Help with building a server please

[bwalter22]

I have history of building computers so i know how to put one together. I am wanting to build a server for myself. Of course I want good so I have bein looking at getting a dual intel xeon mother board with 2 3.0 ghz processors. Question one: I assume u dont have to but just to make sure, the server will work with just one processor to start with then buy another one later on? Just seein if i need to buy the 2 processors at the same time.
Question two: I dont have much knowledge and admin use (setup and maintenance) of a windows server. So i plan on taking some classes in school but gonna get a head start. So whats a good reference if i need help with the setup and maintenance of it? a book or online webpage so on, just looking for what you would recommend
Question three: Linux or Windows?
Thank you for any help im wanting to keep the server at initial price of 500ish i know thats pretty much the processor and a board, but i got hard drives already and ram that will work in it. But can i also get some recommendations for the case? It will be at home. Thank again.

 

[root]

1, yes, all duel motherboards can support only one processor.
2, try the learn windows in 24 hours boks, they are quite good, and comprehensive, they cover quite a lot of stuff and are easy to digest...
though personally I'd recomend just asking simple questions here, (and other places), if you have only one server then there will be a lot of stuff in the books (specificaly Active Directory stuff) that you wno't realy need.

3, well that depends on whether you buy windows courses or not, and whther you want to buy a windows server, it also depends on what you want to use it for.

simple file server / FTP server / Web server / mail server??? not affraid to go in at the deep end running and get faced with a steep learning curve, want free software? then linux is the way to go...

want to buy windows, want a website with ASP pages, a Microsoft SQL database server? and exchange mail server? want a much easier ride than you'd get with linux?

then windosw is the answer...

as for the case?

where will this server go?
if you were thinking about having it put ino a datacentre or somthign for a massivly high speed connection, or if you wanted to become a web host, then you can't go wrong with rack cases.
http://www.xcase.co.uk/acatalog/Rackmount_and_Server_Cases.html

but if you just want it to go under your desk, or in a corner of your house, even a server room, (on a shelf instead of a rack), then a reguar desktop case should do...

either full tower, (if you want loads of drives).
or midi tower, or even mini tower,
usually...
(full tower has 5 (or more) CD drive bays)
(midi tower has four CD bays).
(mini tower usually has two cd bays, or even only one)

obviously, the case bears no effect on performance unless there are problems venting hot air, in which case thermal protection can cut in throttling processors.

 

[bwalter22]

thanks that helps alot, i think im gonna go with windows by the time i get around to building this ill be in the class n ill get the windows server for free so wont have to worry about buying it.

 

[uid=[0]]

you might want to look into picking up some books on Windows Server 2003 from MS press. they might provide you with more information regarding setup/configuration and would be directly from their brains, aposed to someones impression of the setup/config