Need help with my first storage server

Operating Systems & Open Source Windows
1

At this point I am frustrated and tired. I want something that works. I don't care Linux or Windows. Can somebody guide me through the process to help start my storage server. The build consists of an i3-4360, 16GB RAM, GTX 660ti, 4x4TB WD Red with 500GB Boot Drive. My router is an Asus RT-AC3200. What I want is something that can store all my files and I can access them locally and in different cities. I want to drives in a JBOD configuration because they are for backup and not redundancy. I want to be able to access the files on my main windows computers, my mobile devices, and stream pictures/videos to my raspberry pi running OpenELEC aka Kodi. This computer also is intended to stream steam games. How all of this is done I do not care anymore I just want a solution that can work. And I want someone to help my through the steps I have to go through with my router, network, installation etc. I have looked into several programs like Bittorrent Sync, OwnCloud, Seafile, Syncany, Syncthing etc. I tried installing OwnCloud on a LinuxMint installation first but it wouldn't properly install and I couldn't find guides that differed in installation method. I also tried installing steam on it but I couldn't get my GPU recognized no matter how many drivers I tried using from the Device Manger section. So I went the Windows route and installed Windows 10 because at least the video drivers and steam would work automatically so I only would have to worry about server. But that proved more of a hassle because OwnCloud isn't supported anymore due to their own complications in providing a good open source offering. So I looked around and found Seafile. I have it installed but cannot get access to the web UI. I understand an FTP server would serve my needs for get the files locally and externally but when I tried installing FileZilla server I ran into an error with the program and I didn't understand it at the time, so I am open to using it if someone can help me with that personally. Also samba server can also be used in my case to stream to the raspberry pi as I understand it. There are many options and I would really appreciate some proper help with this. If you need any more information please just ask what you need. This is more trouble than all the guides I looked at before getting the parts implied. "Follow these steps and you can have a server running in less than an hour". I have spent a week and am getting nowhere with this. Keep going back and forth from windows to linux let alone decide on specifically which method to use. I also have access to a SFTP server my friends and I rent, we share the space and I have about 1TB available. So I was thinking if there was a way to let my server connect to it and use that as a back end of sorts to just transfer my files. That way I don't have to open up too many ports on my router to be able to access the server. Because it's shared I do not want any files stored on there, but I can use the site somehow if someone can explain.

Thank you for your time and patience with my.

2

I understand you're upset, I do. But you need to take a breath (I'd have a cig, dunno if you smoke, sooo do whatever it is you do) and edit this post. Most people are not going to take the time and effort required to read a wall of text. I'm sorry. It's just the way it is.

So here are my suggestions:

  • Trim this down.
    • Salient, applicable points will help us help you.
    • Things like the SFTP are not actually part of the core question of the post
    • Think "How does this sentence help someone help me?"
  • Give thought to how the post is organized - Structure matters
    • You started with the specs of the server and some relevant network info. Break it out into it's own thing, but starting there was smart.
    • Then maybe your goals
    • Then list your problems perhaps. I count:
      -- 1 storage server install problem
      -- 1 steam install problem (Why steam on a storage server?) that relates to the GTX 660Ti not being recognized by Steam (does this matter? does the install stop you?)

Now, here's the advice I can give relating to the problem (please don't ignore the above. I really am trying to help you help other users help you.)

Windows (not 10) is probably going to be your best bet as far as the system OS. This is because you want Steam and are having drivers issues in linux. However, Windows will limit your fileserver options. Most server stuff is on Linux. However, you could try Windows Server instead of Windows 10. W10, like most varieties of Windows, is designed for a user machine, not a server box. I'm not much of a networking guy yet, I can't explain to you why this matters, but in my limited experience it does.

Don't connect your local server box to non-local SFTP and then back to your desktop. That's going to be unreliable, first of all, because you're relying on a double, non-local link that's going to introduce latency, points of failure, bandwidth use problems, etc.

And I hope we can solve this sooner rather than later.

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