Making a file server

[freaksavior]

So i have movies music and photo's scattered across about 3 computers. im getting a 1.5tb hdd for my server to dump all movies and music and photos on. but how can i search for them all without using the windows search feature?

 

[CarolinaKSU]

You can set the PC you are using as the file server to run as a DLNA server by running a program like Twonky Vision or Tversity and stream them to wherever you need them to go whether its a pc or ps3/xbox or whatever. I use Twonky and it rocks. Its lightweight and you can set it and forget it.

 

[freaksavior]

You can set the PC you are using as the file server to run as a DLNA server by running a program like Twonky Vision or Tversity and stream them to wherever you need them to go whether its a pc or ps3/xbox or whatever. I use Twonky and it rocks. Its lightweight and you can set it and forget it.

thats the thing. i dont want tversity running on 3 computers. i want one with all my media.

besdies manually copying everything is there a program to mass search?

 

[CarolinaKSU]

thats the thing. i dont want tversity running on 3 computers. i want one with all my media.

besdies manually copying everything is there a program to mass search?

You wouldnt need Tversity running on 3 computers, just the server. Winamp or VLC can connect to the server and pickup the stream from it.

Now that I think about it, if you arent having to encode on the fly, VLC will stream all by itself.

 

[ktr]

Perhaps install Google Desktop on the server to index the entire hard drive. Then you can search on the other 3x machines via the server's google desktop URL...

 

[Tau]

WHy do you need to search for them?

Copy them to the fileserver, sort them into folders, and share the folders. Simple.

 

[freaksavior]

WHy do you need to search for them?

Copy them to the fileserver, sort them into folders, and share the folders. Simple.

because they are on 3 machines scattered on the hard drives.

On my machine with the 750gb its all sorted pretty well but on my server with the external 250 and my dads internal 500gb and my mom 320 lappy drive idk where most of it is.

 

[freaksavior]

ok guys. here is EXACTLY what i want to do with it. without buying this device.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/02/13/review_storage_nas_cisco_linksys_media_hub/

 

[freaksavior]

You guys suck at this.

I think what im going for is windows home server. a cheap dual core machine and a cheap video card. 1tb for storage and my 320 as the os (maybe) i might use the 160 i have in it now.

Will windows home server do what i want?

 

[theeldest]

Can you do media serving with Windows Server?

Then with vista home prem on each other computer, the media center stuff can connect to the server to use the media....

Pretty sure it works that way.

 

[JATownes]

You guys suck at this.

That is why we always ask your advice.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Im in the same boat as you are freak. I wanna have a centralized location for my movies/music/pics on my server and have it shared throughout the home network. Im at a loss on how to really do it though. Seems that when I just go to share a folder on the network, the folder doesnt wanna open from any other computer. And yes i have the folder shared properly.

 

[JATownes]

Im in the same boat as you are freak. I wanna have a centralized location for my movies/music/pics on my server and have it shared throughout the home network. Im at a loss on how to really do it though. Seems that when I just go to share a folder on the network, the folder doesnt wanna open from any other computer. And yes i have the folder shared properly.

Can't you map the network drive with your media on it and let your media player contol the playlist as if were local?? Never have done it, so just a shot in the dark.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Can't you map the network drive with your media on it and let your media player contol the playlist as if were local?? Never have done it, so just a shot in the dark.

I have no idea. Ive never done it either. And since I just put Fedora 10 on my server, i really dont have a clue on how to do it.

 

[alucasa]

I have no idea. Ive never done it either. And since I just put Fedora 10 on my server, i really dont have a clue on how to do it.

Google Samba or Samba network. It will allow you to share files on Fedora with Windows networks.

 

[JATownes]

in vista open my computer, on the top, click "Map network drive" and browse to your media folder on your server. You can assign a drive letter and it will appear in "My Computer" and act as a local drive. Most media players will use it like it local. This is how we share data between progs at my office. Just a thought.

