A PC server will be easier and more flexible than a NAS to set up. Admittedly a 300 MHz K6 won't be much faster than a NAS, but it'll almost always be easier to install SlimServer on it.
In order from easiest to hardest, you can: - use 'SlimCD' (http://www.herger.net/slim/detail.php?nr=763&kategorie=slim). It would probably run it, perhaps not very well. - install Windows 98 or Windows 2000 and run SS (300 MHz is marginal for Windows XP) - install 'ClarkConnect' (http://www.clarkconnect.com/community/), which comes with SlimServer. I've run CC on a Pentium 166 and an AMD K6-2 400 Mhz, so 300 MHz should be fine. - install a Linux distrubution In any of these installs except ClarkConnect, you can install 'TightVNC' (http://www.tightvnc.com/) to run the server headless, i.e. without a monitor, mouse or keyboard, controlled from another networked PC. ClarkConnect is controlled over a web page, much like a router or NAS, so there's no need for TightVNC with it. Every option will be easier than hacking into a NAS. I guess the only advantage the NAS route has is there are step-by-step instructions, but they are often quite drastic and will almost certainly void the NAS' warranty. About the only major showstopper - many motherboard BIOSes back in the days of 300 MHz AMD processors did not support drives larger than 137 GB. Most of the operating systems I mentioned will support this but you may need to update your BIOS. If there are no updates, you can't use a partition larger than 137 GB. Also how much memory do you have for it? You should use at least 128 MB. 256 MB would be preferable. Since it's a conventional PC, you can add memory but the memory may be unavailable or expensive in the case of SDRAM, which is what it almost surely uses. One advantage of NAS devices, low noise and power consumption, could be countered with such a setup. The CPU uses very little power, see http://www.silentpcreview.com/article31-page1.html and could be cooled by a near-silent fan. If you choose a silent PC case like something in the Antec Lifestyle series you'll have something that will rival a NAS for noise and power consumption. -- Mark Lanctot ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mark Lanctot's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=2071 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=24286 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/lists/listinfo/discuss
