Using a desktop for file storage

[TheFaQQer]

Have a look at FreeNAS - it's a cut down version of Linux, I think. It's designed as a fileserver though and by all accounts is easy to set up. Then just map network drives from the laptops to it.

I have a PC at home with just a shared drive on it (amongst other things) that is permanently on for file sharing. Not the most energy efficient solution, but I tried a Netgear SC101 and found it an absolute nightmare and completely unreliable to work with.

HTH,

Faqqer

[portseven]

I'd just install debian and samba, no gui/funny stuff using resource unnecessarily so has minimal hardware requirements.

Debian, yes good idea. Etch is nearly out too