serial linking hard drives

[Cyberdick]

I would like to use a PC with four hard drives in it only as a file server without an operating system, keyboard, mouse and monitor. Does anyone know how to accomplish this??

 

[wolluf]

keyboard, mouse, monitor missing ok - but with no operating system (to run network protocols) how are you going to access the filestore from elsewhere?

 

[edfair]

Yeah, if you are good at programming. You would end up writing a minimal operating system and file handler that could run from ROM. Something like 2 jetdirect devices placed back to back.
With your own BIOS you wouldn't need the I/O stuff and rather than attempting to run a hard drive based OS you would jump into your rom. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
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[glister]

Set up the PC as a file server (keyword being SERVER). or just have the pc running any MS windows OS and set the hard drives up as a SHARE. This will require a NIC in each PC.