Convert an old desktop to a server?

[ebrees]

I have a desktop I am replacing with a new laptop. I want to convert the desktop to a server. It is an Intel i5 750 (it's an older model; specs here: https://ark.intel.com/products/42915/Intel-Core-i5-750-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz) running at 2.67 GHz with 16 GB ram. It has Windows 10 Home installed on it. I also own two 2 TB external drives from Seagate I used before I upgraded to an external 5 TB backup hub. For now, the 2 TB drives are serving no useful purpose so I would like to incorporate them if possible to save money.

What parts do I need to acquire?
Can I do anything to make the external drives perform the task of storage?
What do I need to do to convert this computer to a server?

Please forgive my ignorance as I am new to this.

 

[Nemanja Djordjic]

I have a desktop I am replacing with a new laptop. I want to convert the desktop to a server. It is an Intel i5 750 (it's an older model; specs here: https://ark.intel.com/products/42915/Intel-Core-i5-750-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz) running at 2.67 GHz with 16 GB ram. It has Windows 10 Home installed on it. I also own two 2 TB external drives from Seagate I used before I upgraded to an external 5 TB backup hub. For now, the 2 TB drives are serving no useful purpose so I would like to incorporate them if possible to save money.

What parts do I need to acquire?
Can I do anything to make the external drives perform the task of storage?
What do I need to do to convert this computer to a server?

Please forgive my ignorance as I am new to this.

What do you mean as external A hard disk that connects through USB? If so, I doubt it.

 

[punkncat]

You already have everything you need assuming it will connect to your home network and want to run a basic file share. If you are looking to see this server from outside your LAN it can get a bit more complicated.
The easiest thing to do would be to set up the storage drives, share them, give all the permissions you will need to users, and that folder/directory/drive will be available to every other computer in the house.

With that said....unless you are doing this for fun w/e then there are way more secure and actually cheaper services online for storage. Keep in mind that anything you keep on this server box should typically be backed up in a RAID or mirror. You will be counting on old components, drives, power supplies to keep this information safe and intact. It's best to replace HDD about every five or so years to avoid failures.

In my own usage scenario I ended up using a hot swappable 5 disk stack in a parity array so I could withstand (a) drive going out. In about 15 years of keeping various server/NAS units in my home I lost everything one time anyway. I have everything that I actually want to keep stored in the cloud now, or burned to multiple data disks and often even USB drives or memory cards.

 

[Nemanja Djordjic]

You already have everything you need assuming it will connect to your home network and want to run a basic file share. If you are looking to see this server from outside your LAN it can get a bit more complicated.
The easiest thing to do would be to set up the storage drives, share them, give all the permissions you will need to users, and that folder/directory/drive will be available to every other computer in the house.

With that said....unless you are doing this for fun w/e then there are way more secure and actually cheaper services online for storage. Keep in mind that anything you keep on this server box should typically be backed up in a RAID. You will be counting on old components, drives, power supplies to keep this information safe and intact. It's best to replace HDD about every five or so years to avoid failures.

In my own usage scenario I ended up using a hot swappable 5 disk stack in a parity array so I could withstand (a) drive going out. In about 15 years of keeping various server/NAS units in my home I lost everything one time anyway. I have everything that I actually want to keep stored in the cloud now, or burned to multiple data disks and often even USB drives or memory cards.

Yeah, having a server is a good thing but online server services are way cheaper and a lot more secure.

 

[ebrees]

I have a desktop I am replacing with a new laptop. I want to convert the desktop to a server. It is an Intel i5 750 (it's an older model; specs here: https://ark.intel.com/products/42915/Intel-Core-i5-750-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz) running at 2.67 GHz with 16 GB ram. It has Windows 10 Home installed on it. I also own two 2 TB external drives from Seagate I used before I upgraded to an external 5 TB backup hub. For now, the 2 TB drives are serving no useful purpose so I would like to incorporate them if possible to save money.

What parts do I need to acquire?
Can I do anything to make the external drives perform the task of storage?
What do I need to do to convert this computer to a server?

Please forgive my ignorance as I am new to this.

What do you mean as external A hard disk that connects through USB? If so, I doubt it.

Correct. They are both USB 3.0. I thought maybe with a SATA cable adaptor and disk partitions or something.

 

[punkncat]

^ in the case that you were looking for an enclosure or dock, they are all over the place in many formats.

 

[Nemanja Djordjic]

I have a desktop I am replacing with a new laptop. I want to convert the desktop to a server. It is an Intel i5 750 (it's an older model; specs here: https://ark.intel.com/products/42915/Intel-Core-i5-750-Processor-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz) running at 2.67 GHz with 16 GB ram. It has Windows 10 Home installed on it. I also own two 2 TB external drives from Seagate I used before I upgraded to an external 5 TB backup hub. For now, the 2 TB drives are serving no useful purpose so I would like to incorporate them if possible to save money.

What parts do I need to acquire?
Can I do anything to make the external drives perform the task of storage?
What do I need to do to convert this computer to a server?

Please forgive my ignorance as I am new to this.

What do you mean as external A hard disk that connects through USB? If so, I doubt it.

Correct. They are both USB 3.0. I thought maybe with a SATA cable adaptor and disk partitions or something.

Ugh, those adapters shouldn't cost much, try it.

