First off, if you have one, post yours (pictures are a must).

There's not a lot of talk on here about the two.

Here's what Wiki says about NAS

Here's what Wiki has on Microsoft Home Server Not that you have to run that OS, but it does give you an idea of what a home server could do.

Scenario 1. You have your laptop or netbook and maybe an older desktop and don't have a lot of hard drive space, but have an ever growing collection of pictures, movies, music, and other space intensive files. You also want to backup your HDD in case of failure. Maybe, you also want to host files on your personal website and setup an FTP for accessing your files remotely when you go on vacation or to a party at a friends house. What do you do?This looks like a simple NAS could work well.

Scenario 2. You have an xbox, desktop, an HTPC, and a couple of laptops for the kids and wife, and you want to back them up fairly regularly. You also are big into downloading/ripping movies, do a lot of home movies with the video camera and need lots of storage, along with the ability to access all that information from any computer.I think a home server will be needed.

Personally, my setup is a bit between scenario 1 and 2, but I will be requiring lots of storage, more so than I can get with a common NAS. As of this date, they're maxing out at 8TB and are pretty expensive! I'll be needing storage in the double digit TB's once I get a Netflix account and a BluRayDrive. Because of their current lack of storage, once I'm ready for more space, I'll have to build a home server that can hold a lot of HDD's.

I used to have a Netgear SC101 and it was OK but not the best. The file system would get corrupted then I would have to pray I could get the data off.

I am now running Windows XP X64 on a Asus K8V-SE Deluxe with 1.5 GB or ram on a 2.17 GHz Overclocked from1.6 GHz CPU with no page file. Since I recently installed it I can get it to boot up in 25 seconds (Knock on wood it stays that way). I plan to max out the system and add a 2.2 GHz CPU, 3 GB of ram and 512 MB graphics card.

Windows home server is more for an older PC that you won't use for anything but putting files on it. And that's fine and dandy for someone who wants that....

In my opinion I would Duel boot two operating systems (One for play and one for file storage that will remain untouched). Then put all your files on another hard drive and make that a RAID setup. But remember if you go raid you have to back up all your files to a external HD, online.....Because the new motherboard will not be able to see the RAID array.

Yeah the Windows Home Server looks/sounds like it could work well for me...that is unless I can get some cheap NAS in the 10-16TB range. I was planning on having the server run 24/7 in the other room. Never need it to do anything except store, backup, FTP. I'd never "use" it. No gaming, internet, writing a paper etc...

I figure I'd use an existing case, get a cheap MOBO with (hopefully) 8 sata ports, but I can add some if needed, cheap low power CPU, 512MB ram, and a small energy efficient PS or use an existing one.

Looneybomber wrote:Yeah the Windows Home Server looks/sounds like it could work well for me...that is unless I can get some cheap NAS in the 10-16TB range.

HOLLY s*** Batman....data overload. Seriously that's a lot well I only have ~400 GB altogether.

But it sounds like Windows Home server is for you then.

Yeah I already have a couple TB of multimedia data and soon I'm going to start growing even faster...I just need a good bluray ripping software.

Have you guys seen this:

http://www.tomshardware.com/ne....html

USB LAN adapter. Connect any USB device directly to the network without need for a PC. Seems really convenient for network storage solutions. Granted it's not wireless and doesn't support USB 3.0 yet, but it's a pretty cheap and about as simple as things get. All you need is the LanPort and a USB drive.