best file server software?

[kronchev]

I want to make a small, simple file server out of a 233 with 64 SDRAM board I have lying around and a 40 gig I have lying around. Since its only 64 megs ram and kind of slow, XP is out of the question. so are all windows servers, IMO. so what options do I have? I want to basically use it as a network drive thats accessible by windows computers. itll host vids and mp3's, it wont play them, itll just transfer them.

is my best bet windows 98 with the drives just shared, or is there some VERY SIMPLE os I can use? I say 98 because it takes (comparitivly) no ram, and itll be very simple to set up, manage, etc.

[Bad_Boy]

linux doesnt take much ram either, but im not sure how to make a file server to a winxp computer. but i guess 98 would be ok. are you trying to make a ftp?

[kronchev]

Originally posted by Bad_Boy
linux doesnt take much ram either, but im not sure how to make a file server to a winxp computer. but i guess 98 would be ok. are you trying to make a ftp?

no, what I want is something that can be mapped as a network drive in windows so that there are 0 problems using it for any application. i may throw an FTP on it so I can access my files remotly but its not going to be anything huge (capped at 40k upload...eat my ass, comcast).

samba on a linux box would be best but i no time and no idea how to even begin to set up something like that.

[Private Citizen]

IF you are only looking for simple file servering capabilities then any version of windows will suit your needs. You can setup accounts (if your use 2000/XP to connect to the server. If you don't have time and etc then Samba really isn't going to be a good option for you since it takes a little longer to figure out if your not familiar with Linux.

XP will work just fine on 64mb of RAM for a file server. All you need to do is disable any/all services that aren't needed, turn off ALL eyecandy, and etc. and you won't know the difference. I wouldn't use 98 for the file server. It's a pain in the ass to get 9x machines to talk to the 2000/XP machines (in my experiences).

[Josh_B]

Use Linux - but do not install X-Windows...

Linux and Samba are very competitive in terms of I/O, often beating a real Windows server in SMB/CIFS. Furthermore, this is a good option for folks such as yourself who are low in CPU power and RAM. (You gotta respect those Pentium MMX's, but even so.) :)

[kronchev]

Originally posted by Josh_B
Use Linux - but do not install X-Windows...

Linux and Samba are very competitive in terms of I/O, often beating a real Windows server in SMB/CIFS. Furthermore, this is a good option for folks such as yourself who are low in CPU power and RAM. (You gotta respect those Pentium MMX's, but even so.) :)

i wouldnt even know where to begin to do any of that though.

[kronchev]

Originally posted by Private Citizen
IF you are only looking for simple file servering capabilities then any version of windows will suit your needs. You can setup accounts (if your use 2000/XP to connect to the server. If you don't have time and etc then Samba really isn't going to be a good option for you since it takes a little longer to figure out if your not familiar with Linux.

XP will work just fine on 64mb of RAM for a file server. All you need to do is disable any/all services that aren't needed, turn off ALL eyecandy, and etc. and you won't know the difference. I wouldn't use 98 for the file server. It's a pain in the ass to get 9x machines to talk to the 2000/XP machines (in my experiences).

well I guess well see how this goes then. ill try to get it installing today...

[litkaj]

OpenFiler (http://www.openfiler.org/)

[SJConsultant]

Clarkconnect (http://www.clarkconnect.com)

[kronchev]

Originally posted by SJConsultant
Clarkconnect (http://www.clarkconnect.com)

HULLO!

thats pretty sweet right there, im downloading it now. too bad I cant find any damn working hardware...everythings being stupid for some reason. none of my K6's work and my P200 is hit and miss and wont work with any good mobo I have...

[kronchev]

looks like Im going with ClarkConnect. I managed to get my K6 500 working with 98 megs of RAM, unfortunatly not in the super small baby AT board that takes SDRAM, but its alright. downloading right now...due to stupidity this is the 3rd attempt, one time I forgot I was getting it and shut down the comp to put in another stick of ram, the second time I accidently pulled the power as I wasnt paying attention to what I was doing.

[kronchev]

interesting

clarkconnect wouldnt work for me...itd get to installing Perl and then crap out on me. sooo I just threw XP on it. got the FTP up on it, radmin for file management, and the mp3 drive is shared and mapped on my main as a z:. it works grand, i can skip around in mp3's and it doesnt hiccup at all. well see when I play games but it should be fine. this is pretty cool, i got the board just sittin next to me with the two drives (system 3 gigger and files 40 gigger), soon I'll do something cooler...like tack it to the wall :D

thanks to everyone who helped!