 

[ebrees]

You already have everything you need assuming it will connect to your home network and want to run a basic file share. If you are looking to see this server from outside your LAN it can get a bit more complicated.
The easiest thing to do would be to set up the storage drives, share them, give all the permissions you will need to users, and that folder/directory/drive will be available to every other computer in the house.

With that said....unless you are doing this for fun w/e then there are way more secure and actually cheaper services online for storage. Keep in mind that anything you keep on this server box should typically be backed up in a RAID or mirror. You will be counting on old components, drives, power supplies to keep this information safe and intact. It's best to replace HDD about every five or so years to avoid failures.

In my own usage scenario I ended up using a hot swappable 5 disk stack in a parity array so I could withstand (a) drive going out. In about 15 years of keeping various server/NAS units in my home I lost everything one time anyway. I have everything that I actually want to keep stored in the cloud now, or burned to multiple data disks and often even USB drives or memory cards.

I appreciate what you are saying. I get that it's an old CPU and components. I don't trust the cloud though. I don't want to turn over my materials to a 3rd party. I prefer to keep all my stuff to myself and those I may designate. I don't like the idea of 3rd parties maintaining and having ultimate access to my stuff.

I want the server to perform file sharing, but also to house virtual machines. . I want a way to access my stuff from anywhere without relying on cloud-based storage. I'd also like to be able to allow others to access my stuff. I intend to keep using the 5 TB backup hub for periodic snapshots, so I am not especially concerned about a catastrophic failure of my server.

And I want the experience of doing it, too, I suppose. I am learning networking and would benefit from the experience of building my own server, even if it is on an antiquated system. Also, I neglected to mention I host a website (www.myalternativehigh.com), and even though I haven't been working it for the last few years I'd like to get back into it and using my own server to host it is an appealing notion.

As I understand it, though, the CPU of a server doesn't actually need to be that powerful for storage purposes. Please correct me if I am wrong. If I already have all the components I need, where would I be best served if I were to invest under $200 (secure cloud storage aside)?

 

[Nemanja Djordjic]

You already have everything you need assuming it will connect to your home network and want to run a basic file share. If you are looking to see this server from outside your LAN it can get a bit more complicated.
The easiest thing to do would be to set up the storage drives, share them, give all the permissions you will need to users, and that folder/directory/drive will be available to every other computer in the house.

With that said....unless you are doing this for fun w/e then there are way more secure and actually cheaper services online for storage. Keep in mind that anything you keep on this server box should typically be backed up in a RAID or mirror. You will be counting on old components, drives, power supplies to keep this information safe and intact. It's best to replace HDD about every five or so years to avoid failures.

In my own usage scenario I ended up using a hot swappable 5 disk stack in a parity array so I could withstand (a) drive going out. In about 15 years of keeping various server/NAS units in my home I lost everything one time anyway. I have everything that I actually want to keep stored in the cloud now, or burned to multiple data disks and often even USB drives or memory cards.

I appreciate what you are saying. I get that it's an old CPU and components. I don't trust the cloud though. I don't want to turn over my materials to a 3rd party. I prefer to keep all my stuff to myself and those I may designate. I don't like the idea of 3rd parties maintaining and having ultimate access to my stuff.

I want the server to perform file sharing, but also to house virtual machines. . I want a way to access my stuff from anywhere without relying on cloud-based storage. I'd also like to be able to allow others to access my stuff. I intend to keep using the 5 TB backup hub for periodic snapshots, so I am not especially concerned about a catastrophic failure of my server.

It makes sense if you are having an old PC and have storage to spare. But if you are building a server from scratch then Online based is a better option.

 

[punkncat]

Ok.

In order to access this from outside your LAN you will need to:
a) easy way is to pay for a service that port forwards with an updater. There are several. Basically you install an app on the host machine that reports your IP address to the WAN side IP all your friends will actually be "dialing" and it will forward you on to the machine. It will require (generally) opening port 80 or the like.
b) pay your ISP for a static IP and open a port

Keep in mind the security vulnerabilities inherent to having any manner of open port into your server/LAN

Also, if you are using a rented modem-router you have probably already given access to anything that passes through it to your ISP by way of the TOS. I would consider having yourself and everyone use something like a VPN client but that leads to even more complexity. If you move copyrighted info, even going to great lengths to hide it, it will probably get throttled.

 

[ebrees]

Ok.

In order to access this from outside your LAN you will need to:
a) easy way is to pay for a service that port forwards with an updater. There are several. Basically you install an app on the host machine that reports your IP address to the WAN side IP all your friends will actually be "dialing" and it will forward you on to the machine. It will require (generally) opening port 80 or the like.
b) pay your ISP for a static IP and open a port

Keep in mind the security vulnerabilities inherent to having any manner of open port into your server/LAN

Also, if you are using a rented modem-router you have probably already given access to anything that passes through it to your ISP by way of the TOS. I would consider having yourself and everyone use something like a VPN client but that leads to even more complexity. If you move copyrighted info, even going to great lengths to hide it, it will probably get throttled.

I appreciate your advice. I own my own router. I used to rent, until one day I calculated I spent over $300 over time for the same router I had when I first moved in, and was quite disgusted. But I have no problem contacting my ISP. It will take me a while to process and research the rest. Thank you again.