Need Help setting up a Gaming Server

[Bloodnok]

After buliding a PC for my brother who now has no use for it...

I am thinking of using it as a music/game server but I am needing a few pointers

Spec:

O/S: Windows XP Pro

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ 2.1GHz AM2

RAM: 3GB DDR2

GFX: Nvidia 6100 (onboard)

600GB Total HDD Space

400 Watt PSU

 

[gemini]

I'd install Windows Server 2003 to start off with.

Then once you have done that, enable Remote Desktop connections.

 

[Bloodnok]

Can't find a working nforce driver for server 2003... gonna have to use XP

UPDATE

Found a working network card lying about, now just to configure it..

 

[gemini]

Usually for servers you would give them a static IP at OS level.

However, for your purposes you should consider that the machine is probably going to be used on more than one LAN which may not have it's assigned IP available, or might not even be on the same IP range. The problem here is that if you take your machine to another network and you forget to change it's IP address settings beforehand, your server will probably be inaccessable on the new network until you use a keyboard to fix the IP settings.

So, for your home lan, you can setup your DHCP server to always give your server the same IP address, but the server itself does not have a static IP. Then when you go to other lan's your server will always just request an IP from the DHCP server. To access your server on the new network you can just use the hostname.

(This is exactly what I do for all my machines.)

I'm sure Dex or Harry will have different advice but that's what I've found works for me. Catch me on skype if you have questions.

greg.gemini.hanson

 

[Bloodnok]

Update: This server build took a nose dive a few weeks back when the onboard gfx motherboard died and can't find a suitable replacement.

So another scavenger hunt begins at the local recycling centre (god I'm bored).

I picked up (at random) 2 PCs

1 is going back as the pci-e slot has holes in it (from a soldering iron I think) but boots.

The Dell Dimension E520 on the other hand had bigger problems (apart from missing cpu, ram, dvd and hdd(s)), bent cpu pins, but since the motherboard is socket 775, the pins are on the motherboard...



I couldn't replace the motherboard as it was BTX so:



Since this fix had a huge chance of failure: I used a Pentium 4 as a guinea pig and cheap DDR2 ram.

After about 10-15 mins of trying to get the pins as straight as possible, it was time to put the pc back together and turn the sucker on...



Holy...

That was lucky XD

After that test, I striped the pc to clean the case of dust and rebuilt it with this spec:



CPU: Q6600

RAM: 4GB DDR2

HDD: 200GB

GFX: Ati x1300 (that came with the pc)

Extras: DVD drive and card reader

Not bad for a days work

Note: The cpu error message was fixed via a BIOS update.

Now the fun really begins... Setting this up as a server...

 

[SocksFoHands]

I have no idea how you manage it Dave. I saw a really nice monitor sitting in the electronics disposal area at my local tip, I was sorely tempted but there was no way I was getting it out of there without the dump workers noticing!

 

[Bloodnok]

Just found out the Q6600 CPU is not on the supported list for this Dell but it works nevertheless, talk about more blind luck...

 

[Bloodnok]

Mini update: this server now has 6GB of RAM