create fileserver

drich290195 · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:31

hi guys after you knowledge really. I have the pc in my sig and want to turn it into a file server. Im currently running windows 7 pro and iv looked at freenas etc and some Linux distros and its a bit complicated. Is their something a bit more simple im only really wanting it to back a few macs to. Cheers for your advice im sorry if its the wrong forum.

rpstewart · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:34

What sort of backups are you looking to do? Time Machine or just copying files from the Macs to the server?

Not 100% on how you do the former given that TM needs Mac formatted disks. For the latter you could simply create a share in Windows and connect to that from the Macs, there's no need to go down the Linux route if you don't want to.

drich290195 · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:45

Yeah purely to copy files too photos and things. I always seem to have problems sharing disks from windows to osx. Also is their a particular ways to restrict access to the shares. What about windows server would that be better than windows 7 pro

rpstewart · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:57

There's no need to go to Windows Server for what you want unless you want lots (>10) of simultaneous connections. Win 7 Pro is more than adequate to create a share or two and the necessary IDs to control access.

How you would set it up is going to be determined by how you want to access the share(s). It could be as simple as a single ID which each client shares, an ID per shared directory or an ID per Mac with the permissions on the shared paths set appropriately depending on who you want to see/change what.

drich290195 · 15 Jan 2013 at 22:30

Mmmmm sounds complex