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Neo
regular
Reg'd: Sat
Posts: 98
Loc: Swansea, Wales
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Ok it's a little strange what I'm trying to do.
Years ago, I saw a system implimented at a boarding school whereby computers running Windows 98 had a Novell (I think) product on them that allowed them to act like Windows 2000 in the way that users could login to any system on the network using the login dialog, and all their files would be there.
However the server was simply another Windows 98 machine with big hard drives...
What I am trying to do, is use my current Windows XP machine which has over 1tb of storage, and make all the laptops and desktops in my house store their files on here, so that if I changed machines, I could simply login and all my files would be there....
Is this possible without installing a server system like Windows Server 2008 or a Linux Server?
The other machines run Vista... I want to allow family members to be able to just login to any machine also... so I could suddenly leave this machine, go to "Laptop A" type in "Sascha" in the user and my password and have all my files, and then also lets say my brother could go to "Desktop D" and login...etc
If possible it would be great to extend this to both my macs (both running OSX - PowerPC Chips) but that's not really nessisary.
Thanks I just can't think of a way without using a server system... so any ideas would be great 
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17740
Loc: Colchester
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Yes it is possible to do what you want but it will take a lot of setting up. You will need to create network shares on the 'master' PC for all the users. You will then need to go to each machine and setup user accounts for ALL users in the family network. Each user account will have to have the 'Documents' folder defaulting to the share you created on the master PC. You will have to set passwords for each account so that only one individual can open his own folder and no one else's. You will also have to set up a regime whereby you can only open a file on the 'server' from one computer at a time. For example, if you open a Word document on one PC then go to another and try and open it again before the first copy is closed you will give yourself all sorts of grief.
I think that's it but there may be more work involved. Clearly if you had a proper server with the correct software it would be a hundred times easier.
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Do you know that we're all in line for succession to the throne? Really?
Well, if forty-eight million, two hundred thousand, seven hundred and one people died I'd be Queen.
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BurrWalnut
Chippendaler
Reg'd: Tue
Posts: 3423
Loc: London, England
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A normal network would achieve the sharing of files but I have an idea you want to share programs as well.
Am I right?
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Fine English furniture is the new rock 'n' roll
The Chippendale Society
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Neo
regular
Reg'd: Sat
Posts: 98
Loc: Swansea, Wales
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Not really, I mean I can install the software on each machine, that's not too big of a problem. I think I may just go with a server... my idea is, I want to be able to have user credentials and login to any pc and have all my files and settings on each one... and I want my family to be able to do the same... not have to worry about which computer they use and then have to email themselves the files...etc
I need it to be transparrent... I wouldn't have passwords, just usernames like Sascha for example. That way my family members can just pick up any laptop, or jump on any computer, login and it's the same on each one... all their files are there just by clicking My Documents (or their username in Vista), all their passwords and settings are stored and possibly the biggest advantage I guess of using a server would mean that they don't experience any system messages, so it's just a transparrent system for them. I don't want them to have to change the way they do things... they go to My Documents and their files are there, it would be great if that was on every system like in a corporate network.
I'm turning my home network into a corporate network essentially, heh.
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greysts
regular
Reg'd: Thu
Posts: 17740
Loc: Colchester
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By definition, logging on to a user name requires a password. Can you explain why you are wanting to do this? Seems like an awful waste of time to me. You all live in the same house and use your own computers. Why go to all that time and trouble just so you can walk out of one room and into another and use the computer in there instead.
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Do you know that we're all in line for succession to the throne? Really?
Well, if forty-eight million, two hundred thousand, seven hundred and one people died I'd be Queen.
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