server questions

[Billnodeal]

I need some help on a server that a client has purchased used from a company going out of business. I don't know anything at all a bout a server & need some guidance. The server boots up & loads dos 6.22, then it goes to a c prompt. I was snooping around on the c drive & opened up the nwserver dir & then loaded server.exe, which brought it to "ang-mfg-fs1:" I am lost with this! Is this the actual operating system prompt or what? As far as I know this was used for a file server. My client wants to set up a server to sell collectibles on the net. Any help would be appreciated!

[glc]

Yes, this is a Novell Netware fileserver. If the company did not provide the media, manuals, and licenses, and you or he knows nothing about Novell, you should probably wipe the drive and start from scratch with something else. Netware is based on Unix.

What does your client need a server for to sell collectibles? A webhosting package is a lot less hassles.

[Billnodeal]

Thanks glc! Yeah a web host service would be easier, but he has the server & wants to use it & not spend give his money to someone else. He is also interested in learning how to do it, as I am also! My curosity usually gets me in trouble if you know what I mean! What would be the best os to use if I wipe the drive, win98se? It looks as if there is more than one drive in this also. Will I need anything to set this pc up with a new os? It is a Compaq Prosignia VS with a 486dx processor according to the id on the chipset. How do I get into the bios or does it not use a bios?

[glc]

I hate to throw cold water on your ambitions, but a 486 server is not suitable for any kind of webserver work. That is an old-fashioned fileserver, period. Anyone using Windows 98 for a webserver is totally nuts - you use Unix/Linux, NT/2000, or Novell, but a 486 can not run any of that except the old version of Novell that it probably has, which has no clue what TCP/IP is and is no longer supported by Novell. Your client has purchased a 10 year old fileserver that will never do anything except serve files on a LAN. Not only that, but a Compaq is as proprietary as it gets, and the only way to get into setup on that thing is with software.

Even if you were to run your own webserver, you still have to pay someone for your dedicated connection to the Internet, which costs a heck of a lot more a month than a hosting service with a secure server. You aren't going to run an e-commerce site off a $49 a month consumer grade broadband connection.

What to do with this old beast? Sell it to someone that needs a simple fileserver and knows how to deal with OLD network operating software and OLD Compaq iron.

[Billnodeal]

Thanks again GLC! I'll pass your expertise on to him & go from there. He will figure out a way to do this though, he has always did whatever he sets his mind to do. We will just have to do it with some other hardware. Thanks again!

[glc]

A point of reference - e-commerce hosting plans start at $19.95 a month, anyone trying to run their own site will pay a LOT more than that.

[Dave22]

Originally posted by glc Yes, this is a Novell Netware fileserver. If the company did not provide the media, manuals, and licenses, and you or he knows nothing about Novell, you should probably wipe the drive and start from scratch with something else. Netware is based on Unix.

Netware is based on UNIX? That's the first I've ever heard of that. While NetWare is written in C, there aren't many similarities (that I'm aware of) after that. Heck, NT mimics UNIX in more ways than NetWare.

You've piqued my interest glc... is there some source you could point me to for more info on that?

[moonlight burner]

Can't help wondering , if it is.

http://www.novell.com/products/netwa...rehistory.html

[glc]

My only source is the guy I work with who was told that in his CNE class. Let's suffice it to say that the version on that old Compaq is probably 3.x which is a command line interface.

[specop_007]

Could you recommend 2 or 3 web hosting site for 19 a month? How extensive is it? Do they have their own web creation package, or can you upload your files however you want (As long as its html!). What about bandwidth restrictions?
Thanks!

[Xayd]

I use this one...

www.extremepresence.com

Uptime has been good, the only rough spot has been the week of the Nimda virus. You also get your own IP, which is a plus. They run Red Hat 6.2.

I pay 11 bucks for 75 megs, 6 gigs transfer per month, 3 databases, etc.

[archie]

I would like to offer a few pointers for Bill to play with even though the server may not be of use to his client. The following should apply depending on which version of Netware it is:
ang-mfg-fs1: is indeed the console screen, at that point, the server is up and running, and ang-mfg-fs1 is that file server's name. On that screen type 'help' for a list of commands. Type 'memory' to find out how much RAM it has. Try 'load monitor' on the console screen and look around. Use 'alt' and 'esc' to move between screen and 'ctrl' and 'esc' to see a menu of all of them. Finally,'down' to down the server and 'exit' to take it back to DOS [where it should probably stay once the novelty wears off].
In order to run it, 'client' software would need to be installed on the other 'client' computers. The server may be used for sharing files and even act as a print server. For the benefits gained though, it may not be worthwhile to actually use it there. I agree that this server would not be appropriate for web hosting.

[glc]

specop: www.webaxxs.com , check out the options. It's standard Apache so you can do pretty much what you want.

[Billnodeal]

Thanks guys! What do ya'll think about using it as a file server networked to another machine with nt running & using it as the webserver? The reason he wants to do this himself is the huge amount of material he would be posting. The amount of collectibles he has for sale boggles the mind! I don't believe that a web hosting service could support all the data he needs. Could he possibly use a webhosting service as a doorway to his network?

[glc]

How much space does he need? Do you have some megabyte numbers? Webaxxs has very liberal space quotas for the $$$.

[Billnodeal]

I have no idea without comlpletely guessing what he is going to need. He has thousands of baseball cards, including numbered complete sets. He has a room full of Coca - Cola colectibles. He has old glass & crystal bottles, etc.... His idea is to post pictures of each of these collectibles on his own server. He would rather do that than pay somebody else for this service. ONce he gets his mind made up to do something he pretty much does it. So I still pose the same question as my last post.