Install Ubuntu server with GUI?

[simon_ives]

Right,
So you're telling me that to run a game server... I should use the desktop version.

Not having a GUI makes it much harder to manage servers. I know it makes it slower to have a GUI, but i'm sure a basic GUI wouldn't add that much to it. Certanly worth it when you think about the increased ability to manage and setup the server.

EDIT - I'll give that method a try and let you know if it worked.
(I was writing this post when you posted)

Why not just install Ubuntu server as is and install webmin to manage it via a networked workstation? If you have to run x apps on the server you can always x-forward them to your workstation over ssh too (assuming you installed x).

[Ameoba]

Ok lets get this sorted out. I'm wanting to run a couple of small LAN game servers. They run in windows allowing me to see live info of each one. From a comand line interface you can't get that kind of data presented on the screen.

I don't want to have to run 2 computers in order to use 1! The only type of remote admin that i like for general remote use is RDP (i havn't used linux enough to know an equivilant) as it gives me the option of remote admin while my desktop isn't doing anything and while my desktop is busy i can use the server normaly anyway.

I would like to install and interface onto server. but currently all the intructions people have offered that i've found (not just this thread) havn't worked! and because i havn't studied a text book on the operation of linux, and there is no usefull error messages, i don't know what is going on.

I'll be trying the desktop version now that should hopefully install without any issues. But if someone does have a method of installing an interface that is proven, i'd love to try it.

[windependence]

Right,
So you're telling me that to run a game server... I should use the desktop version.

Not having a GUI makes it much harder to manage servers. I know it makes it slower to have a GUI, but i'm sure a basic GUI wouldn't add that much to it. Certanly worth it when you think about the increased ability to manage and setup the server.

EDIT - I'll give that method a try and let you know if it worked.
(I was writing this post when you posted)

I'm curious, when you say you are going to run a gaming server, what is it exactly you are going to be running? I was under the impression that most games ran on Windows, except for the Doom, Quake and other ports unless you run cedega. How will you be setting this up?

-Tim

[Ameoba]

Battlefield 2, QUAKE III, CS1.6, Battlefield 1942. For a small LAN with friends (about 13-20 users)

BF will only run in windows, but they do have a linux server which i imagine works exactly like the windows dedicated server, but on linux. They basically have a window where you set the game settings, then once running they have a windows displying current game status, score, map, number of players etc. as well as the log which includs chats and game events.

[windependence]

Interesting.... I learned something today.

You should really follow dr_small's advice and learn more command line though. There is no need for you to run a GUI on this thing.

-Tim

[simon_ives]

I don't want to have to run 2 computers in order to use 1! The only type of remote admin that i like for general remote use is RDP (i havn't used linux enough to know an equivilant) as it gives me the option of remote admin while my desktop isn't doing anything and while my desktop is busy i can use the server normaly anyway.

With x forwarding you can perform many linux 'equivalents' of Remote Desktop Protocol on your server. Even nautilus can browse your server and any x apps will display on your workstation.

When you say '...I can use the server normally anyway' do you mean that you want to have a keyboard, mouse and monitor attached to the server so that x apps will display on the server? If so then you will definitely need an x environment installed. For a server you'd best use Xfce which is the default in Xubuntu.

[hyper_ch]

Ok lets get this sorted out. I'm wanting to run a couple of small LAN game servers. They run in windows allowing me to see live info of each one. From a comand line interface you can't get that kind of data presented on the screen.

what kind of data can't?

[Ameoba]

Multitasking. you can't be monitoring the stats of one system while making a change or even monitoring the stats of 2 systems at once.

[hyper_ch]

Multitasking. you can't be monitoring the stats of one system while making a change or even monitoring the stats of 2 systems at once.

sure you can

[windependence]

Multitasking. you can't be monitoring the stats of one system while making a change or even monitoring the stats of 2 systems at once.

What you can't open two or ten ssh windows at once?

-Tim