Roaming Profiles

[Bloo Ice]

Ok. Awhile I set up roaming profiles on a machine running XP Pro. You guys suggested I get a server software. Well, my boss had an old server sitting in a room for years, and didnt want to part with it because he bought it for $11,000. [that right there tells me it's old, along w/ the way it looks]. He finally gave it to me, and I brought it home. I booted it up and it runs NT Server 3.51 Service Pack 4. Will I be able to have TRUE roaming profiles with this? Or will I need 2000 server? Yes, the specs are low. I havent figured out the Administrator password yet, so I can't get exact specs. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[HoopaJoop]

I know you can have roaming profiles with an NT4 domain. However, if you have the option to put 2000 on there by all means do so.

What do you mean by "TRUE roaming profiles"?

 

[Bloo Ice]

I think the whole 2000 is ruled out. It's got a 100mhz processor, 16mb of ram, a 2.1gb hard drive. It was purchased back in 1995. It seems you can have roaming profiles with this, so I'll work with that. What exaclty is a domain though?

By TRUE roaming profiles I mean like using the Active Directory [or w/e it's called], and being able to log on at more than 1 computer and have it merge files, and do it all correctly. And more options.

 

[HoopaJoop]

What exaclty is a domain though?

You kind of described a function of a domain with your roaming profiles.

Basically, a Domain (in the windows sense here) is a common and centralized networking infrastructure model. A group of centrally administered machines is the simplest definition.

Active Directory is only availible in Windows 2000 and higher Domains. Previous Windows domains didn't use LDAP.

From what I understand, Novell had been using LDAP for quite a while before Microsoft started to, and you may be able to find a version that will run on your hardware. However, I wouldn't recommend using old novel.

Essentially roaming profiles work by storing all your profile information on the server, and copying it to every machine you log onto on your domain. This is helpfull for keeping your mail configurations and such, but it comes at a price. If you store massive amounts of stuff in your profile it will take a very long time to log on the first time, and will generate lots of lan traffic. Additionally, all that data is stored on the server so there is the possible issue of diskspace to consider.

Anyway, a centralized authentication system (domain) is really required for what you want to do.

Hope this helps

 

[Bloo Ice]

So what should I do? Keep the machine running XP Pro or use that old NT 3.51 for a server? The main feature I like about that old thing is that it has a tape drive, but it's SCSI so I can't put it in any other machines, and the scsi controller is the old long black plug, not PCI.

 

[HoopaJoop]

Keep the machine to do other fun stuff with, just maybe not roaming profiles.

 

[Bloo Ice]

What good is it for other than backing up stuff onto tapes? It's got a 100mhz processor, 16mb RAM, 2.1GB HD, 1mb video, cd, and floppy. I keep anything I get, and scrap it out if I don't use it, but I'd like to put this to work. Is NT 4.0 a service pack upgrade, or a whole OS upgrade? Thanks

 

[nickc]

with that little of processor andthat little of mem that is about all it is good for in my opion

 

[HoopaJoop]

Linux! Well, BSD or something small like that. You could make it a router, or firewall, or a NAS. Experiment.

 

[Bloo Ice]

You could make it a...firewall.

I thought about that, but it doesn't have any PCI slots. All it has are those long black ones. A few years ago when I had to buy a NIC, they gave me the option for the long black ones, but I don't know if they even still make them. This NIC has 3 kinds of adapters, ethernet, coax, and one that looks like a skinny parallel.

 

[HoopaJoop]

I thought about that, but it doesn't have any PCI slots. All it has are those long black ones. A few years ago when I had to buy a NIC, they gave me the option for the long black ones, but I don't know if they even still make them. This NIC has 3 kinds of adapters, ethernet, coax, and one that looks like a skinny parallel.

The skinny one sounds like a SCSI connector. Unless it was used with 1k feeders, but i think those used DB9 connectors.

If those are ISA connectors, you can probably find some ISA NICs on ebay or at a flim-flam computer parts store. They'll probably be just 10mbps, but you don't need speed for firewall use. Your internet connection will be your bottleneck anyway.

I know there are some busses on servers that aren't ISA or PCI. I don't know what they are called but they are longer still than ISA and are for hardware raid controllers more often than not. If that's the case...I don't know where to find adapters for them. Ebay, or a flim-flam market I suppose would help.

Good luck.

 

[Bloo Ice]

Took another look at it. Get this. On the NIC, there is ethernet, coax, and a game port. Yes, a game port on the NIC. Makes no sense to me. But neither did putting it on a sound card. But that's what it is. The SCSI card has a SCSI connector on the back, but thats no the NIC.

I just got another junk computer from my office, making it my 4th junker from there. But hey, I like to tinker. Maybe this one will have a ISA NIC. I haven't really checked it out yet. Just know it's an old Dell.