Hi all,
I dont know what this would fall under (networking??) so put it here..

I have 2 old(ish) computers that dont do anything at the moment, and was wondering if there was an easy way to set them up as network storage. So The harddrives could be used by all people on the network to store files. The computers wouldnt have a monitor (well not for longer than it takes to set up anyway..) and would just switch on and connect automatically preferably.

(one is Windows XP, the other is ubuntu (probably wont connect this one.. but I like it cos it is basically silent now)

Any help/ideas welcome.

Cheers,
Alex.

Yeah, you can do it, just plug it in to the network, share the required folders and bobs your uncle. I've done it with my laptop, only I can access all the folders on the HDD, down the the Windows folder etc.

As for how? Too tired to say now, I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

KK
(and tired?? its only 12:11am the night has only just begun!!! )

I've had like no sleep, been doing college work since 4pm.....so brain feels like mush...

i had a similar idea for one of my old computers (but a bit more hard core, turning it into a router/NAS n such, never got off the ground ). anyway, i was thinking using about public folders on an old copy of windows, and i may well look into it again

I recently build a small home storage server with a RAID 3 array & Server 2008.
I just share folders and set permissions.
With the E2200 and a AF7 it's almost silent.
Might install Exchange for email on it next.

You can use samba with ubunto to share with Windows PC's.
Or look at the freenas project.

It's easy to just "share" folders/files/root drives by just right clicking on them and selecting "Sharing and security". Then share them and check allow network users to write as well as read. Then just make sure said PC is left on 24/7 and connected to the same workgroup.

If been using this function across the 5 computers here for years, but I know there's probably a "better" way of doing it by using proper software or whatever and actually making a server. Perhaps somebody clever could enlighten us.....

A quick word of caution:
If others in your house are using it, you'll want to back everything up, especially if everyone has permission to see everything. You'll also want to look at backing it up because it's an older computer (so older hard drive?)
That may be a problem too actually, how you might want to enforce privacy...I think under CIFS you can specify usernames and passwords for various directories/files...

Well, being as I'm too lame to move out and won't be going anywhere with my broken ankle for the time being. I'm still living at home. So two of the computers are mine and the other 3 are immediate family. It's all good.

If I was sharing, I wouldn't be sharing

I think family can be as bad as 'house mates', it only takes the machine to die and your Mum is on at you because she was storing all her holiday photos on there, or your sister to come along and 'accidently' wipe half of your stuff...I'm only talking from the experience of using a shared computer back at home

Hmm, I doubt it would get deleted as it would just be me and my dad storing on it. Rest of the family can lose data for all I care (they have an external drive already that they back up regularly.)

It would mainly be used to transfer stuff to/from computers. So when something is needed on more than 1 pc (docs and suchlike) they could be accessed only needing the recipient and the storage PC on.

For privacy, as the router is protected surely only people allowed into the network could acess it? Which, seeing as its family, im not to concerned about.
The harddrives, I guess would be a 80GB and a 20gb (double back up some stuff?)

If I used it alot then I would probably get a bigger HDD for it.

Computer is something like a 1.6Ghz dual core or sumthing... (id swear they made 1.6DC's). Basic office model, pointless getting rid of as it has no value and HDD would need to be bombed

As for the Ubuntu machine, considering getitng a new HDD for like £20 sumwhere and freecycling it. (paying to freecycle, my god).

Have a look at FreeNAS for an OS that is designed for turning PCs into NASs.

Edd