Gaming and servers

DocClock aka MadClocker · Jul 19, 2010

Not exactly sure where to start this thread...
I want to setup Windows Home server and maybe move some games to it.
What I need to know is, does the server need to have the minimum video requirements? Some games absolutely will not install without the minimum hardware requirements, but I never set them up on a server. Does the install routine recognize the network connection and relax the req's for the install?
Come to think of it, I can just install it on the main machine, except for the install path?
I know the load times will take a hit, but if it works, then I could keep my main rig semi clean and keep all the game files on the server.

Am I way off base here?
Thanks in advance, and admin, if this is in the wrong topic, feel free to move it.
Doc

Pandam00nium · Jul 19, 2010

I don't believe so. I goofed around on a server emulator and I don't see why you'd need to fulfill the requirements. It doesn't load up any graphics. It's just software that runs in the background so I believe the rest of the specs(Processor, RAM, and HDD) are the important factors in running a server.

Xterra · Jul 19, 2010

You shouldn't need a VGA if you are installing on a linux or windows box. Here are some examples of Valve dedicated box installations for a Counter Strike Source or HL2 DM server on Windows.

Leviathan41 · Jul 19, 2010

I'm a little unclear on what exactly you are trying to do? Are you trying to install and play games on your server OS? Or are you trying to run game servers from your server OS and use your other (gaming) machine to connect to and play with others also connecting to your server?

Assuming you are wanting to run a dedicated server rather than a listen server, then you don't need to meet the game's requirements with your server machine, just with the client machine.

kayson · Jul 19, 2010

DocClock aka MadClocker said:
Not exactly sure where to start this thread...
I want to setup Windows Home server and maybe move some games to it.
What I need to know is, does the server need to have the minimum video requirements? Some games absolutely will not install without the minimum hardware requirements, but I never set them up on a server. Does the install routine recognize the network connection and relax the req's for the install?
Come to think of it, I can just install it on the main machine, except for the install path?
I know the load times will take a hit, but if it works, then I could keep my main rig semi clean and keep all the game files on the server.

Am I way off base here?
Thanks in advance, and admin, if this is in the wrong topic, feel free to move it.
Doc

Are you trying to set up dedicated servers e.g. HLDS? Or serve the game's client from your server to your local computer? (I'm guessing the latter)

Worst case, you could put a video card into your server just for the installation then remove it afterwards. I think your best bet is to share a folder on your server, then map it to a network drive on your local machine. Then when you install the program, just point it to a folder on your network drive. As far as the game is concerned, it's just another hard drive and it doesn't see the network. I'd be curious to see how it affects performance though.

DocClock aka MadClocker · Jul 21, 2010

Hmm, I thought I replied to this thread, but cannot see my post. Uh maybe I shut down FF b4 clicking on the post button.
Anyhow, what I said b4 was Thanks all for the responses, and yes I am just wanting to offload most of the game files to the server, but after reading the responses, I see that it will be no real problem if I install it on my machine with the network drive in the install path.
Of course I will need to get WHS first, which in this economy will take me a while....our business is barley clinging to life, so money is tight atm.
Thanks again for the many replies, this old dog is still learning new tricks

Doc

kayson · Jul 21, 2010

DocClock aka MadClocker said:
Hmm, I thought I replied to this thread, but cannot see my post. Uh maybe I shut down FF b4 clicking on the post button.
Anyhow, what I said b4 was Thanks all for the responses, and yes I am just wanting to offload most of the game files to the server, but after reading the responses, I see that it will be no real problem if I install it on my machine with the network drive in the install path.
Of course I will need to get WHS first, which in this economy will take me a while....our business is barley clinging to life, so money is tight atm.
Thanks again for the many replies, this old dog is still learning new tricks
Doc

Is there a reason you want WHS specifically? WinXP would work just fine. I use it for my file server.

Angry · Jul 21, 2010

Yepo, WinXp and Win7 do great as servers... Went from Xp to Win7 on my server with no issues with either on 24/7...

...But be forwarned. If you plan on installing and loading the game and its entirety from the servers HDD. It make take awhile, and may be slow due to the lack of good latency and speed verses a HDD on the same system as your playing.

But thats certianly something to experiment with...Hmm... If only I had a gigabit switch.

kayson · Jul 21, 2010

Angry said:
Yepo, WinXp and Win7 do great as servers... Went from Xp to Win7 on my server with no issues with either on 24/7...

...But be forwarned. If you plan on installing and loading the game and its entirety from the servers HDD. It make take awhile, and may be slow due to the lack of good latency and speed verses a HDD on the same system as your playing.

But thats certianly something to experiment with...Hmm... If only I had a gigabit switch.

It wouldn't be as much of an issue on gigabit lan though. Which is pretty reasonable these days.

Automata · Jul 21, 2010

kayson said:
It wouldn't be as much of an issue on gigabit lan though. Which is pretty reasonable these days.

It would still be a bit slower as you are adding another layer to running the game. It still needs to load it off the drive (server) and then it has to pass through the network. Personally, I wouldn't ever run a game off a network drive unless it had little to no data access once it is running. Not worth the extra latency. Not to mention that you have to have twice the computer hardware running any time you want to play.

kayson · Jul 21, 2010

thideras said:
It would still be a bit slower as you are adding another layer to running the game. It still needs to load it off the drive (server) and then it has to pass through the network. Personally, I wouldn't ever run a game off a network drive unless it had little to no data access once it is running. Not worth the extra latency. Not to mention that you have to have twice the computer hardware running any time you want to play.

Yeah. I just meant that a 100mbps lan would get saturated whereas a 1gbps lan wouldn't.

Automata · Jul 21, 2010

My comment was not directed at you.

SteveLord · Jul 21, 2010

thideras said:
It would still be a bit slower as you are adding another layer to running the game. It still needs to load it off the drive (server) and then it has to pass through the network. Personally, I wouldn't ever run a game off a network drive unless it had little to no data access once it is running. Not worth the extra latency. Not to mention that you have to have twice the computer hardware running any time you want to play.

It just makes no sense to do it.

However, running WHS on a gigabit network will cut down your backup times. Which take SEVERAL hours on a 100Mb network depending on the amount of data. 6 hours for me to back up my 300GB/320GB hard drive system.

The restoring process has saved me a few times. $100 for WHS...which you can put on a old system providing you have a fat hard drive, isn't too bad of a setup.

Gaming and servers

DocClock aka MadClocker

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Pandam00nium

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Xterra

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Leviathan41

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kayson

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DocClock aka MadClocker

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kayson

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Angry

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kayson

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Automata

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kayson

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Automata

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SteveLord

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