to serve 22 clients only... the other program
is used sporadically, perhaps 10 users at once... but is installed on
all our computers... approx. 100 units.

We have a simple WORKGROUP, so the server was really installed for
future use I think...

Please share any pros and cons you can, I need to get something up
asap.
the only thing that I can think of at the moment, is I'd have to
rename and reassign the IP for that machine to match the dead one, so
as not to have to change all the links on the client stations.

thanks in advance for any wisdom.

Won't work. XP is limited to ten simultaneous network connections. You need
Win98.

 

[Niteowl]

Won't work. XP is limited to ten simultaneous network connections. You
need Win98.

okay...

 

[Niteowl]

John,

not even temporarily? is there a limit to simultaneous connections?
"Heybub" says limit is 10..
that definitely would make it unsuitable..

thanks,
niteowl

 

[Bob I]

Nope XP won't tolerate over ten connections to it. (and that doesn't
necessarily mean 10 users)

 

[John John (MVP)]

No, not really, you will just be doing work for nothing setting up the
machine. Also note that the 10 concurrent connection limit does not
necessarily mean that 10 users can access the resources at the same
time, in certain circumstances one user could have more than one session
running and in these instances fewer than 10 users will be able to
access the machine.

In my opinion it would be just as simple to slap your server license on
to a temp machine until you get your new server, being that you were
only running a simple workgroup it should be quite easy to slap that
together, not withstanding of course Product Activation which may or may
not cause problems if you move the license around too much, if you have
Server 2000 it won't bother anything, if you have Server 2003 you may
want to ask others about how having the license activated on 3 different
machines within in a short time span might affect your rights.

John

 

[Niteowl]

this was the only server box we had (running Server2003 btw), all the rest
are XP Pro "normal" PC's...

oh well, we're boxing it back to Gateway for repair... so we'll just be
unable to run those programs for a couple of weeks..

ah, life happens. the kids won't mind I'm sure... (not sure if I
mentioned this was a small school)

thanks for the info

gives me some ammo for pushing to purchase a "backup" server though... have
to look at the positive.

thanks again,
niteowl

 

[Niteowl]

John,

turns out it wasn't the power surge that apparently caused the issue,
found this KB article link on microsoft today:
Knowledge Base for Iastor.sys issue on Server2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835166

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:
905205 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905205/) You may receive a "STOP:
0x000000D1" error message, the computer may stop responding, and data may
become corrupted after you install the hotfix that is described in Microsoft
Knowledge Base article 835166 on a computer that is running Windows Server
2003

Just FYI,

thanks,
niteowl

 

[John John (MVP)]

Good to hear, now might be the time to ask for the funds for a second
server.

John