Converting an Old PC into a Web Server

Nogs

So, how does one go about this?

Should I reformat and go with Linux and try out the LAMP packages? Or should I keep the Windows XP there and go with something like WampServer 2? I definitely want to go with the AMP part though.

Basically, I have an old PC now, and I want to turn it into a web server, so I can 1. Learn how servers work from the inside out and 2. Use it as a testing server while I learn PHP and MySQL.

Any good tutorials out there or advice?

flatlinegraphics

http://www.turnkeylinux.org/lamp

should just give you a single disk installer with everything ready to go.

Nogs

so you'd say LAMP is probably the way to go over WAMP?

Also, this probably means reformatting to get Ubuntu running, right?

Lewisham

Nogs wrote: »

so you'd say LAMP is probably the way to go over WAMP?

Also, this probably means reformatting to get Ubuntu running, right?

WAMP is possible, but you will find the documentation and support for the AMP of the WAMP almost always assumes a LAMP.

Do I win some sort of prize for that sentence?

Seriously though, a copy of Ubuntu Desktop (or Server) will do everything so smoothly, simply "apt-get install apache" and what have you, and it's all a piece of cake. I setup Ubuntu Server in less than an hour of actual work, including a jail for SSH hax0r attempts (fail2ban). It's just so much easier to get the packages, find the documentation, know where all the log files are...

Nogs

Cool, ya my only real concern is that this will be my first *real* exposure to a Linux OS. I mean I've used protocols with certain FTP clients for Linux environments. But never actually had L/Unix on a desktop machine to play around with before.

Suppose I should learn it anyways, another skill to add to the resume and all that.

Improvolone

Dude, if you're competent at all with computers (fuck me, even if you're not), Ubuntu is stupid easy to figure out.

Nogs

looks like im gonna do some backups with my external HD and install Ubuntu tonight!

Tejs

The default installations of most windows home OS' only allow something on the order of 10 connections at once. Unless you want to pony up for a professional or server edition, your best best would be the open source stuff.

Jasconius

Unless you are literally running an actual outward facing website there is no valid reason to favor LAMP over WAMP. This isn't 19-fucking-98, Windows just doesn't roll over and die overnight from some memory access violation.

If you have a windows machine and are comfortable with Windows, just do what makes sense.

Also Tejs you are talking about IIS, that is totally not what is being talked about! Apache runs independently of all that.

Nogs

Jasconius wrote: »

Unless you are literally running an actual outward facing website there is no valid reason to favor LAMP over WAMP. This isn't 19-fucking-98, Windows just doesn't roll over and die overnight from some memory access violation.

If you have a windows machine and are comfortable with Windows, just do what makes sense.

Also Tejs you are talking about IIS, that is totally not what is being talked about! Apache runs independently of all that.

well the plan is to have a website hosted on this PC. but basically a purely testing website while i learn the ins-and-outs of Apache, MySQL and PHP.

I suppose I could try and pony up money and just get hosting through InMotion Hosting or something, but I feel like doing it from the ground up will give me a better understanding of how everything works.

Jasconius

When I say outward facing, I mean you would literally be hosting a website and have DNS pointed at your house. Which, of course, you would be insane to do that unless you had a static IP, which you don't.

For internal testing there is nothing in WAMP that should alarm you for any reason as to stability or behavior at all.

Having used WAMP personally, I can say that it is fairly automatic, and Windows features a plethora of easy to use MySQL admin tools to boot which you will want.

Don't let operating system roulette interfere with getting work done.

Seeks

Alternately, there's no reason not to use LAMP over WAMP.

And getting familiar with a linux server box is never a bad idea if you're planning on maybe taking this project larger in the future.

mrcheesypants

If you just want to fool around with apache/mysql/php then I suggest you save your old computer and use XAMPP. It's very common to use it on a development machine to just dick around with web programming. If you want to do anything outside of php programming then I suggest you instal WAMP on your current machine.

Eitherway, if you just want a development environment there's no real reason for a solo user to waste a computer for a web server. Why not try building a HTPC out of the old computer instead?

GothicLargo

Jasconius wrote: »

When I say outward facing, I mean you would literally be hosting a website and have DNS pointed at your house. Which, of course, you would be insane to do that unless you had a static IP, which you don't.

Most ISPs also forbid you from doing so in your contract (although enforcement of that is generally on a "when and if you cause problems" basis; ISPs have a huge amount of infrastructure momentum so if the system technically permits you to do something they tend to not change that until you become a problem to be dealt with).

Infidel

Not that Windows is terribad for hosting, but since knowing linux hosting stuff is very handy for working with actual deployed hosts (many of which are linux) it's a good learning experience to go with LAMP.