Network Hdd from an internal PC drive?

[hyddan]

I have an old windows computer shoved into my closet, still groaning like a dry-cleaner, and using it as extra space for my macbook, connecting to folders throught the network as I need them. It works pretty well but not quite what I want. A thought struck me;

Would it be possible to format one of the harddrives in the windows machine to HSF+ and share it over the network and then use it as a regular network storage space (time machine backup etc)?

With regular I mean its always shared on the network and can be accessed directly from my mac withouth funneling through some windows->mac conversion, or whatever OSX is doing when you connect to shared windows folders.

Would be very nice and save me some $ instead of getting a real one. I've afraid those external harddrives makes too much noise for me at the moment, I want it quiet as my macbook! any tips on quiet stylish external harddrives are welcome.

Thanks /

[Schroedinger]

If you have no other use for it other than storage take a look at FreeNAS. It should do exactly what you need.