Is there a way that I can create a stand alone server that will allow me to use a CD-ROM drive without having a hard drive. I have several computers whose hard drives have perished or are non existent but nearly everything else is present. I need to access several large files on several CDs frequently and I was hoping I could use my resources at hand to solve my problems. I am also doing this so I can utilize my older equipment so it does not deteriorate in storage. I also have not found a source for bulk used hard drives and can not justify the expense of getting new or used ones, yet.

I have a few machines that have 500mghz AMD KMD6-2, Intel Pentium III and Celeron processors and others that have 100 mghz pentium processors. Computers range from having maybe 16-32mb ram for 500mb machines and 12-40mb for Pentium 100s. Many of the machines may have the same 3Com PCI NIC. I would like to use a floppy drive based operating system so that I can have the CD-ROM drive free for use or for multiple drives. I would like to also avoid using a monitor, keyboard, or mouse when I am using these machines in normal use.

I would like to network these machines in TCP/IP mode and would like to do as little configuring as possible. Is there a floppy disk operating system, say a Unix based one, that already exists that is plug and play? Are there other solutions Linux or Dos that might work also?

Thanks in advance,

amtk_350

amtk_350@yahoo.com

A *DOS solution is to use NeOS, 5 PC users max, all that is required is basic Packet Driver for each NIC....

http://www.simtel.net/product.php?u...

If you need a Server then EZNOS2 should suffice:

http://www.dossolutions.pwp.blueyon...

You wll also find some info on this obsolete site:

http://www.mwpms.uklinux.net/