[D-Rock]

Okay, I have a home network set up with windows Xp based computers. They are running through a router and all of them work fine and communicate properly with eachother. I have come across an older pentium 3 based computer and i would like to use it as a print server and possibly a file server. Now I have Linux ubuntu disks laying around and it was my intention to mess around with them and learn to use linux but never have. That being said; is it even theoretically possible to use a linux based system as a server for a windows based network.

Even if that is possible i still have more problems. I have a samsung ML-1740 Laser printer and i dont think linux supports the samsung printer language (otherwise known as SPL).

These are all just some ideas that have been floating around my head. Im not going to be upset when my ideas are shot down miserably because im not too expectant of it anyway. Just to let you know; i am very eperienced in working with windows xp and working with computer hardware. I am DEFINITELY NOT EXPERIENCED WITH LINUX.

Please and thanks for any and all responses
i am rather eager to know if this is possible

[RobLinux]

Google "Linux Samba".

If you old printer server, is not processing the printer output, but just taking the output of printer "driver" software on the XP boxes, then it's just a comms problem, connecting the printer.

Linux supports IPP, and the CUPS project supports most printers, using definition files.
FYI http://www.linuxprinting.org/show_pr...amsung-ML-1740

Says that printer works perfectly!

I should do your tinkering with a comfortable Live CD for a bit. It seems a little wasteful of electricity (and noisy) to run a P3 just as a print server, though you'll find it should run recent Linux quite happily, so long as you have decent amount of RAM, and your graphics card has a driver (most do). Even 3D games like Tux Racer will be fine, so long as there's a supported 3D driver (Nvidia offer old legacy drivers which still work for example).

PS. Do burn a new disk, or update OS, and do an upgrade, Ubuntu 7.10 is stable and will run fine on P3. Linux is NOT VISTA!

[D-Rock]

thank you so much for your feedback. i have answered the rest of my inquiry as well.

To whom it may concern, it is possible to do what i mentioned.

Best of luck to all.