Question Best OS for Home Server

[starwarsgamer5001]

I've got an old work computer I want to turn into a home server mainly for files and media. I'd also like to be able to access my server outside my network.

Further, if possible I would like to be able to put saved game files on the server to be accessed by whatever computer I am gaming on. Minecraft mainly since transferring saved games is a pain and takes a while. Although not sure this is possible given how the game may locate those saved files.

The computer is an HP compaq slim form factor and has the following specs:
CPU-i5 3570s
RAM: 8gbs ddr3, no idea what speed.
Graphics: intel internal
Storage: 500GB HDD
I have a 1 TB external drive I'd like to use too.

What is the best OS for a home server? I have no prior experience with linux, only windows. But I am looking for something free. Ideal something that is not command line only and easy to use.

Outside of the OS what other software will I need to accomplish my goals?

 

[USAFRet]

If Linux, then LinuxMint. Pretty easy and graphical.

Or, Win 10.

 

[starwarsgamer5001]

Thanks! After looking into it just might be what I need.

I am most familiar with windows but I don't want to spend any money on this if I can help it. The computer, surprisingly, has windows 10 pro on it. But it was a refurb from an authorized refurber so I don't know if I can make use of windows once I wipe the drive. Or if the windows license is permanently linked to the company I work for.

If I stay with linux how do I go about preparing the drive for the install? I am under the impression its not as simple as reformatting.

 

[USAFRet]

Thanks! After looking into it just might be what I need.

I am most familiar with windows but I don't want to spend any money on this if I can help it. The computer, surprisingly, has windows 10 pro on it. But it was a refurb from an authorized refurber so I don't know if I can make use of windows once I wipe the drive. Or if the windows license is permanently linked to the company I work for.

If I stay with linux how do I go about preparing the drive for the install? I am under the impression its not as simple as reformatting.

For Windows, its existing license is probably OK.
Or, you can literally run a clean install of WIn 10, and leave it Unactivated. You get a sometimes appearing watermark in the bottom right.
$0.

An install of Linux Mint will give you the option of wiping ALL drives and partitions during the process.

Linux Mint Installation Guide — Linux Mint Installation Guide documentation

linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io

Or, to get your feet wet, you can run the Linux off a flash drive. No actual install on the hard drive needed.
https://linuxmint-installation-guid...stall.html?highlight=live cd#the-live-session

 

[dmroeder]

If you plan on Linux being the only operating system on your disk, then installing most distributions (including Mint and Ubuntu) is no more difficult than installing Windows. The installation is graphical, guided and the default options generally get it done. Things are get tricky if you want to dual boot, but that is true with any dual boot setup. It's not Linux that necessarily makes it tricky, it's dual booting.

If you want to see the install process ahead of time, install VirtualBox on your Windows 10 machine and create a VM. You will go through the same install process as you would installing it on your disk. VirtualBox is relatively straight forward, if you want help with it, post back.

 

[mitch074]

If it's a file server / media server you want, any distro will do, but FreeNAS is made for it and may need less tinkering. That said, it took me only a couple hours to make one from a Ubuntu server standard install.

 

[mdd1963]

OpenMediaVault?

openmediavault - The open network attached storage solution

openmediavault is the next generation network attached storage (NAS) solution based on Debian Linux. It contains services like SSH, (S)FTP, SMB/CIFS, AFS, UPnP media server, DAAP media server, RSync, BitTorrent client and many more.

www.openmediavault.org

 

[Grobe]

For simplicity, I figured MX Linux does ask for instaling/activating Samba and also ask for workgroup and computer name (just installed today on an old computer) nnder installation so I guess it's kind of made to be easy to share files to windows computers.