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LimeiBook86

macrumors G3
Original poster
May 4, 2002
8,003
54
Go Vegan
I want to convert my Power Mac G3 Minitower to a server. I want my iBook, PowerMac 7500, and Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC, (maybe a Mac IIci) to run off this server. I want all the computers (except the iBook) to run completly off the server, I want to store the apps there, the files, the prefs and all. Now I have no idea how do do this. But I have a wireless router setup and all the macs are connected to it, teh ibook is connected via AirPort.I don't want the iBook to depend on the server because I go mobile and on the road with the iBook a lot. So what software do I need to run on the G3 Minitower? I have Jaguar (10.2.6) and OS 9 on there right now. I would have to setup a NetBoot server or somehting? I know very little about this... I know a bit about networking (routers and such) but know little about setting up a Mac as a server. I don't need to buy Mac OS X Server do I? I saw Mac OS X (v.1) on ebay for $50...Help would be great :D


Edit: Also can anyone give me some information about AppleShare IP or Macintosh Manager? Thanks :)
 
If you just want to serve files, you can just use the file sharing on any mac, and it will become a file server instantly. You then set up users who can log on or just log on as the owner. You can keep apps there and run them over the network.

If you want Netboot, you need to have a permanent network connection for the duration of your session. Netboot is only available with Mac's server software, eg MAC OSX Server, and what it does is load a whole disk image (system, apps, files etc) onto your client computer at bootup from the server. When you logout it's gone, and all changes are saved beck to the server image). Netboot won't work well over airport unless maybe airport extreme.

I'm not sure why you want everything to run off the server... eg Do you just want to syncronise your own personal computers? Are you setting up a small office and you will have different people working on each machine? Will you need a mail server? Will you need a web server? Will you need a database server? A print spooler?
 
If you want to login through the server, meaning that the name/password you use to login is defined on the server and the home folder resides there, not locally, then you need Mac OS X Server (any version). If you want to use netboot (which means that an entire image of the boot disk resides on the server, not locally, and any of your "client" Macs are on Mac OS X, then you need Mac OS X Server 10.2 (or later!). Mac OS X Server 10.1 did handle netbooting from Mac OS 9 clients, but not from Mac OS X clients.

However, if you don't mind booting and logging in locally on each client Mac, then file sharing is all you need. In that case, Mac OS X Server has ready-made tools you might find useful but you could save money if you want and run plain ol' Mac OS X on the server.
 
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