Help me build a NAS OS with Windows XP Pro

[slimeballzz]

I would like to build a NAS with Windows XP Pro. I'm pretty sure almost everything can be removed but what would have to stay? Is there anything that has to be integrated/added? Tweak and option settings?

The only requirements I want for the NAS is:

- handle SATA drives

- AMD Cool'n'Quiet

- set user permissions

- gigabit ethernet

- run off a CF card

If anyone can guide me through this with nLite I would really appreciate it.

Hardware I'm using:

Seasonic S12 330W

Asus A8N-VM

Opteron 146

512MB Kingston DDR

Thanks.

Edited February 4, 2007 by slimeballzz

[jaclaz]

Don't want to put you down or anything like that, but why do you want to use XP for a NAS?

There are specific apps (Linux based) that already work very well, like

NASlite:

http://www.serverelements.com/

or FreeNAS:

http://www.freenas.org/

However, the usual reference for booting XP off a CF card are SFiorito's page and posts, here and on MP3CAR:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=70

http://osf1.gmu.edu/~sfiorito/eXPinstall.htm

About what exactly to remove with nlite, you will need to make some experiments, it also depends on how big in size is the CF card, the rule of thumb can be one of these two approaches:

1) unless you have tight space requirements, remove just enough so that install fits on the media, use common sense, do not overdo it.

2) remove everything, and if something is not working, rebuild with the missing/malfunctioning component added

Quite naturally, method 1) is easier and faster, while method 2) takes more time but gives the smallest possible footprint as final result.

jaclaz

[archangelmalik]

I'm not sure of an answer for your question but I just think you should be aware Windows XP Pro is limited to 10 concurrent network connections and that is hard coded into the OS by Microsoft. Home is limited to 5 concurrent connections. Vista has the same limitation (EDIT: As XP Pro). So depending on how many connections you are looking at, this may not be a solution for your needs. I only add this since you asked about permissions so I can only assume you'll have multiple people accessing this resource.

Edited February 2, 2007 by archangelmalik

[bj-kaiser]

i can just say, use something like FreeNAS or look for a appliance (although the reports I have seen say you don't want them in your living room, etc.). A Windows Client OS is not really meant to be a server, and a Windows 2003 Server would be a bit overdone. One downside about FreeNAS, that I have seen is that there is nothing mentioned about a binary package. The docs look like all about compiling it from source.

what about Open-E? Will cost some money, but looks like plug'n'pray .. . err, I meant play.

BTW, here is a way to test-drive FreeNAS

http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/168

oh and don't want to be beancounting, but FreeNAS is not based on a Linux OS, it's based on FreeBSD.

[jaclaz]

oh and don't want to be beancounting, but FreeNAS is not based on a Linux OS, it's based on FreeBSD.

You are right, my bad.

My apologies to the good FreeBSD guys.

I was actually thinking about Openfiler:

http://www.openfiler.com/about/

but forgot to add the above link and the reference to FreeBSD to the FreeNAS link.

jaclaz

[slimeballzz]

Thank you everyone for your inputs!

So it boils down to to:

FreeNAS

NASLite

Openfiler

My question is does any of the dedicated NAS software in the list actually support all of my requirements as mentioned in the first post?

I tried FreeNAS and could not get user permissions set properly. I couldn't get any of the files to be read-only and non-modifable. Also I don't think it supports Cool'n'Quiet.

The only reason I wanted to try XP Pro was because I'm using it right now and do know it meets all my requirements. The 10 limit connection doesn't really bother me as this was really meant to be used for my HTPC. So XP will be my last resort if NASLite and Openfiler don't work out for me.

[slimeballzz]

Okay I've tried FreeNAS. I couldn't get user permissions to work and there is no Cool'n'Quiet. I installed Openfiler onto a CF but it wouldn't boot after installation. NASlite isn't free so I skipped it.

So I'm going to give Windows XP Pro a try. Does anyone know of any already stripped version that would suit a NAS build?

I tried nLite a couple of times to remove components but I ended removing too much and installation wouldn't continue afterwards. I kept all "Hardware Support" and "Network" components untouched but it didn't work. This is my first time using it so maybe someone can guide me what not to remove..

Or should I bother with any of the pre-stripped Windows XP's? Such as TinyXP?

[nuhi]

slimeballzz, basically all you need is to select DHCP Compatibility in the components page - compatibility and leave ethernet drivers or integrate your own. Keep MultiCPU if that is X2.

Also integrate some update pack for xp sp2 and chipset drivers.

For "run off a CF card" I don't know, first try in virtual then on normal hdd then experiment.

For "Set user permission"...what do you mean by that, NTFS or simply File Sharing permissions?

[slimeballzz]

slimeballzz, basically all you need is to select DHCP Compatibility in the components page - compatibility and leave ethernet drivers or integrate your own. Keep MultiCPU if that is X2.

