ubuntu linux home sever using desktop

Flashgo1

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Mar 11, 2016
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Need help building a home server using Ubuntu desktop. Have it updated to latest.

Using old vista gaming rig. dual core. 2 gig ram

Want to put it as a home file share server.
Have a external hdd with videos on it and want to be able to add and remove from it on any computer in the house. would like to turn it also into a NAS so i can add more videos to it. its going to be a few TB's.
Will change it from the single external to multiple hdd later when i can afford it.
 
Not my area, though I've been using a WDMYCLOUD for this purpose and it's just perfect.

My 4TB WDMYCLOUD attaches to the home ROUTER via an Ethernet cable so I can read/write from any device connected to my home network. Two different media players can play videos (though the BluRay players now have Cinavia watermark protection so many videos made after roughly 2013 get muted after a while).

The WDMYCLOUD is very quiet and uses just a few Watts of power when it idles between use.

(I looked at LINUX for video NAS years, but it's just too much hassle to get working properly.)
 


Yeah, that will work. What issue are you having with setting it up?
 


Need something now that i have on hand, but want to upgrade to a lot of storage later. i dont want something that is limted like that cloud devise.
 


i have ubuntu setup but i lost a thread were it told me how to set it up. need help intial setup from desktop to what i need.
 
WDMYCLOUD usage->
If interested, I'll add some quick points it took me a while to figure out. Don't use the software you can download. Do THIS:

WINDOWS EXPLORER:

DRIVE ACCESS:
Select "Network", then under "Storage" on the right select the "WDMYCLOUD" (right-click) and "OPEN"

- now you can read/write easily same as a local hard drive

MANAGE DEVICE:
(the program link works great at first, but the address may change.. here's what is foolproof)

- follow the previous "Network" access advice but right-click and choose "View Device Webpage"
- that uses a browser to open a window to manage the device (like firmware updates, settings etc)
 


Create a network share in Ubuntu
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/How%20to%20Create%20a%20Network%20Share%20Via%20Samba%20Via%20CLI%20%28Command-line%20interface/Linux%20Terminal%29%20-%20Uncomplicated%2C%20Simple%20and%20Brief%20Way%21

Or here, Option Two:
https://www.howtogeek.com/176471/how-to-share-files-between-windows-and-linux/

Or here:
https://itsfoss.com/share-folders-local-network-ubuntu-windows/

 
UPDATE:
Limited?

How much STORAGE do you need? My device is 4TB and there are larger ones. Most BluRay movies compress to a little over 6GB so you can store about 600 movies.

It's only $160USD, and mine's been working perfectly for YEARS. (You can get a dual-drive and go RAID1 or add a USB drive. I have a WDMYBOOK as backup plugged into the WDMYCLOUD)
https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Personal-Network-Attached-Storage/dp/B00EVVGAD0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504310323&sr=8-1&keywords=wd+mycloud

(average reviews at Amazon are messed up. not accurate. they span similar products. same issue for DVD/BD versions of movies, similar TV's etc)

It will cost you about $120 just for a 4TB hard drive.

You can also add another WDMYCLOUD if you want to the router or share the same Ethernet cable with a Gigabit Switch ($20). I run an Ethernet cable to my office and have all my networked devicec including the WDMYCLOUD sharing a Gigabit Switch.
 
what info do you need to see. so i can post the info and get pointed in right direction
need to configure samba,error
the 2nd link did not mention configuring it
3rd link shows how. doing it now
cant open samba, restarting
 


Im going to pretend u did not suggest that. Vista loves to crash and corrupt things. Need it stable for months without touching it. The 3 years I played Vista, I had to wipe and start over 5 times. And it never had internet until after the 3rd crash hoping that would stop it. Went from 8 to 12 hours before games would crash
 
Can't tell if u are a troll or not. I will not use Vista. Factory image no updates had issues with rollercoaster tycoon 1. Trying to do file server that can also process videos. Vista works but there is other things that only server can do that I do want. Plus I lost the factory image. do have bare Vista image but I spent 3 days and never did get it to work right. Ubuntu desktop worked but wanted samba file share. Had rare samba bug
 
Sorry for late response. RL was very busy. Did think about free NAS but I wanted it do some other things. After much reading and surfing through other forums, I have found out my best way to implement what I want is to go 16.04 desktop and add samba. I like ripping dvd's and soon hope to add bluerays to the mix. That 10 year old system can out process both my laptops. I want samba there so I can then add a bunch of hard drive space so any one in the home can play it.