Store program files on NAS and run them on different desktop?

Software & Operating Systems Windows
1

There's a few different subforums this can go into, but i'll just leave it in here for now.

The Backend supporting this idea: My desktop and NAS are both connected to a 4 port gigabit router, with cat5e network cable.

So what I want to do is to build a NAS and have around 5TB+ of storage in there, and remove all the HDD's from my current desktop so my desktop will be silent (CPU+ Chassis + GPU fans off when idle) . The reasoning behind this is personal, but I want it done. I'm wondering if it's possible to treat the NAS's HDD's as basically HDD's in my own system, and be able to access them normally, be able to open programs normally that are loaded onto the NAS HDD's, and run programs straight off of the NASs's HDD (but still have all the computing done on my main desktop).

Basically, I want the NAS's HDD's to act as if the HDD's were in my own system. If anyone knows if this is possible, or wants me to re-write this to make more sense, please do! I've wanted to do this for a while and if I could do this, I would start building the NAS today because I have the parts needed lol

3

Yes, you can install a program through the windows file sharing and run it from there, not recommended, but it works.

4

Why isn't it recommended to do this? Possible data loss when my desktop is talking to the other computer's HDD's (the NAS)?

5

It's slow, data loss is probably meh, but it's rather slow and if the networked drives decide to be temperamental (they can be, refusing to connect, changing around names stuff like that), you may not be able to access your program.

My setup has all the the programs on local storage, and all work files on my NAS or w/e you want to call it (my laptop for me, I'm working on my desktop). I think it's a better solution as I can run around and use the programs as I wish on both machines, but the mass storage is held on my laptop and my desktop can be lazy and for a specific use.

6

So, is it possible to do what I want, and how would I do it? I don't mind if there would be any problems, I mainly want to try it out for fun, and if it works fine, i'd continue to use it. I've tried to look for ways to do it, but have come up empty handed.

7

Bump?

8

I am thinking you want something like iSCSI.

9

You can set this up in just about every version of windows since XP SP3. I don't personally know of the method of how to set it up, I just know there is support for it within Windows even if it's not a Server version of Windows.

10

You can even use SMB/CIFS, the regular windows file sharing stuff. Set up a mapped drive, and install your programs there. They usually ask where you want to install the program, right? So you map a network drive, and install your programs on it. Not much to it, really.