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"My Own Web Server"

Being at college a lot and working all hours, I'm finding very little time to reserch properly into setting up my own Web Server.

I've now installed all my stuff onto my New Hard Drive, and now have the old drive formated and blank, and I'd like to use this drive soly for the purpose running a Web Server and hosting my site(s), instead of spending more cash on a hosting company.

I have Pipex ADSL. I'm using Windows 98SE at the moment, with Windows 2000 Pro on CD ready to install sometime soon. 512MB RAM, the Hard Drive is about 12GB.

So, whats I'd like to ask is for some tips on how to go about this??? What would be best Server software to use be?? What about security???

I'd like to be able to use PHP, MySQL, SSI, and so forth, like most hosts seem to have. I'd also like to allow people to FTP to my Server, and probably giving them their own space, being the kind person that I am :o)

At this time, I don't intend on leaving the computer on all the time, so it won't be a perminant connection. Its something to just let me elevate my skills in Web Development and creating and testing scripts.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out here.

If you using your current PC thats cool, I really don't know how effective having a hdd or CD drive as a slave will be, sorry, although using you main PC will have benifits as it will more than likely be the best PC, if your going to buy a PC for use as a server, you'd rather have the best PC as your main one... (bah, almost confused myself) I know what I mean anyway, which means, more RAM, faster CPU..etc, which means the server will run much better, although you'll be using it when your not at college so your friends will have less FTP speed and pages might not be viewed as quickly if your downloading some huge files.

Problems I see about having a seperate PC for a server:

You won't know if it freezes, so can't resart it,
You'll need seperate security, maybe even a firewall...
A router for seperating your modem's connection,

Thats about it, apart from the fact that it will cost you around £200-300 to buy all the parts..etc

so in other words, using your main PC as a server's a great idea (in my opinion), see how you like the speed and as you say, all the options of MySql..etc


tell me how it works out as i'm hoping to do the same soon :)

Fog wrote:
> what spec is the 'server' anyway?

I don't know the exact figures without looking at it, and I'm at college now. Its a 12GB Hard Drive, set on the First IDE Cable as a Slave. I think I read somewhere on here that I would get a better performance out of it if I set the Hard Drive up on the Second IDE as the Master, and have my Two CD ROMS as slaves on each IDE, is that correct???

It would be on my current PC, although if it was succesful I would consider setting up a second one, I have most of the parts, though they arn't the most up to date, would that be much of a problem???

http://www.vmware.com/

You can run Linux and Windows both *at the same time* :-)

Little slow though.

You can't run Linux inside of Windows, you can dual boot it (obviously) although, and you probably know, you can run Windows and all it's software while running Linux as your main OS, you can run Mac on it too!! not really much point though :)

Anyway, good luck with your server ;)
what spec is the 'server' anyway? or are you using your main PC?
if it's a seperate PC why not put it somewhere where the noise won't affect you, e.g loft, garage..etc, then it can be online 24/7

Thanks :o)

Is it possible to install Linux onto me Second Drive and run it in the background along Windows though?

I'm hoping to do this soon too.

I think Apache webserver is the only one worth having, it also allows you to have everything on it, not sure about ASP but I would have thought so as almost all server use Apache.
I'd recommend you getting a copy of Linux and installing a server onto that (it only costs £1.50!!!) for v3.0 Woody http://linuxemporium.co.uk
definatly worth getting, better security with Linux Operation Systems...

Anyway, when you've downloaded Apache, if you want MySql, PHP..etc all you have to do is find the official websites for them and download their products, e.g. http://mysql.com (bet you can't guess what they have there)
Probably best to search google though.

I've got no idea of how to compile Apache onto Linux (as i've not even installed Linux yet) but I think the Microsoft version installs itself.

Other than that I don't know, not really sure what other stuff you wanted to know, other than how to install every single product..etc

but, i'd definatly recommend using Linux, probably about 99.9% or webhosting servers use Linux because it's so darn good and reliable.
If you install it, you'll be learning about Linux aswell as server stuff, which will be handy.

Being at college a lot and working all hours, I'm finding very little time to reserch properly into setting up my own Web Server.

I've now installed all my stuff onto my New Hard Drive, and now have the old drive formated and blank, and I'd like to use this drive soly for the purpose running a Web Server and hosting my site(s), instead of spending more cash on a hosting company.

I have Pipex ADSL. I'm using Windows 98SE at the moment, with Windows 2000 Pro on CD ready to install sometime soon. 512MB RAM, the Hard Drive is about 12GB.

So, whats I'd like to ask is for some tips on how to go about this??? What would be best Server software to use be?? What about security???

I'd like to be able to use PHP, MySQL, SSI, and so forth, like most hosts seem to have. I'd also like to allow people to FTP to my Server, and probably giving them their own space, being the kind person that I am :o)

At this time, I don't intend on leaving the computer on all the time, so it won't be a perminant connection. Its something to just let me elevate my skills in Web Development and creating and testing scripts.

Thanks to anyone who takes the time to help me out here.