How much would it cost to set up a cheap file server?

Question

I've been wanting to set up a file server to store music and other related stuff, but since I don't want to spend a lot of money, I was thinking to use an old computer, but what should the system specs be for a file server? Also if I were to instead buy a new one, what is the cheapest I could pay to get one/ build one?

Answer 1

Try FreeNAS
http://hardware.newsforge.com/hardware/06/05/19/1349206.shtml?tid=69
Or NASLite (I use it & it is great)
http://www.serverelements.com/index.php
NASLite v1.x is a network file server, so a fast computer is usually not necessary. Basic requirements are:

486DX or better processor
PCI bus
16M or more of RAM
1 to 4 IDE fixed disk drives (any size)
PCI or on-board network interface adapter
3.5" floppy disk drive
In dedicated file servers, the performance is most often limited by the network speed. Fast processors will not improve performance and therefore are not required. A 200 MHz Pentium with 64M of RAM will be more than capable of servicing a typical small office.

Using old hardware like this the major investment is the harddrive(s) you choose.

Answer 2

File servers are an inexpensive way to manage all of your files. Using an old computer is really the way togo!

The important factor is HD space! get as much as you can so that you can be sure that you will not run out of space anytime soon. With HDD as cheap as they are now, you should be able to get around a 1TB of storage for under a couple of hundred dollars.

I highly rocommend using UBUNTU linux as this has file sharing by default and it's FREE!. This way, you do not have to worry about buying a Windows OS, that may no longer be supported by Microsoft. Linux (ubuntu) us an open source OS that is constantly being update.

Good luck to you!

Ohh, you can buy a file server already configured to use. All you do is well... add files to it!

Answer 3

get the oldest computer you can find.... a old 386 will do the job you don't need a high spec system for a server,, but you would need plenty of memory and hd space if your going to save music and other big files

for your server operating system download linux and set it up for a server

ubuntu linux installation lets you set it up for a server, but you would need to read up on the server setup with windows

do a web search for

linux+server+tutorial+

click on the link below and pick a tutorial from the list

Answer 4

SBS2003 is a without put off forward technique, pop in CD1 and it will instruction manual you with the aid of, from DNS to advert and substitute, its all computerized. As for 2003 Server, you will could be certain the DNS server, advert manually. you have the two on an identical community as SBS2003 helps in immediately forward words one section controller energetic by utilizing out the community. if theres in immediately forward words 15 clientele, then you definitely can escape with SBS2003 with out any themes because of the fact it max out at seventy 5.

Answer 5

I have two NAS PC's on my network. I got one from an upgrade I did for someone it is an asus board with 800MHz CPU 2 160Gb hard disks and DVD rw drive to burn files if needed. The other is a gainward board in an HP case with a Celeron 433MHz CPU and 4 80Gb hard disks neither cost me more than $150 total.
Used "freecycle.org" to attain a monitor and purchased a DB15 data switch to use one monitor on 2 PC's