Aha, im gonna annoy you guys, with home networking..

[joxley1990]

Ok, just before I start, I do know alot about computers, so don't feel you have to act all nooby with me.. I am currently doing the BTEC level three, in system support. It involves hardware, software, programming, and cisco.

Anywoo, here we go..

I was recently donated a server, running Windows 2003 Server, Enterprise edition. It came with the product key, so i reinstalled it.

Now, at college, we have the good old system of having a username, in which we can log on anywhere, and have all our files and settings..

Is there any way to do this in my home, we have three computers, and this server, which is currently just an open file server.

The other thing is though, how could I configure it so that programs could be shared.. example.. i log on up here.. install say.. Winamp. I log on downstairs, and winamp is installed as well..

Sorry for all te questions, I know its posssible. some way or another..

[ErikD]

The login part is pretty simple. Just run the AD setup wizard and create some user logins. Do roaminf profiles and or folder redirection and you are all set.

Sharing applications is a bigger problem, and anywhere from difficult to impossible. Basically what you are speaking about is a terminal services server. Some applications are workable like this others aren't. It really isn't worth the trouble especially as you will still end up needing the same number of licenses to be legal. Better off just installing on each PC.

In your example of a music/video use you could put the music on a shared folder and map it as a network drive. Then just point the applications toward that as a source and you can have access to the same music on any computer. This is what I do for myself, plays great on my desktop or laptop wirelessly.

[joxley1990]

The AD set up wizard, care to elaborate on that :)

Thanks as well..

[ErikD]

Well you have a few options. You could do start run dcpromo. You could aslo do it from add/remove programs, or from the server management consule add roles.

It will ask you some questions on what you want to do (you will be adding in a first domain server to a new forest). Pretty straight forward and well explained in the wizard.

[joxley1990]

Ok ok, I have made the domain, and added the computers to. I have made one user so far in the manage users wizard.

Now, how do I set it, so that, the user saves their files onto the server, and they can then go and log on upstairs, and have their files on there..

[ErikD]

Easiest way is with Folder Redirection.

Open up the Users and Computers snapin, right click on your domain, and choose properties. Then the Group Policy tab. There should be a default domain policy already, click that and then edit. Under user configuration click the Windows settings to expand, and then folder redierction. If you right click each folder you can choose propertied to edit where you want to move the folders to.

The most basic would just be to redirect te My Documents folder to a network share on the server using a UNC. Then when that user logs in for the first time everything in My Documents will be moved over to the server. As long as everything is saved in My Documents then it will be available on any PC in the domain.