Make LAN connected computers to share HDD?

[wrazor]

Ok, this one is a really tricky problem for me. I am planning to connect 6 computers on lan. All will be bought. Now, my question is this:
Can I make them share a single HDD? Like for booting windows, loading games and stuff? All 6 computers to have ONE single HDD? Will save me tonnes of money if this is even possible? If possible, what are the drawbacks? Guys, if you could provide me with an answer, it will be invaluable to me. Thx everybody who would invest time in helping me out.

 

[ShadeTreeTech]

No. In this day of PCs rather than terminals I do not know of a way to allow a set of computers to share booting and loading an OS. Modern computers run on software that is designed to run locally on the computer. The headache of just running 1 computer from networked storage is a highly dubious prospect at best, running 6 different computers accessing the same info to boot and load an OS, I highly doubt it. Network access with IPs and file permissions, windows licensing (which is tied to the mainboard), and probably a whole bunch of other things I'm not thinking of at the moment. I just don't see it happening, not on Windows or OSX software anyways. Even registers at retail stores have a local HDD for storing configurations, startup information, and OS software.

You can use software to keep all 6 computers identical, cloning software with network storage like Norton Ghost. Of course that would mean having HDDs on all of the computers though. Also, you might be able to fool some games by having them on a networked drive and loading it from there, but access rules and permissions could stop you as well. Simple games like freeware checkers, sure NP, but something like Crysis 2 or Civilization 5... no.

Good luck.

 

[hang-the-9]

Can't do it. Each PC needs it's own drive and OS installed. The best you can do is setup a terminal server with some thin clients, but that won't be quite the same as different PCs, less functionality.

 

[wrazor]

Ok two of you thanks alot guys. That is bad news for me economically but nevertheless, i do not have any doubts now. Guess i will have to buy 6hdds then. With so much advancement in hardware these years, i thought such a thing must surely be viable by now. Guess not.

 

[wrazor]

Best answer selected by wrazor.

 

[hang-the-9]

Ok two of you thanks alot guys. That is bad news for me economically but nevertheless, i do not have any doubts now. Guess i will have to buy 6hdds then. With so much advancement in hardware these years, i thought such a thing must surely be viable by now. Guess not.

You CAN do this, but with a server/client setup with thin clients, not just a bunch of computers sharing a drive. That will never happen.

 

[wrazor]

Ok, maybe i didnt understand your first post then. Sorry for that. But, you are implying that if I made one of the comps as the server, connect the rest as clients, 1 hdd can be managed? Those computers mainly will serve lan gaming. So, you still think its possible? Thx again man.

 

[hang-the-9]

You can't make gaming PCs out of a thin client setup. For gaming or any high processor and video use, you need separate PCs.

 

[wrazor]

Gotcha. Thx hang-the-9