Edit: Maybe this will help. http://www.builderau.com.au/blogs/codemonkeybusiness/viewblogpost.htm?p=339270746

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

in vista open my computer, on the top, click "Map network drive" and browse to your media folder on your server. You can assign a drive letter and it will appear in "My Computer" and act as a local drive. Most media players will use it like it local. This is how we share data between progs at my office. Just a thought.

Edit: Maybe this will help. http://www.builderau.com.au/blogs/codemonkeybusiness/viewblogpost.htm?p=339270746

I know how to do it in Windows.

Besides, im on Windows 7.

 

[JATownes]

I know how to do it in Windows.

Besides, im on Windows 7.

Oh yea. With all those stars I should have realized that.

Sometime I type before I think. Or just don't think at all.

Edit: So mapping the drive will not work?

 

[freaksavior]

if you read the link i posted. the device will automatically detect if files have moved or changed. Will windows home server do this?

 

[Tau]

WHy do you need to search for them?

Copy them to the fileserver, sort them into folders, and share the folders. Simple.

You guys suck at this.

I think what im going for is windows home server. a cheap dual core machine and a cheap video card. 1tb for storage and my 320 as the os (maybe) i might use the 160 i have in it now.

Will windows home server do what i want?

Windows XP will do this all on its own.

And if you dont care for windows look into SAMBA for Linux/Unix and away you go. I am currently running a 3.5TB temp fileserver on windows XP Pro, has been running fine for past 4 months.

 

[freaksavior]

Windows XP will do this all on its own.

And if you dont care for windows look into SAMBA for Linux/Unix and away you go. I am currently running a 3.5TB temp fileserver on windows XP Pro, has been running fine for past 4 months.

explain

 

[Tau]

explain

Have you ever set permissions in a windows 2000/2003 server environment?

If not there is a bit of a learning curve, though plenty of tutorials online.

1) turn off simple filesharing
2) rightclick on folder, select share
3) set permissions for shared folder (basically who can access the folder)
4) access folder from other PCs on network (make sure they are all on the same workgroup)

also with vista make sure the network connection is set to private.... if its public vista wont allow network shares.

The way I have my temp system setup is all the machines are on the same workgroup, each computer has the same username (Tau) on all the machines, with the same password (password is only for the filesharing) then the fileserver ALSO has a Tau account with the same password. now whenever a folder is shared and i add the Tau account to the share with xx permissions. Then when i access the shared folder from any other PC the fileserver knows I have permissions as the permissions the client PC sents to the server match what the server has in cache (username: Tau, Password : Same)

Also with this setup anyone that is NOT on the permission list will be prompted for credentials when trying to access the fileserver over the network.


SAMA (for linux/unix) works in a similar manner, though there is LOADS more configuration.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

Oh yea. With all those stars I should have realized that.

Sometime I type before I think. Or just don't think at all.

Edit: So mapping the drive will not work?

I said fuck it with Linux.

I put on Windows XP x64 and ill fiddle around with it. Im sure I could get it to work that way what with mapping the drive and all.

 

[freaksavior]

Have you ever set permissions in a windows 2000/2003 server environment?

If not there is a bit of a learning curve, though plenty of tutorials online.

1) turn off simple filesharing
2) rightclick on folder, select share
3) set permissions for shared folder (basically who can access the folder)
4) access folder from other PCs on network (make sure they are all on the same workgroup)

also with vista make sure the network connection is set to private.... if its public vista wont allow network shares.

The way I have my temp system setup is all the machines are on the same workgroup, each computer has the same username (Tau) on all the machines, with the same password (password is only for the filesharing) then the fileserver ALSO has a Tau account with the same password. now whenever a folder is shared and i add the Tau account to the share with xx permissions. Then when i access the shared folder from any other PC the fileserver knows I have permissions as the permissions the client PC sents to the server match what the server has in cache (username: Tau, Password : Same)

Also with this setup anyone that is NOT on the permission list will be prompted for credentials when trying to access the fileserver over the network.


SAMA (for linux/unix) works in a similar manner, though there is LOADS more configuration.

thats what i have now. i want something to wear it will copy it to the server automatically like the device i linked. i will just manually find it and copy it if i must