> You COULD set up the machine with the SCSI drives as a rudimentary server > running Win98/Linux in a dual-boot configuration. But what is the second > machine running? My thinking is you could make IT the server (NT > if you want > the experience), and store files there via Windows networking. > That will let > your accomplish your goal of learning NT, while still freeing up a machine > for Linux. Put the big drives on the server, and a smaller drive on the > "learning" box. The server stays stable, while the learning box > (client) is > subject to reinstalls and experimentation with no risk to your data cache.
Ultimately I want to run linux /samba as my server so that needs to go on the full tower that that the drives are installed in. This tower is the only case I have that will house 3 full height drives plus CD + floppy. I have another Pentium something mini tower w/ ~1.5gig that I can experiment with NT on. > > I use a server approach, although I use Linux running Samba as my server, > and access it via Windows 98, 2000 and Linux clients. Again, the server is > "stable" and that's where important stuff goes. Everything else is a lab > rat. This make doing hardware mods or software upgrades on the clients > (family uses three Win98 desktops, plus my notebook and various > oldies that > I fire up occasionally) MUCH easier. Worst case, my kids' high scores get > reset when I wipe a machine. > > At worst you should be out $10-20 apiece for ethernet NICs, and > the cost of > a cheap hub (if you don't already own one). Have a bunch of extra nics and an smc 10/100 hub. > At some later date you might > want to convert the server to Linux once you're familiar enough with it. That's the plan. When linux is stable I will just stop booting 98. I keep telling myself "as long as my data is on separate drives, even if linux crashes so hard it takes out the 2gig OS drive, I will still be able to load up another os and get to my data on the other drives." I hope I am not mistaken. If I screw up linux, could it take out data on the other drives in the box? Hmmm..... I think I know the real answer to that question and it's not good. :( > > You could still set up the learning/client computer as a dual-boot > Win98/Linux machine for the reasons you describe. Keep in mind that most > mainstream Linux distributions will still want SOME space for a > Linux (ext2) > partition. 1GB is plenty, 500MB can work (as can far less). I > wound up with > one of those removable IDE drive bays, and a bunch of old drives, ranging > from 100-3GB for experimentation. I just swapped them out and > tried a bunch > of different configs and distributions. > > You mention other machines. Why not get them into the act as > well? Are they > 386 or above CPUs? > Bob, you name it I got it. For the last 10 years, if it was computer related and it was getting tossed I grabed it :). I would bet that I might even top your collection. 386, 486, older pentiums, a dual floppy ps2, my very first XT with a tricked out nec v20 processor (remember those), I even have a huge ass sun workstation with a 21" monitor and other miscellaneous sun soft/hardware. The thing works, I turned it on once about a year ago. I never turned it on again. I didn't know what to do with it :). That Sun is also on my list of things to learn. I tried once to steal the sun's monitor for a pc but it takes some kind of big special connector. This does not include the pc's I've parted. There are bits and pieces everywhere. Speaking of bits and pieces everywhere. I would really like to get rid of some of this stuff. Any clue on what a good working 486 box should go for? Anyone want to make offer on anything :). Anything except my old xt that is. I think it would be really really cool to build the best, fastest, most up to date, killer PC in an old XT case. I can't wait to bring it into a job and watch everyone's head turn when they hear that old familiar SNAP of an XT's power supply turning on. : )))))))))) One day it will live again! > > My plan now brings me back full circle to my first post on combining > drives > > with a slight twist. Does anyone know a way that I could > combine these 2 > > drives to one win 98 share? If there is a way, will it effect linuxes > > ability to read the drives. > > Under Win98, I don't think so. I *think* NT has an option to span a volume > across partitions, but I'm not 100% sure. Under Linux, you can always get > creative with symbolic links to make a single filesystem span multiple > drives. > Yes, that's what I though also. That's OK though. It will give me more incentive to get the linux side going faster. > > Thanks again guys, Everyone input helped me come to this plan. > > Hah! You just threw new toys into the mix. We're not through yet! :) > LOL, You are going to keep me reading and writing email when I should be fooling with this server. Best, John To unsubscribe from SURVPC send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with unsubscribe SURVPC in the body of the message. Also, trim this footer from any quoted replies. More info can be found at; http://www.softcon.com/archives/SURVPC.html
