Posted: 12/3/2007 1:26:51 PM EDT
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Finally got the $$ together for a unix server system. Server will be the print/file server, backup system for the windows workstations. To this point UBUNTU 7.10 server is up and running. A lot of configuration to go! All hardware was bought on sale through CompUSA. Only 1 re-install was necessary  because when I selected the MAIL SERVER option from the install screen, that is as I later found out the ONLY BUG that neglects to enter the new user in the SUDOERS file. YEAH. So I just re-installed without the mail server for now.ETA - Two 320 Gig Seagate SATA drives. Anyway, here are some pics for those that are interested: New Case  INTEL ATX LGA775  INTEL Core2 Duo E6420 2.13 GHz and really massive heat sink/fan  2 Gig Memory  Video Card  Completed chasis  Money Shot - UBUNTU with the ARFCOM screen  |
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Yes I compared prices at newegg, compusa, buy.com, tigerdirect. Didn't get raped - all together the system w/500mb external usb drive was $780. As a matter of fact newegg was outragous on the $ of the memory. NO onboard video! So had to buy a video card. Plus it is also MY workstation for as much as I need one. Video card was $65. |
That would make sense... |
smeserver.org/ is a good server distro - and no GUI. |
I haven't played with UNIX since the SparcServer. I haven't built a PC from the ground up in 15 years. It's a bit of a re-learning curve. But just in terms of overall value - AMD_64 UNIX with a GUI, FREE OpenOffice, FREE MP3 sound, FREE video, FREE SQL server, FREE HTTP server, MAIL SERVER... sheesh. Things have changed for the better. UBUNTU install was mostly painless. Seems to have an issue with the 2.0 USB SATA drives are a great improvement over IDE/EIDE. Also pretty fast. INTEL Core2 DUO makes even UNIX seem fast. Next up is getting SAMBA up and operational, MAIL SERVER up and going (have to get a static IP and domain name), might throw in another NIC and configure as a firewall (or configure the same interface with two subnets). Only limitation so far is the time I have to play with it. Thanks for comments. |
Open a terminal # su Then change the permissions of the /etc/sudoers file to give root read/write access (I'm not sure which value to use for chmod, but you can do it from nautilus, launched from the command line as root). Then (replace loginnname with your user name) leave the quotes in # echo 'loginname ALL=(ALL) ALL' >> /etc/sudoers Let me know if you have any questions. There are other ways to do this (using the visudo command. at least on Fedora) |
You should never ever modify the sudoers file without using the visudo command. It provided syntax checking to protect you from doing something stupid. visudo ships with every version of sudo, its not distro dependent. Likewise you should never manually edit /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow you should use vipw/chpass where applicable, when you must manually edit those files _ALWAYS_ use pwck to syntax check when you are done. Also servers should never have things such as web browsers installed. What you have is a glorified workstation. |
I did exactly that but did it wrong as it didn't work. I should have tried it more than once. |
I'm not a purist, and this isn't a CX security level install. I can't see a GUI and web browser making the difference between a server and a workstation. In fact, now that you mention it, the only difference I've seen between a unix ws and a unix server is horsepower. I've made (long ago) sparcstations do the same things that sparcservers did. Anyway, I'm not real sure of the difference between UBUNTU WS AMD_64 and UBUNTU Server AMD_64. Since there was a specific 7.10 server version, I thought I'd give it a try. The primary function of this system is to be the central file server fo rtwo graphic systems that need access to the same files (thus SAMBA), and to backup these files to an external drive and to backup/archive to the DVD RW for off site storage. ANything else I throw on it is just for kicks. So glorified WS or low end server? 
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Thanks for the offer and the info. I downloaded Fedora (8x I think) as well incase I didn't end up liking UBUNTU. I'm not weded to UBUNTU yet. We'll see how well it integrates with the rinky dink windows environment. So long as it functions as a reliable file server, it's in. |
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thanks for the info and pics. I am thinking about setting up my old PC as a server for my other main desktop and wife's laptop and my work laptop. I only want to use one monitor so I was thinking about just using a KVM switch to switch between the PCs when needed. Is there any reason why I should re-think that? Is there anything limiting about these specs from the old PC that I plan on using as a server that I should be aware of?: - jetway/nvidia MB with Athlon 3000+ chip - 512k DDR400 ram which I will upgrade to 1 or 2 gig - Geforce 4200ti AGP card, which I will also try to add an old PCI tuner card for home survellance video capture - small HD which will be upgraded |
BB, I don't see a problem with the old system. However, this is my first UBUNTU install so I am not an authority on compatable hardware. Check out the UBUNTU Forums where you can find just about every sw/hdw combination imaginable. Nevis |
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UPDATE: Currently running 2 x 320 GB internal drives, 1 x 500GB external USB drive. SAMBA / Windows SMB networking Thus far the UBUNTU install has been no more or less painful than Windows XP / Vista. Had a few stupid moments setting up the external drive as a fat32 windows compatable drive vfat is the proper entry into fstab BTW. Windows XP and Vista PC's are now sharing the drive from the UBUNTU server for all graphics (AI, PS, OMEGA) files, and backup is being done by SBACKUP.Thought I'd pass along a small progress report. |