What o/s for micro server?

Pennywise

I've stupidly bought a HP Proliant Micro Server not realising they don't come with an installed o/s, so it won't do anything - just a loop on the screen asking about boot disk. Supplier unhelpful, just saying its my own fault and telling me to buy my own o/s software, but not helping with any suggestions.

I've googled MS server software but can't make head nor tail of it - prices range from £25 to £500 for what looks like the same, so I'm clearly missing something obvious. I noticed other o/s options such as Linux, but don't know how to get started with something different. I'm used to MS software. Don't want the server for anything too demanding, just a depositary for files so that I can access them from different machines, probably only ever single user, or maybe a couple if I'm using two machines at the same time.

If I had a boot disk, I'm sure that I could install it and get it working - I've previously brought old PCs back from the dead and I have a couple of external CD/DVD drives. I know how to edit the BIOS to change drive/disk order etc. So where can I buy the boot disk for a windows server o/s or is there some way of downloading it? I'm not wanting a freebie, just some signposts as to how to help myself sort this out without buying something beyond my needs.

aerostar

I do not think you need special server OS, get hold of a linux live CD and if that works then you can put ordinary windows on it.

See here

http://mygeekshed.wordpress.com/2011/02/09/hp-proliant-microserver-with-windows7/

Jivesinger

If you really wanted to run MS Server software, you can find more details here, including a 180-day trial version which you can play with:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/evalcenter/hh708766
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/windows-server-2012-r2/default.aspx

However as stated, I don't think you need full-featured server software just to share files.

Gavin83

If your using it literally just as a file store then you don't need server software, Windows 7 (or similar) will do the job.

If you want more advanced server functions then you'll need windows server instead.

Ximian

If you plan on using the microserver to host data then something like NAS4Free might suit your needs http://www.nas4free.org/ you can access data remotely using FTP, SMB etc..
There are other similar distributions out there that can do the same and are based on Linux instead of FreeBSD. Most Linux distributions can also share data using FTP or SMB, you have the option to specify what services you want during install (Webserver, FTP etc...)

prowla

Why not try a Linux installation (eg. Ubuntu)?

It will work perfectly happily as a file server, and if you decide it's not for you then you can wipe it.

If you do want Windows, then Windows 7 Pro would be fine for simple file sharing. You only need Windows Server if you're going to want Active Directory user authentication and suchlike.

System

Another option is Windows Home Server 2011. Although classed as 'dead' it is still used a lot as a Windows based NAS by people who bought these to get a cheap server with the cashback. It can still be found on ebay for about £30

Also look at the BIOS mod to make the 2 AHCI ports run at full speed.

closed

refund under distance selling regs, buy a nas or store data on one existing machine, and share it instead - same result less power and cost. Then backup

I_have_spoken

I run Windows Vista on my N54L after bumping up to 4Gb of RAM, installing a 128Gb SSD boot disk and 2*3TB disks for file store.

Only fiddly bit was Vista DVD didn't have drivers for NIC and Video card, so I had to install them after from USB.

That said, there's plenty of enthusiast support for the Micro server. I've seen folks boot Linux from the USB on motherboard, so they've a 4*3Tb file-store

tombruton87

open media vault linux distro all set up for you

http://www.openmediavault.org/

S0litaire

Yup stick linux on it, their are a few Linux based NAS OS's around. all will do what you want in file storage

All you need to do with linux software is get an ISO image burn it to CD or get it on to a USB stick and boot from that.
You can then install the OS and after a few questions (usually just user names and machine name) it will be installed and you can access it from any web browser in your house. From there you can turn features on and off.