building a server

[tj107us]

I hope this is the right place to post this, if not admin. repost where nessary.

Im wanting to build a home server where i can store my pics,music,videos,etc and to be able to access it anywhere in the world. Im thinking about using Ubuntu Server as my OS. Is that OS any good, if so can someone post a link on how to setup Ubuntu Server 11.10

here is the computer's spec:
HP Pavilion 763n Desktop
Intel Pentium 4 2.66Ghz single core
1Gb of of RAM
12Gb HDD for OS
will be using external HDD for storage Via USB


later on if i get this working like i want i will build me a better computer for it.


thanks for any help'
tj

 

[MindoverMaster]

Actually, you won't need anything better than that for just a web file server.

This is just me, but I would start with Debian. Ubuntu is based off it. I only prefer Debian over Ubuntu, because you don't need to write sudo every time you want to run an administration command. In Debian, you just write su, insert the password, and you are in root. For Debian, just download the net install.

To set up any server Linux OS is very complex. Just click to install after you booted off the CD, and it will ask you a few questions, load a bunch of stuff, and go. The hard part is once you get into terminal, knowing what to do. Installing applications and using them.

 

[Kharn]

I would just recommend FreeNAS for this type of work FreeNAS 8 | Storage For Open Source

 

[Jayce]

FreeNAS is super nice. Just make sure you have the processing horsepower if you want to use ZFS.

Saxon - Was that Samba bug in FN8 ever fixed?

 

[Kharn]

I am not 100% sure I haven't really had a chance to check mate, but I am guessing so FreeNAS are kinda quick about that kind of bug.

 

[Nitestick]

MoM you can get su functionality in Ubuntu, just not out of the box as it locks the root account and adds your user to the sudoers list instead. Vice versa you can get sudo installed on Debian. I agree, Debian all the way for any server, purely because they focus on a more stable OS - not that Ubuntu is inherently unstable though.

 

[Kharn]

I agree, Debian all the way for any server, purely because they focus on a more stable OS - not that Ubuntu is inherently unstable though.

Stick just out of curiosity, have you compared a BSD based server to Debian? I am openly a BSD guy but will admit to a fondness for Debian, but I do find BSD is much better more stable in the long run.

 

[Nitestick]

Truth be told I've got almost zero BSD experience. But I have used a good number of Linux systems on various distros. I've been a Debian fan since about 2002-3 when I first used a Debian port on my xbox.

 

[Kharn]

I would suggest you give it a go just to see what your missing, it's rock solid and is in my opinion much less maininance intensive.

 

[Jayce]

I'm not sure what you guys are referring to in regard to Ubuntu not having root capability. I just "sudo su" and I get dropped to a root@ubuntu: prompt....