Creating a basic server to run ASP scripts

[Tim356]

I've just ordered a new PC from Dell, it's a Dimension 2400, P4 3.06GHz, 80GB HDD, DVD writer/CD writer combo, 17" flat panel monitor, 256MB of Ram (though I have more Ram at home to install). The only downside with it is that it has an intergrated video card, so I'm not sure how good it will be for graphics, but I never play games on my PC anyway, so that's ok. It cost me $1500(AUD) delivered, and should be arriving next week sometime.

Anyway, the PC comes with XP Home, which means I can't install IIS, right? I have a copy of XP pro at home, but I didn't want to have to format my brand new PC. Can you upgrade Home to Pro or anything? Anyway, what I planned to do was just use the XP Home for a while, and then format and install Pro at a later date. I want to use my other PC as a server to run my ASP scripts on, and that's what this post is about. How do I go about doing that? I want to network it to my new PC and run the scripts off the old PC to display on my new PC. Is it just a matter of networking them and using the url of the scripts contained on the old PC?

[courtjester]

Well don't know anything about networking, but to answer I have a dell with the integrated graphics card and wanted to give you some advice on them. They are great for running average programs, but once you get into (just about anything) 3-d it will give you the error: Not enough Virtual Memory to run program. Then it will crash 9 out of 10 times. Most common programs that give this error is Macromedia Director, 3DS Max, 3D Canvas, and Macromedia Flash. With my Dell I had to go out and buy a PCI slot video card (I dont have an AGP slot on my board... ) just so that I could run these programs correctly.

Sorry if this is considered Off Topic, but I thought it was important to mention. Oh, and most 3d Programs "REQUIRE" (put that in quotes cause it's not 100% required... but it is preferred) 128 MB of video memory.

[Tim356]

So what sort of PCI graphics card did you get? Mine doesn't have an AGP slot either.

[Webforumz Staff]

You can upgrade from Home to Pro, it seems to work fairly well. Better than upgrading from ME or 98 to XP for sure. I'd go ahead and do it right from the start though, don't use XP home for a while first.

You're right about using your old comp as a server. Just run IIS on the old one and use a url with the computer name to access you pages over you LAN.

[courtjester]

I got the Asylum GeForceFX 5200 256MB PCI slot Insane 3D graphics card. It works very nicely. I like it. And because of this I now can use two monitors at the same time :wink: which comes in handy when instant messenging and working, and when watching a movie on my pc or whatever else Im doing.

Think the card was like $120 when I got it....

[Tim356]

Nice, I think I'll have to do the same!