looking for free OS for my server

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gwb21472

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Nov 29, 2021
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I have a dell poweredge 2950 server. I looking for a nice easy OS with GUI or desktop. I just using it as a home server. Allhe free server OS are jus text base. If anybody know a free server os please let me know. Thank yo for yor help.
 

MiniKnight

Well-Known Member
Mar 30, 2012
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Proxmox VE
TrueNAS Core or TrueNAS Scale

All have web front ends.

You can also install Ubuntu desktop and run it as a server.
 

i386

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2016
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looking for free OS for my server
I looking for a nice easy OS with GUI or desktop.
Why do you need a gui for a server?
Asking because even when the os has a gui you would have to work with config files (and your favorite *nix editor) to configure/change settings
 

Bert

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Mar 31, 2018
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I am using debian + XFCE. It works great for me. Ubuntu has richer UI experience.
 

gwb21472

New Member
Nov 29, 2021
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I want gui because the text base one are confusing. I can’t remember the command. I tried TrueNAS Core and have unbuntu server edition. TrueNAS Core didn’t for me didn’t have gui and unbuntu server is text base but you can install gui but seem to lose the server part after you install the desktop. Thanks for the help.
 

Bert

Well-Known Member
Mar 31, 2018
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I want gui because the text base one are confusing. I can’t remember the command. I tried TrueNAS Core and have unbuntu server edition. TrueNAS Core didn’t for me didn’t have gui and unbuntu server is text base but you can install gui but seem to lose the server part after you install the desktop. Thanks for the help.
Just create cheet sheet for your commands. This does the trick for me. With Linux or any other server OS, there is no avoiding of cmd line.
 

UhClem

just another Bozo on the bus
Jun 26, 2012
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Just create cheet sheet for your commands. This does the trick for me. With Linux or any other server OS, there is no avoiding of cmd line.
And, you can "digitize" your cheat sheet:
How to use aliases in linux shell commands

Even for advanced users, good for longer, hard-to-remember commands. E.g.:
Code:
alias lobotomy='sync; echo 1 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches'
alias fflobotomy='sync; echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches'
[The first one flushes out, then clears, the kernel's buffer cache.
The second one does the same, but for the cache and its metadata.]
=====
"Life is such monotony, without a good lobotomy." --R.H.
 
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Markess

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May 19, 2018
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I tried TrueNAS Core and have unbuntu server edition. TrueNAS Core didn’t for me didn’t have gui and unbuntu server is text base but you can install gui but seem to lose the server part after you install the desktop. Thanks for the help.
How were you trying to access TrueNAS? The GUI is only available via a browser session running on a different computer. If you're trying to access TrueNAS via the server itself (e.g. with a monitor attached), or via SSH from a remote computer, you'll only get text.

Besides TrueNAS, there's also OpenMediaVault (OMV) which has a GUI. OMV isn't a polished as TrueNAS, but IMO OMV has greater flexibility with hardware support and file system selection because its based on linux and not BSD like TrueNAS is.

At their core, TrueNAS and OMV are file storage systems but they also provide a broad range of other functionality. If you need/want an actual Server OS though, you can also use Ubuntu Server or other linux operating systems with a server focussed GUI add on, like the Cockpit Project (Cockpit Project — Cockpit Project)
 
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gwb21472

New Member
Nov 29, 2021
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How were you trying to access TrueNAS? The GUI is only available via a browser session running on a different computer. If you're trying to access TrueNAS via the server itself (e.g. with a monitor attached), or via SSH from a remote computer, you'll only get text.

Besides TrueNAS, there's also OpenMediaVault (OMV) which has a GUI. OMV isn't a polished as TrueNAS, but IMO OMV has greater flexibility with hardware support and file system selection because its based on linux and not BSD like TrueNAS is.

At their core, TrueNAS and OMV are file storage systems but they also provide a broad range of other functionality. If you need/want an actual Server OS though, you can also use Ubuntu Server or other linux operating systems with a server focussed GUI add on, like the Cockpit Project (Cockpit Project — Cockpit Project)

Yes i got only text base on my server and it gave me ip address to got to in my browser on other computer. My thing was i didn't know how to used the text base on my sever to set it up. yes i have a monitor attached to my sever. Now can i use the brower on other computer to setup TrueNAS or do i got to use text base on my server to set it up? I want to use my sever just for home sever. Where i can put files on it and go to any computer in the house and grab a file from it. I been told few time to use ubuntu sever. I may put ubuntu sever on there and try cockpit on it. Thank you for the help.
 

Markess

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2018
1,146
761
113
Northern California
Yes i got only text base on my server and it gave me ip address to got to in my browser on other computer. My thing was i didn't know how to used the text base on my sever to set it up. yes i have a monitor attached to my sever. Now can i use the brower on other computer to setup TrueNAS or do i got to use text base on my server to set it up? I want to use my sever just for home sever. Where i can put files on it and go to any computer in the house and grab a file from it. I been told few time to use ubuntu sever. I may put ubuntu sever on there and try cockpit on it. Thank you for the help.
TrueNAS via the GUI is going to be a lot easier to set up and manage then Ubuntu with Cockpit. I only mentioned Cockpit in case you needed an actual Server OS. But, it seems like your needs are more in keeping with what TrueNAS has to offer.

For TrueNAS...once you install it, you can do all the basic configuration via the GUI in a web browser from another computer. Once TrueNAS finishes booting, it will give you a screen like the one below that comes up on the monitor connected to the server.

Normally, for a basic setup, all you will need from this screen is the IP address from near the bottom. The other Console setup items are either advanced configuration that you won't need to get going or things you can do easier from the GUI:
1638327536094.png

The IP address that shows up for you will differ of course. Open a web browser on a different computer and in the URL bar, type in the numeric address from the screen connected to the server.

Most browsers won't require you to enter the http/https. Just the numbers should work. For example: 10.238.15.194. That will take you to a log in screen. The username will be "root" (no quotation marks) and the password will be whatever you set during install.

That will take you to a GUI screen that looks a lot like what @elvisimprsntr posted above.

Consider following the configuration steps on the TrueNAS site. After you are logged in to the GUI, you can follow along here:

Logging In |

Once you are able to access the GUI, you normally won't need a monitor connected to the server any longer.

There's lots of configuration with any server/NAS to get it running smoothly, but this should at least get you into the GUI portion.
 
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