Hi hi hi hi hi!

In my boundless boredom, I have decided to create a server and start running web pages on it! Sounds pretty awesomenation, eh? I knew you guys and gals would love it. Now, what I need is to find out exactly what kind of parts I should use in constructing this server, which presumably will be hooked up to a T1 connection at school (it's hosting a school club website).

Pages are small... it will probably never reach over half a gig of space. (in that case, is there someway to basically install everything onto the RAM?) Traffic is at the utmost nadir of minimal, maybe less than 100 hits a week. I'm just looking for something really reall cheap.

CPU: What're the benefits of dual-processors (since i dont' plan to have that many pages or traffic, I don't think i really need one, but i dunno.) Also, would splurging to get a Xeon or something be really all that much better than getting some $50 AthlonXP?

RAM: How much and how fast? Is there a way to install files on it?

OS: I was just planning to use WindowsXP (as I just happen to have a *legitimate* copy lying around but I guess some form of Linux is an option too.

Past that, I'd guess I'd have to learn exactly how to configure this thing...

Im no expert, but I don't think oyu can use winxp as a server. You need some form of linux, win2k3 server, win2k server, or anything like that.

nO that can't be!!!

Hrmm I guess Linux would be interesting to play around with anyhow...

Proc: Go with an Athlon XP if it's that small. You'd notice a huge difference with everything else if it was on a larger scale, but it'll be fine on such a small scale.

OS: Linux, Redhat I guess works, there are tons others that are better (imo), though.

RAM: at least 1 gig, maybe 2. This is one of the main fulcrums that makes your server go. Speed? I'd suggest fast as you can get it (about 400mhz, or PC3200), but it's up to you, really. You just need the easy-to-access space. And I don't think you can actually install anything on the RAM, but I don't see why you'd want to. Get yourself a good 40 gig HDD for like 50 bucks.

For 100 hits per week, you could do fine on a P2 or P3. You don't need to go to extremes.
You could use WinXP I think, but not sure how good it would be. Go for Debian or something like that.
512 meg ram would be more than enough.... 256 would be fine too I think.

but... if my pages aren't on the RAM... then what's the use of getting a gig or two of it, if the pages are running off my hard drive?

You could either by a pre-built system, or build one yourself. If getting your hands dirty doesnt scare you, I suggest the later.
You dont need anything special.

CPU: What're the benefits of dual-processors (since i dont' plan to have that many pages or traffic, I don't think i really need one, but i dunno.) Also, would splurging to get a Xeon or something be really all that much better than getting some $50 AthlonXP?

Go with an Athlon board. Youll get better performance for a lower price.

RAM: How much and how fast?

Any less than 512mb and your asking for trouble. 1gb to be safe. 2gb if you want to use it as a ram drive. DDR ram comes standard on any recent motherboard, and that will be plenty fast enough.

You can run the pages out of a ram drive, its a cinch. Just set your document path to /dev/shm and copy all your pages into it. Unfortnatly, /dev/shm empties when the box shuts down (its a ram drive, after all), so youll have to write a script to copy the files back in after a reboot. Fortunatly, thats easy. :p

OS: I was just planning to use WindowsXP (as I just happen to have a *legitimate* copy lying around but I guess some form of Linux is an option too.

You can forget using Windows for this. Youll just have to bite the bullet and learn Linux. Youll thank me later.

Download a copy of Debian Sarge. It uses the new Debian installer, so installation isnt the pain it used to be.


If you have any specific questions, email me.

Yeah, AMDs perform better on webpages than Intels, except the new, 1000 dollar + processor line.

I'd suggest getting something like a 2000+, something like 50 bucks brand new.

Can't Windows XP only handle 10 connections at a time anyways?

What's wrong with using win2k server or win2k3 server?

Okay, since GBK is a poohead when it comes to hosting internet (thinks everything must be done HIS way :p :D)

Here is my list of suggestions:

With APACHE, you can use any form of windows you like, Win2k, WinXP, Win98 (I shoot you if you do, but you can), etc. Although linux is a better option, if you do not understand linux, you might want to avoid it for the time being.

In terms of operating system, I suggest just hosting it on WinXP for now, since you are familiar with it. But get a copy of Knoppix, a live-cd version of linux, and mess around with it at home. When you feel comfortable with linux, wipe your server (With the website backed up somewhere, you can move it to linux no problem), and plop a distro of linux on there. If you want the best OS, that'd be Gentoo. It'll be specifically built around that server, so it'll run superfast and be very small.

In terms of hardware, get the cheapest of these:

CPU: AMD Athlon: The slowest you can find, really, anything will do.
Hard Drive: Anything about 8gigs+, which applies to about anything $20 or more.
CDRom: Might want to get a burner, in case you want to back up your files easily. Otherwise, anything will do.
Ram: All these people who are suggesting 512MB Ram or more are crazy for this type of server. You can easily get by on 128MB of ram on a win2k server, or 256MB on a WinXP/2k3 server. If you go the linux route, a server with 64MB would be fine, as long as you have no GUI (x system). For such a small website, you won't be needing anything powerful.
As for putting your site directly into ram, it is possible in Windows and linux, but requires a lot more ram. Also, for such a small site, the benefits are nil. Installing files to RAM is generally reserved for small sized-heavy traffic websites, to avoid running the hard drive too much. At 100 hits a week, your harddrive would definately not be straining.

Oh, and if you do use WinXP, for God's sake, don't use IIS, use Apache. PLEASE.

The reason windows isn't used for webhosting in general is because of the obvious huge gaping holes in security. So if you use Windows, you'll need to keep up to date on EVERYTHING.

Fellas.. he aint running Google here... he's just for a home page site... with 100 hits a week or whatever it was... he doesnt need a cray.

Do you want it to be 100 hits a week because you can't make it go faster? You still need a decent PC to back it up.