[OcUK Staff Builds] rjkoneill's Home Server

I want to use this as a server of sorts really.
I want the following:

Server. With network drives that I can access across my network and maintain good file transfer rates.

Media center with attractive and easy to use interface.

Hassle free indexing for content.

I get that free nas is probably not the best idea.

Would windows home server be a bad move over a windows 8 pc?
How do I set a windows 8 pc as a server?
 
Windows 8 + steams big screen seem like fantastic potential with just an Xbox controller :)

Really feel one of the great potentials of windows 8 is media Pcs. You using it as a media/server box rather than a media/gaming rig does limit it more though.

kd
 
If you got for the current upgrade offer and get the media center addon for free, then that would address your media centre point. If not, you're probably into 3rd party territory, of which XBMC is probably the strongest offering at this point.

The added bonus of going with a "true" Linux or Windows system would be that you could continue to use your PS3 Media Server stuff on there.
 
My main concern is that windows 8, whilst easily accommodation my media streaming and playback requirements will not be suitable for my home server requirements
 
rjkoneill said:
My main concern is that windows 8, whilst easily accommodation my media streaming and playback requirements will not be suitable for my home server requirements
Click to expand...

How so? Do you have a domain set up?

I've been using Windows 7 home premium as my media server for a number of years, and the only thing that I'd like to do on that that server 2008/12 gives me THAT I'D LIKE TO USE is a domain login, so that I can set up proper secure shares. The version of Windows 8 that's available through the upgrade offer is Win 8 Pro, which I believe has the capability to join a domain. If you wanted to do that you could set up a VM on the Windows 8 machine (I presume that this is possible in Linux) to host the Domain controller, then bob's your uncle...

Plus you get an OS that includes up to date security and driver support....
 
rather than using it as a server in the same sort of idea as echange/whs etc where a domain is present.

i would ideally just like to use this pc as a media pc and a powerful NAS.

is there a way of setting the storage of this computer to be accessible to computers on the network?
 
WHS2011 works wonders for me. Easy to use and set up. Backs up all pc's on the network to it automatically. Restrict what users can access what shares. And the media streaming is great. Streams to anything and any format!
 
Geez £500 just for the case.

Think my cooler master 120 was a good buy can fit 4 hard drives in it anyway.

I know it's not as slim as that 1 but compromises needed to be made.

Did u get 90% staff discount or summin lol
 
RJK

As I told you earlier today for what you want to do, just setup a HomeGroup and share folders that way. This is what I have done, they are compatible between Windows 7 and 8.

Currently I have a home group and I assign Drive Letters to Folders on the network.

I have the following drives:-

Ace Modders main PC - 2 x 2TB and 2 x 1TB drives.
Mrs Ace Modders main PC - 2 x 2TB
HTPC - 1 x 2TB
I also have a 1TB drive I plan to run via eSATA from the HTPC.
Synology Box - 2 x 2TB

I intend to stream my stuff to my Streacom HTPC that I built last night, using Windows 8.

P.S. - You are just copying my HTPC / File Server idea! But I cannot blame you. Many great things have come from Wolverhampton. :)
 
Ace Modder said:
RJK

As I told you earlier today for what you want to do, just setup a HomeGroup and share folders that way. This is what I have done, they are compatible between Windows 7 and 8.

Currently I have a home group and I assign Drive Letters to Folders on the network.

I have the following drives:-

Ace Modders main PC - 2 x 2TB and 2 x 1TB drives.
Mrs Ace Modders main PC - 2 x 2TB
HTPC - 1 x 2TB
I also have a 1TB drive I plan to run via eSATA from the HTPC.
Synology Box - 2 x 2TB

I intend to stream my stuff to my Streacom HTPC that I built last night, using Windows 8.

P.S. - You are just copying my HTPC / File Server idea! But I cannot blame you. Many great things have come from Wolverhampton. :)
Click to expand...

Home group is the easiest way. Can cause a few problems sometimes though.

I'm running it between my pc's and theatre/server pc. Just add em to the home group the right click on the folder u want to share with home group (view and edit)
 
If you use Plex you don;t need to set up folder shares - the server side app sets up a "library" that you can access that the client reads. It uses standard connectivity, so other devices, such as a Philips Streamium in my case, can also read it.

The other advantage of something like Plex is that the server side software indexes all the films etc, does lookups on sites such as last.fm, IMDB etc and downloads the thumbsnails and movie details (length, cast, rating, director, precis etc) with links. It's really rather good in that respect.

For any other kind of file sharing, homegroup and windows shares are easily set up, and offer a broad-brush kind of fix. homegroups/shares can be set up over the same media as a folder/set of folders shared by Plex etc, so you're not tied down. Try them - they really are a doddle to use and setup.
 
Pictures don't do it justice at all. Easily one of the nice cases I have built in and the quality is frankly one of the highest I have seen.

I built the system yesterday, will get some pictures up when I get a moment.
 
If you are like me, make sure you use drive pooling from the start of your folder structure and shares will get messy as you fill the drives up. Win8 works well as a home server, there is a great guide over at wegotserved on using W8 as a home server, Im using WHS2011 as my missus loves the simplicity of it, set it up and foget about for years on end, bit like WHS v1

edit

I has one of those cases and sold it - the screen seemed like a great idea, but it became a major distraction in the living room, the light from it was a pain, I ended up covering it in gaffer tape. there might be a way to turn it off now as it was a few years ago now...
 
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