Also integrate some update pack for xp sp2 and chipset drivers.

For "run off a CF card" I don't know, first try in virtual then on normal hdd then experiment.

For "Set user permission"...what do you mean by that, NTFS or simply File Sharing permissions?

Thanks nuhi!

Everything is working perfectly on the hdd. I couldn't get to install it on the CF because it says it needs at least 1371MB and I only have a 1GB CF card.

Yes I meant File Sharing permissions.

Is it possible to share a folder on the network and have 1 computer on the network to be able to read/write onto the NAS while the rest of the computers can only read from the NAS?

Edited February 5, 2007 by slimeballzz

[jaclaz]

NASlite isn't free so I skipped it.

hmmm,

why, have you got a FREE license for XP?

(otherwise, the price is quite competitive)

About 1,341 Mb, are you sure you nlited it at all?

If I remember right, a normally (not too "forced") nlited XP SP2 is around 600÷700 Mb.

Once you have reduced it to <1 Gb, you cannot just put it on a CF card, you will need to follow the procedures by SFiorito before referenced, using EWF, otherwise your CF card will probably last several days/a few weeks.

jaclaz

[slimeballzz]

NASlite isn't free so I skipped it.

hmmm,

why, have you got a FREE license for XP?

(otherwise, the price is quite competitive)

True it would be a lot cheaper for NASlite. But I already have a copy of XP that it came with the system I bought awhile back.

About 1,341 Mb, are you sure you nlited it at all?

If I remember right, a normally (not too "forced") nlited XP SP2 is around 600÷700 Mb.

Once you have reduced it to <1 Gb, you cannot just put it on a CF card, you will need to follow the procedures by SFiorito before referenced, using EWF, otherwise your CF card will probably last several days/a few weeks.

jaclaz

Yes I basically integrated SP2, nLited everything except for "NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS Protocol", and I had "DHCP functionality" checked in the compatability section.

The image size came down to 89.6MB. Actually that is strange to need so much space. I will look into it tomorrow.

Thanks for the heads up on EWF also. Reading it at this very moment.

[nuhi]

Everything is working perfectly on the hdd. I couldn't get to install it on the CF because it says it needs at least 1371MB and I only have a 1GB CF card.

Yes I meant File Sharing permissions.

Is it possible to share a folder on the network and have 1 computer on the network to be able to read/write onto the NAS while the rest of the computers can only read from the NAS?

Have you disabled HDD requirements in the Options page?

About sharing permissions, of course you can do it, once you go to the Sharing and Security page (with Simple Sharing disabled) in the folder (or drive) context menu it will be easy.

[slimeballzz]

Everything is working perfectly on the hdd. I couldn't get to install it on the CF because it says it needs at least 1371MB and I only have a 1GB CF card.

Yes I meant File Sharing permissions.

Is it possible to share a folder on the network and have 1 computer on the network to be able to read/write onto the NAS while the rest of the computers can only read from the NAS?

Have you disabled HDD requirements in the Options page?

About sharing permissions, of course you can do it, once you go to the Sharing and Security page (with Simple Sharing disabled) in the folder (or drive) context menu it will be easy.

I installed XP on one of my SATA drives that I will be using for storage I followed the guide over here: http://mason.gmu.edu/~sfiorito/eXPinstall.htm

I followed the entire guide and I got to the point to copying everything from my hdd to CF. I tried copying everything from my hdd to the CF but the CF would not load up windows. It says something along the lines of "Disk error, press any button to restart".

So now I'm going to try and re-do the entire process of installing XP and setting up the EWF, but directly on my CF card..

As for sharing permissions, I did get to the Security page but the only issue I have is that I can't set any permissions for users on the network.

[jaclaz]

BEFORE doing the actual install, you need to make sure you can boot from the CF card, the error you are getting appears to be coming from either BIOS or MBR.

How did you partitioned (fdisked) and formatted the card?

Which programs you used, which filesystem did you choose?

jaclaz

[slimeballzz]

BEFORE doing the actual install, you need to make sure you can boot from the CF card, the error you are getting appears to be coming from either BIOS or MBR.

How did you partitioned (fdisked) and formatted the card?

Which programs you used, which filesystem did you choose?

jaclaz

Not sure why the error but I did manage to install XP straight on to the CF card.

I first formatted the CF on another system with Windos XP. I used the FAT32 file system as it was between FAT and FAT32.

I copied the NAS OS (nLited XP) from my SATA hard drive (NTFS) on to the CF card. But when I tried booting from the CF card I got the error.

Then I managed to reinstall the NAS OS directly onto the CF card like any other Win XP installation. I had the option to use FAT, FAT32, and NTFS during the installation so I chose the NTFS file system. Installation took a good hour (probably because of the cheap CF card I have). I then set up the EWF and everything is working as planned.

Only thing I'm trying to figure out now is setting file sharing permissions for specific users on my network.